Maybe it’s just me, but it’s going to take more than three bright green patio umbrellas and a glut of signage to convince me that Mex-Italian cuisine is a sound idea.
When a restaurant, for all the good will in the world, is consistently empty….it might occur to the management that “it’s the concept, stupid.”
I hear it’s SRO at the new Oly Frijole’s Mexican Smorgy too.
I suggest that you forget the European culinary heritages entirely and just turn every eatery into a taco stall.
Wait, no, that’s what’s actually happening.
What’s the problem anyway, so what if the concept seems strange. To me it is just another form of fusion cuisine. This may not be PC but a lot of restaurants are staffed by individuals from Mexico and it is a well known secret that the staff meal, ie., the kitchen meal of those very same individuals, is the best meal of the restaurant, regardless of the cuisine officially presented. Gabriella Cafe now offers at lunch what had been a staff meal only or for lucky regulars like me, some of the best tacos and tamales that a good taqueria would be proud to serve. Maybe this Italian Mex cuisine restaurant is on to something or is just offering what may be the best food their other restaurant, CAfe Mare, serves only to the staff.
Check it out before going off….