A Bishop Arts restaurant is reopening following COVID-19 with a new direction, menu, and look. Tejas, which initially opened in 2019 as a taco and burger haunt, is returning but this time as a Tex-Mex spot. According to a release, it will open on September 22.
Located at 250 N. Bishop Ave., Tejas is one in a family of restaurants from Exxir Hospitality, along with Paradiso, Botanist, and Good Companions. Exxir is a restaurant group based in Bishop Arts District headed by COO Jeremy Hargrove (Proof + Pantry, Madrina).
The release says that Tejas' initial launch was a temporary thing and that Exxir was working on a final iteration all along. Voila, it is here: a playful, more moody sit-down space with an elevated menu of elegant Tex-Mex flavors, great music, and an agave-forward spirits program.
The menu is by executive chef Nicholas Hurry, who also helms the kitchen at Exxir concept Paradiso; and chef Diego Montoya, previously at Gemma.
It centers on healthy dishes with rich flavor such as:
- a trio of guacamoles, including a mole spiced version with pepitas, peanuts, coriander, cumin and árbol
- pan-seared spiced cod served in a guajillo-tomato broth
- mix-and-match mini tacos filled with cochinita, picadillo, and veggies
Under "light, healthy, and veggie" categories, they have:
- mussels in a jalapeño-infused garlic-tomato broth
- "skinny" fajitas featuring colorful sautéed vegetables and pickled red onions
- vegan squash and mushroom tacos with radish, green onion, toasted pumpkin seed and plantain chips
- vegan braised fennel fajitas
Spirits
The new spirits program is created by Iluggy Recinos, a former West Coast barman who was previously at L.A. hotspots Bestia and NoMad. The release calls it fruity, herbaceous, and agave-forward, and notes that every drink, such as the margaritas made with native Texas prickly pear, will feature a Tejas twist.
Recinos' cocktails are said to be elaborate yet easy to drink and include:
- Eres Mi Chingona, with chamomile-infused white vermouth, lemon, black pepper, strawberry, amontillado sherry and sotol
- Tex-Mex Railway, with tamarind, ancho chili, lime, habanero tequila, minted pimms and ginger ale
They've kept original Tejas dishes including breakfast tacos and burgers that you'll be able to get at a walk-up window along their back breezeway, starting in October.
Hours are Monday-Thursday 5-10 pm, Friday-Saturday 5-11 pm, and Sunday 5-9 pm. Breakfast and lunch hours will follow soon.
