On the heels of debuting the joint venture Pizza Friendly Pizza with Michelin-starred Chef Noah Sandoval, Managing Partner Bruce Finkelman of 16” on Center has announced another cross-town chef collaboration. Local chef Jonathan Zaragoza (Birrieria Zaragoza, Masa Azul, Sepia) is bringing a presentation of Mexican cuisine to Hyde Park with the launch of El Oso, a new culinary residency debuting mid-October and lasting a minimum of three months, inside of 16OC’s South Side restaurant The Promontory.
Showcasing a completely new menu of traditional Mexican and masa-focused dishes made by Zaragoza highlighting seasonal Midwestern ingredients, the new concept utilizes the space’s signature brick hearth to create smoky and wood-fired items such as Sikil P’ak, Ceviche Verde de Camaron Tostada, Chivo Tatemado featuring bone-in roasted goat shank with mole negro and more. Complementing the menu is a new line of agave-based cocktails created by 16OC Bar Manager Mark Phelan of Revival Food Hall.
A TRIBUTE TO HIS ROOTS: The name El Oso, which translates to “the bear” in Spanish, is a loving play on Zaragoza’s childhood nickname, which his father used as a term of endearment when he encountered his son in a grumpy mood. As an adult, Zaragoza worked as executive chef alongside his father at the family's restaurant, Birrieria Zaragoza, earning a spot on Zagat’s 30 Under 30 list in 2012 and being named a StarChefs Rising Star in 2018.
The new concept will serve dinner via counter service with social-distancing friendly seating available both on the patio and indoors near the restaurant’s large open front windows. Hours of operation are Monday - Tuesday: closed, Wednesday - Thursday: 4:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. (food) 11 p.m. (drinks), Friday - Saturday: 4:30 p.m. - 11 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. - 9 p.m.
MEXICAN FOOD THROUGH A MIDWESTERN LENS: Drawing inspiration from both his travels throughout Mexico and a lifetime of Mexican culinary traditions ingrained in him by family from a young age, Zaragoza has crafted an array of menu items, all of which are touched in some way by The Promontory’s signature brick hearth. Zaragoza recalls his early experiences learning to make birria in a wood-burning oven built by his grandfather and father in the family’s backyard, and welcomes the opportunity to return to this time-honored method of cooking with El Oso.
“For me, this project is about getting back to my roots,” says Zaragoza. “The menu brings in a sense of nostalgia from my travels throughout Mexico, but it's also a tribute to my family and our traditions of preparing food over an open fire in the backyard. There’s something honest about cooking with wood and with El Oso I’m returning to the hearth to create foods that are comforting to me, and comfort is something I think we all need right now.”
Diners can look forward to a variety of traditional Mexican dishes that capture the robust, smoky flavor of burning wood including:
APPS
Tacos Dorados: Garlic potato puree, rolled into three crispy tortillas, with white fish ceviche a la Mexicana.
Tetela de Cangrejo: Two triangular shaped masa stuffed with crab and queso crema. Served with a dark roasted peanut salsa.
Ceviche Verde de Camaron Tostada: Shrimp ceviche, serrano, avocado and salsa macha on homemade tostada.
Sikil P'ak (v): Pumpkin seed, heirloom tomato and habanero dip served with seasonal crunchy vegetables.
Emoladas (v): Roasted delicata squash and wild mushrooms served in three house-made tortillas with mole amarillo.
MAINS
Chicharron de Puerco: Crispy pork belly roulade and mole manchamanteles, served with house-made tortillas.
Chivo Tatemado: Bone-in roasted goat shank and mole negro, served with house-made tortillas.
Tamale de Maiz (v): Corncake tamale with pipian verde, queso cotija and end-of-summer squash blossoms.
SIDES
Chips and guacamole
Salsa de Molcajete
Frijoles Charros: Baked pinto beans with bacon and chorizo
Elotitos: Super sweet baby corn and Cojita cheese aioli
Papas con Chorizo: Roasted potatoes and chorizo
Curtidos: Mexican pickles (rotating)
SWEETS
La Perla de Helado: Hoja santa ice cream served inside a Loaf Lounge concha
Rotating fruit dessert
DRINKS: Zaragoza is also working closely with 16” on Center barkeep Mark Phelan to develop a list of agave-based cocktails to accompany the food menu, each of which is steeped in Mexican tradition. The cocktail list includes a Oaxacan Highballmade with mezcal, house-made cactus fruit syrup, aloe juice and Topo Chico, a variety of margaritas including a classic, spicy and frozen blackberry-basil, Bourbon Coco Punch featuring bourbon, spiced rum, coconut milk, and honey and a Pina Asada made with hearth-roasted pineapple, freeze dried corn, coconut and Bacardi rum.
