The new Mexican restaurant at The Boulevard has already racked up one superlative, and the doors have yet to open.
Mezcaleria las Chupacabras has the boldest, brightest exterior of any restaurant in town. When one discovers that the owners also run the colorful El Burro Loco in the Central West End (313 N. Euclid) and downtown (1101 Lucas), however, it may come as no surprise.
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Mezcaleria las Chupacabras is the area’s first restaurant to highlight mezcal, tequila’s savory, smoky cousin. (Both are distilled from the agave plant, but they differ in flavor, production methods, and regions of production.) The restaurant takes the place of the former PF Chang’s location at 25 The Boulevard.
Sources familiar with the project say the pandemic has delayed the delivery of some furniture and fixtures, but the interior finishes are nearly complete. Like its sibling restaurants, nearly every square inch of wall, column, and ceiling space has been painted in bold, bright expressions. Every color of a Mexican sunset has been represented—pinks, roses, shades of orange, ruby red—as have the muted and lush greens of Oaxaca, where most mezcals are made.
Two- and three-dimensional animals of all shapes, sizes, and species create an interesting zoo: lizards, snakes, stags, hares, hybrids, and other description-defying creatures. A skeleton sculpture hangs from the ceiling, partially explaining the name and genesis of the logo; the chupacabra is an ancient legendary creature in Mexican folklore. The name comes from the animal’s reported vampirism and alleged propensity to attack livestock.
“We wanted something vibrant and alive in that space,” says Ramzi Hassan of Edwards Realty Company, co-owner of the development, “and that’s just what we got.”
The interior is large—7,000 square feet—not including the covered side patio with a dedicated bar. “The opportunities for outdoor seating are almost limitless there,” notes Hassan. “Patio seating could extend into the adjacent courtyard and maybe even into the street for certain events.”
Details about the food and drink menu, as well as the opening date, are still being finalized, according to Hassan. To date, there have been only teases on the restaurant’s Facebook and Instagram. SLM has reached out to the restaurant’s owners for additional information.
