New Menu and Service Changes At La Condesa

The post-shuffle menu evolution continues, this time at La Condesa. New Executive Chef Rick Lopez, who stepped up after Rene Ortiz and Laura Sawicki's departures last month, has made an update to the downtown Mexican restaurant's longstanding menu. Eater spoke with him about the changes, as well as the new types of service they've implemented.

Lopez says the menu's new approach is to focus on "shareable" small plates. He notes it's not "a big shakeup," and wants to focus more on "how the customer eats." He calls the approach "old school," and one that won't overwhelm with "huge entrees." They've also adopted a service approach similar to Sway's in which customers "order a whole bunch of things" and food comes out when ready. Lopez calls this system a "cook's dream" because "there's no pressure greater than your own," and each cook is in charge of their own dish exclusively. No pastry changes are on the horizon yet, but Lopez says his young pastry cook is a "star" and worked "closely with Laura" for a long time.

Eater also spoke with Executive Chef Alexis Chong at Sway, who says no formal menu changes are on their horizon yet. La Condesa's new menu is available on their site.
· Alexis Chong and Rick Lopez Promoted [-EATX-]
· All La Condesa Coverage [-EATX-]
· All Sway Coverage [-EATX-]