Photo by George Mahe
Frida’s and Diego’s Cantina will soon be united—perhaps fitting, given the restaurants' namesakes.
Bonito Bar, named after artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera’s pet parrot, will soon fill the space between Natasha Kwan and Rick Roloff's two University City restaurants, which previously housed an alterations business. Bonito is depicted in many of Kahlo’s paintings and was known to perform tricks at the table for rewards of pats of butter. “Rick and I have a 25-year-old parrot ourselves, Buster,” Kwan says, “so naming a bar after a parrot feels doubly right.”
Slated to open this summer, the new bar will include a 10- to 12-seat bar made from white Carrera marble—the same material used at Diego’s—and a moveable, open-air front wall that parallels Diego’s. A 14-foot arched ceiling will be lined in gold leaf, with clear birds hanging from the ceiling—and one colored bird, Bonito. “It’ll still be Frida’s, open for lunch and dinner, but Bonito Bar has its own identity and its own social media presence,” says Kwan, “and might keep longer hours than Frida’s.”
Along with wine and beer, the menu will include an abundance of craft cocktails, from classics to seasonals made with fresh juices, a program spearheaded by general manager Jackson Crowder. "Frida’s has a robust drink menu that many people still don't know about," Kwan says. "Now they will."
Photo by George Mahe
Frida's Going 'Flexitarian'
While construction is already underway on the space, Frida’s will also temporarily close in three to five weeks to “completely revamp” the kitchen. Kwan anticipates a one- to two-month closure, with Frida's reopening alongside Bonito Bar this summer.
“We started off in a tiny little space, expanded twice, added a patio, but never expanded the kitchen,” she says of Frida's. “You never know you’re going to be successful until you are. After 10 years, Frida’s is finally getting a big-girl kitchen.”
At the same time, Frida’s will shift culinary gears from vegan to flexitarian. "A lot of our clientele already eats fish, but they may not eat dairy,” Kwan says. “They eat steamed vegetables, but they don’t eat fried. People may call us a vegan restaurant, but to me, Frida’s is a healthy restaurant, a lifestyle restaurant, and that won’t change.”
Some of the older, less popular items will likely disappear from the menu to make way for new items. “Frida’s has been doing well for over a decade, so we can’t rock the boat too much," Kwan notes. "Some of our guests come in three to five times a week. When menu items drop off, we still run them as specials, which keeps everybody happy.”
Possible additions include a salmon burger, cod with tomato relish, cauliflower puree with salmon and grilled asparagus, and mahi mahi with pineapple salsa and coconut rice. Kwan sums it up, saying, “There won’t be a lot of fish, but the menu will be different. Think traditional meals, spun in a healthy direction.”
A New Station
Kwan and Roloff also plan to open Station No. 3 later this month at 1956 Utah (the former Utah Station) in Benton Park. (The new endeavor is the third restaurant from the duo, hence the name.) With staffing continuing to be a concern, Kwan is timing the temporary closure of Frida’s to coincide with the opening of Station No. 3. “Between borrowing Frida’s staff and college kids [who work at the restaurant] returning, we’ll have enough people for the summer,” Kwan predicts. "We're fortunate to be able to shift and shuffle."
