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Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
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The creators of the blockbuster known simply as Pi—Chris Sommers and Frank Uible—will open their latest eatery (and their first non-pizza joint) in the Central West End during the week of April 29 to May 3. Wrapped in tall glass, the former Rothschild's Antiques, located at the southeast corner of Euclid and McPherson has been transformed into the vibrant and splashy Gringo, one of the most anticipated restaurant openings of the year. With a bar top that resembles the glassy bottom of a surfboard and chairs that appear to have been pilfered from my favorite seaside patio in Ensenada, Mexico—plus the fact that Gringo dubs itself "a re-imagined, mid-century Baja surf lodge," splashy is the right adjective.
Here are a few reaons why Gringo will make a splash (OK, I'll stop):
The Beer: Los amigos Sommers and Uible asked Schlafly to craft beers appropriate and unique to Gringo. The result is a pilsner, an amber, and a dark. If your Mexican brew of choice is Corona or Pacifico, the Schlafly counterpart is Gringo Pilsner; fans of Dos Equis Ambar will order the reddish-brown, Vienna-style lager, Gringo Vienna Ambar; and if you're taco fix includes barbacoa or al carbon, introduce yourself to Gringo's Munich Negra.
The Sous-Vide: Until someone proves us wrong, we're saying that Gringo is the first taco joint in the U.S. (and maybe anywhere) that cooks most of its meats low and slow in vacuum-sealed bags, the time-consuming tenderizing process commonly known as sous-vide. Although we've not yet had the pleasure, we expect the pork belly, carnitas and tinga varieties to be the most toothsome taco fillings around.
The Grasshoppers: Although there are a dozen taco options, the one creating the most excitement (dare we say, buzz), is the chapulines, grasshoppers that are FedEx'ed from Mexico, sauteed with guajillo peppers, and served with mashed avocado, an item that our intrepid staff photographer Kevin A. Roberts describes as "salty, crunchy...good." (Bottom taco in photo below.)
The Hooks and Hook-ups: Look beneath the bar, and you'll find purse hooks—an essential amenity for many female patrons. Also appealing is the addition of shore power for smart phones and larger cyber toys, as well as double USB ports "because one is never enough."
Mind you, this is just a cursory report. We'll show and tell you a lot more about the city's newest taqueria in the June issue of SLM.
