Bloomfield Hills MEX restaurant reopens with new look and new menu items
MEX, the Bloomfield Hills Mexican fare-inspired restaurant from the Peas and Carrots Hospitality group, has reopened with a new look and reinvented menu after an extensive renovation.
Closed since last November, the 7,000-square-foot space was gutted and completely remodeled. The building on Telegraph Road near the corner of Maple has been transformed with the help of Streetsense design firm, based in Bethesda, Maryland.
"We’ve been ideating and imagining these changes for quite some time now and are finally ready to share it with the community," said Zack Sklar, Peas and Carrots Hospitality owner, and corporate executive chef, in a news release.
Sklar, who opened MEX in 2013, said the remodel offers a much bigger “wow factor” and believes "it will be our most beautiful restaurant yet."
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Other Michigan restaurants under the Peas & Carrots Hospitality group's umbrella are Social Kitchen + Bar, Beau’s Grillery, Como’s and the Common Grill.
On a tour prior to the reopening, the restaurant's new look was described by Aaron Lowen, Peas and Carrots operating partner, as "refined and elegant Mexico City chic."
"You keep reading about Mexico City being hip and trendy," he said.
At MEX, it's reflected in not only the menu but the "decor of what's old is new again," Lowen said. It's not just tacos and burritos. More entrees and vegan items have been added.
You will still find MEX's Mexican-inspired classics and favorites, including its house-made salsa and fajitas, on the menu. Newcomers include housemade tortillas, ceviche, whole branzino, duck carnitas tacos and vegan corn-coconut tamales.
"It's an elevated experience, but you will still come for the tacos, chips, and salsa," Lowen said.
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MEX's beverage program has been revamped and includes lemon, lime and orange juices pressed fresh in-house, mocktails, and signature cocktails, including white sangria, mojitos and martinis along with on-the-rocks and frozen margaritas.
Gone in the interior are the flashy neon colors in favor of warm earth tones. Also gone are the garage doors out to the patio in favor of sliders.
One noticeable change is the bar area, with seating for 40 amid the large square bar as its focal point with a greenhouse sort of theme and plenty of windows leading up to and including the ceiling. Around the bar, there is built-in seating and several high-top tables. The main dining areas are completely remodeled and there is outdoor patio seating.
Its new layout, according to a news release, will seat about 220 in total. Also completely remodeled is the upstairs, where the space can accommodate nearly 45 with high tops and banquette seating for dining or used as a space for private events.
"The goal was not just a remodel, but an overall remodel of the design to food to ambience," Lowen said. "It's elevated in every aspect with higher qualities and better products."
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To start, MEX is open for dinner daily. Hours are 4-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 4-9 p.m. Sunday. A happy hour, lunch and weekend brunch service is expected soon. Reservations can be made through resy.com.
Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. Subscribe to the Free Press.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: MEX in Bloomfield Hills reopens after extensive remodel with new menu
