Gluten-Free Mexican Restaurant Copita Opens in San Jose’s Willow Glen Neighborhood

by razezibaie · 1 November 2023

Greater than a decade after its 2012 debut, stylish Sausalito taqueria Copita has expanded with a second location in San Jose. The restaurant, which opened its doorways on Monday, October 30 at 1098 Lincoln Avenue, comes from chef Joanne Weir and restaurateur Larry Mindel, who’ve tapped chef Azari Cuena-Maitret to move up the kitchen. The restaurant is thought for its seasonal and completely gluten-free menu of Mexican dishes together with tacos, ceviches, and enchiladas.

Wier says Copita Willow Glen has been within the works for the previous two years. It’s a large second location sitting at 6,300 sq. toes and was a completely new construct. The house spans two flooring, the underside sticking near the format of the Sausalito location with a full menu that features bigger plates, whereas the second ground homes a rooftop terrace that’s acquired a menu extra centered on smaller plates and cocktails. The rooftop gives firepits and small tables for a extra intimate expertise, whereas downstairs there’s a full eating room with cubicles, banquettes, and a patio overlooking the road.

When it comes to design, each areas draw inspiration from town of San Miguel de Allende with colourful tiles in blue, white, and tangerine. The concept was to create areas that really feel “recent, clear, heat, (and) daring,” Weir says, because the group hopes the restaurant and bar can be a vigorous gathering place for the Willow Glen neighborhood.

Cuena-Maitret labored carefully with Weir, whom Bay Space residents would possibly know for her cookbooks and present on PBS, and the menu ports over lots of the identical dishes present in Sausalito plus some new additions. As all the time, tortillas can be made on-site by hand and, total, dishes will take Mexican favorites and provides them a seasonal, Northern California spin. Weir says she’s enthusiastic about choices together with breaded cauliflower tacos, huitlacoche-filled empanadas, and roasted Brussels sprouts in a citrus chipotle salsa. Whereas the unique location stars a tile-encased rotisserie, Willow Glen’s kitchen comes with a vertical trompo, so that they’re additionally twirling al pastor to stuff inside tacos and quesadillas.

There are two bars, one on every ground, with a separate menu obtainable at every. Each, nonetheless, star a number of about 10 drinks. In contrast to on the Sausalito restaurant, diners can select from extra than simply agave base spirits right here — although there are many choices together with curated flights for followers of tequila and mezcal. The Loteria, for instance, combines Tanqueray with lemon, orgeat, and passionfruit, whereas the Cinnamon Espresso Martini blends Ketel One, Mr. Black, chilly brew, and cinnamon. Weir’s excited to have some Mexican wines on the record, plus a small number of beers and a variety of nonalcoholic choices.

The Copita margarita, after all, stays on the middle of the record and continues to make use of Herradura Silver. Weir shares that the restaurant has been utilizing that particular tequila for years; it was chosen after the group blind-tested 40 completely different tequilas to attempt to discover one which deserved the star spot within the restaurant’s home margarita. “We ended up with Herradura,” Weir says. “I actually thought it made one of the best margarita.” They even repeated the blind take a look at once more forward of this second opening and as soon as once more, Herradura took residence the win.

The restaurant is open for dinner service with plans to supply lunch and weekend brunch within the coming weeks. For now, hours are Sunday by Monday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. and reservations should not being accepted.