On the heels of debuting the joint venture Pizza Friendly Pizza with Michelin-starred Chef Noah Sandoval, Managing Partner Bruce Finkelman of 16” on Center has announced another cross-town chef collaboration. Local chef Jonathan Zaragoza (Birrieria Zaragoza, Masa Azul, Sepia) is bringing a presentation of Mexican cuisine to Hyde Park with the launch of El Oso, a new culinary residency debuting mid-October and lasting a minimum of three months, inside of 16OC’s South Side restaurant The Promontory.
Showcasing a completely new menu of traditional Mexican and masa-focused dishes made by Zaragoza highlighting seasonal Midwestern ingredients, the new concept utilizes the space’s signature brick hearth to create smoky and wood-fired items such as Sikil P’ak, Ceviche Verde de Camaron Tostada, Chivo Tatemado featuring bone-in roasted goat shank with mole negro and more. Complementing the menu is a new line of agave-based cocktails created by 16OC Bar Manager Mark Phelan of Revival Food Hall.
A TRIBUTE TO HIS ROOTS: The name El Oso, which translates to “the bear” in Spanish, is a loving play on Zaragoza’s childhood nickname, which his father used as a term of endearment when he encountered his son in a grumpy mood. As an adult, Zaragoza worked as executive chef alongside his father at the family's restaurant, Birrieria Zaragoza, earning a spot on Zagat’s 30 Under 30 list in 2012 and being named a StarChefs Rising Star in 2018.
The new concept will serve dinner via counter service with social-distancing friendly seating available both on the patio and indoors near the restaurant’s large open front windows. Hours of operation are Monday - Tuesday: closed, Wednesday - Thursday: 4:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. (food) 11 p.m. (drinks), Friday - Saturday: 4:30 p.m. - 11 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. - 9 p.m.
MEXICAN FOOD THROUGH A MIDWESTERN LENS: Drawing inspiration from both his travels throughout Mexico and a lifetime of Mexican culinary traditions ingrained in him by family from a young age, Zaragoza has crafted an array of menu items, all of which are touched in some way by The Promontory’s signature brick hearth. Zaragoza recalls his early experiences learning to make birria in a wood-burning oven built by his grandfather and father in the family’s backyard, and welcomes the opportunity to return to this time-honored method of cooking with El Oso.
“For me, this project is about getting back to my roots,” says Zaragoza. “The menu brings in a sense of nostalgia from my travels throughout Mexico, but it's also a tribute to my family and our traditions of preparing food over an open fire in the backyard. There’s something honest about cooking with wood and with El Oso I’m returning to the hearth to create foods that are comforting to me, and comfort is something I think we all need right now.”
Diners can look forward to a variety of traditional Mexican dishes that capture the robust, smoky flavor of burning wood including:
APPS
Tacos Dorados: Garlic potato puree, rolled into three crispy tortillas, with white fish ceviche a la Mexicana.
Emoladas (v): Roasted delicata squash and wild mushrooms served in three house-made tortillas with mole amarillo.
MAINS
Chicharron de Puerco: Crispy pork belly roulade and mole manchamanteles, served with house-made tortillas.
Tamale de Maiz (v): Corncake tamale with pipian verde, queso cotija and end-of-summer squash blossoms.
SIDES
Chips and guacamole
Curtidos: Mexican pickles (rotating)
SWEETS
La Perla de Helado: Hoja santa ice cream served inside a Loaf Lounge concha
Rotating fruit dessert
DRINKS: Zaragoza is also working closely with 16” on Center barkeep Mark Phelan to develop a list of agave-based cocktails to accompany the food menu, each of which is steeped in Mexican tradition. The cocktail list includes a Oaxacan Highball made with mezcal, house-made cactus fruit syrup, aloe juice and Topo Chico, a variety of margaritas including a classic, spicy and frozen blackberry-basil, Bourbon Coco Punch featuring bourbon, spiced rum, coconut milk, and honey and a Pina Asada made with hearth-roasted pineapple, freeze dried corn, coconut and Bacardi rum.
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