First Chew and Future Chew: Maiz de la Vida and Alebrije | Bites

As we rejoice this yr’s winners of the massive Better of Nashville awards, I urge you Bitesters to learn this put up fastidiously, as a result of your vote for Finest New Restaurant subsequent yr may simply be talked about — and each of them are previous BON winners.

I hope the Metro Nashville Police Division doesn’t have noseprint identification expertise, as a result of I’ve left a couple of on the glass home windows of Julio Hernandez’s Maiz de la Vida restaurant over the previous few months as I spied on the progress contained in the eating room and kitchen at 606 Eighth Ave. S. Lastly, on Oct. 7, he opened the doorways to the general public to expertise the following iteration of his progress from taco truck and tortilleria operator into full-service restaurateur.

First, the small print. Diners can get an hour of free parking within the Paseo South Gulch storage with validation, and I understand how a lot y’all care about free parking, to not point out validation. Maiz de la Vida is tucked into the courtyard of the Paseo advanced, however it’s straightforward to search out due to the engaging murals painted on the partitions on the skin of the restaurant.

Inside, the dramatic decor continues the Mexican artistry with a centerpiece wall behind the bar that includes rays of daylight produced from heritage corn kernels emanating from a shelving unit formed like a Mesoamerican pyramid. The cabinets are stocked with small succulents and accented by a figurine (referred to as an alebrije, however extra on that later) of what seems to be a portly chihuahua with an ear of corn in his mouth.

Along with the bar, seating choices embody communal tables, cubicles and a chef’s bar, and you’ll request particular seating when making reservations. In my pleasure, my eating companion and I beat down the door at opening on the restaurant’s third day of official operation. Once I greeted Chef Julio, he advised be to strap in, as a result of he had already modified your complete menu since opening day. Initially serving an expanded model of his taco truck menu, Julio determine to go larger with the lunch choices in order to create a totally completely different eating expertise.

Sitting on the bar, we ordered a scrumptious cucumber agave soda and a “Soiled Horchata” for 2 causes. To begin with, it was lunch and we weren’t able to get our drink on but. Plus the restaurant was nonetheless awaiting its liquor license. (Though beer is offered.) Each drinks had been thoughtfully made with plenty of recent elements. Off to an excellent begin!

After all we ordered an app of chips and salsas, as a result of the nixtamalized tortillas at Maiz de la Vida are normally the celebrities of the present. The advanced corniness of the crispy chips made them nice on their very own, however mixed with a trio of tamarind, verde and Norteña-style salsas, they had been even higher.

As a previous Iron Fork decide, I knew Chef Julio received this yr’s contest due to his unbelievable advanced mole negro, so after I noticed it was supplied with the enchiladas, my resolution was made. My companion went with the tostada, though in hindsight we in all probability shouldn’t have ordered two dishes that included the pollo asado. The grilled hen was a bit bit underseasoned in each dishes (however it in all probability got here out of the identical batch, in order that’s comprehensible). It was the opposite flavors that had been the highlights of the dishes anyway. My enchiladas supplied a selection of taste combos, relying on which means I wished to swipe my fork by way of the virtually plummy mole, the fragile crema or the crumbly queso fresco. A sprinkle of onions added a pleasant contact of acid to chop by way of the opposite wealthy components and provides a bit wanted punch to the hen.

The tostadas in fact highlighted the crispy corn tortilla produced from heritage grain corn that MDLV sources from Mexico and nixtamalizes in home. A stunning spotlight of that dish was the pickled escabeche carrots that got here as a crunchy accompaniment. They had been served with basically the identical toppings as my enchiladas, and I once more wished I’d reached a bit deeper into the menu to discover the sopes, chilaquiles and even the quesadilla. Subsequent time for positive, and it received’t be lengthy till subsequent time!

I don’t know if there have been additional tweaks to the menu since opening, however I’d say Maiz de la Vida is already nicely on its strategy to changing into one other favourite Nashville restaurant that confirms Hernandez’s worthiness as a former James Beard nominee.

Getting again to Alebrije, Bites readers in all probability know that phrase because the title of Edgar Victoria’s small empire of Mexico Metropolis-inspired meals vans and pop-ups. In reality, I gave him a Better of Nashville author’s selection this yr for his intelligent technique of rising his enterprise with out investing in a everlasting location of is personal.

Effectively, that modified shortly.

Victoria not too long ago posted a photograph on Instagram of him holding a key to a brand new operation at an undisclosed location. Eagle-eyed viewers may in all probability acknowledge the background because the carryout window that was previously Otaku Ramen at 604 Gallatin Pike. Regardless of what my ophthalmologist says, I can nonetheless spot a well-recognized place after I see it, so I reached out to Edgar for the thin.

Certainly, he does have plans to transform the previous Otaku area into a brand new everlasting house for Alebrije. He tells me he turned down the supply to maneuver in earlier this yr however reconsidered after he visited the Coral Membership (one other BON 2024 winner) subsequent door and realized how little work could be concerned to transform the ramen kitchen into a brand new idea.

“I walked into Coral Membership and mentioned, ‘This place is dope! I can do nicely subsequent door,’ so I lastly mentioned sure about two months in the past,” Victoria shares. After touring the potential kitchen with a designer pal, he was very optimistic in regards to the setup that already included walk-in coolers, a vent hood and a grease entice.

“I don’t wish to get too bold,” he explains. “I don’t suppose I would like traders. I nonetheless do my very own taxes. I’m concerned within the design. I’m even engaged on the artwork for the partitions. We’ll have a distinct design aesthetic, however I don’t have a giant finances.”

He’s nonetheless mulling whether or not to maintain the Octopus mural from the times when the area was Little Octopus, an offshoot of Sarah Gavigan’s POP idea subsequent door. “Folks name it the octopus constructing, so I don’t know if we will lose that,” says Victoria.

His plan is for what he calls “high-end informal Mexican.” Victoria factors to his profitable Sunday residency of pop-ups at Bastion and says he’d prefer to share his “sunchokes with XO sauce” with clients. “The menu might be heavy on greens, as a result of there are such a lot of methods to prepare dinner them. It frees up a number of creativity,” he says.

His service mannequin continues to be up within the air, with plans to supply espresso and Mexican breakfast gadgets like tacos, tamales and chilaquiles within the morning for carryout after which a dine-in lunch service. His group will prep at evening in addition to providing a small menu just like his meals vans that may be ordered and served for pickup for Coral Membership patrons. 

The area has room to seat about 35 patrons, however with just one lavatory at present, he’ll be restricted to twenty till he figures out the baño state of affairs. His former pop-up on the pool on the Drift Resort is on hiatus for the winter, however he’ll nonetheless function out of By no means By no means in Wedgewood-Houston and Bar Sovereign close to downtown as he has for fairly some time now. The addition of a brand new bigger kitchen in East Nashville ought to streamline these operations significantly.

Tools is being delivered, and Edgar figures he’s a month or two from opening. Within the meantime, who is aware of? He may even pop again up at Bastion. “That was the most effective time I’ve ever had as a chef,” he recollects. “Feeding individuals who had been lining up on the sidewalk to eat what I used to be cooking? It was superior!”