After a restaurant goes through a management change, diners frequently see a seismic shift in menu, approach, quality and service. But when Felice Urban Cafe switched hands from longtime owner Margaret Mueller to her grandson Jack and his husband last year, only a ripple registered on the food scale.
The 10-year-old restaurant’s reputation for bold, inspired Mediterranean small plates remained intact, making the transition seamless. With executive chef Jose Coronado at the helm for a little over a year-and-a-half, he’s slowly infusing his native Guatemalan flavors into dishes, giving the Larchmere spot a more worldly view. He’s playing around with adding jackfruit tacos and is launching a Sunday brunch that includes waffles topped with chorizo, salsa verde and a fried egg.
“I want to pay homage to my country,” he says. “I want people to try different flavors.”
He’s also finding ways to give vegan diners exciting options, including the almond-roasted tofu salad ($15) and vegan tasting plate ($14) with a stellar cranberry bean hummus. Yet devotees live for the vegan kofta tacos ($14). While the traditional Middle Eastern meatballs are made with ground meat, these cauliflower koftas mingle with pickled vegetables, tahini and crispy Brussels sprouts on house-made tortillas.
Even if you’re not vegan, these dishes have such complexity that they’re worth having on your radar. “I want a menu where everybody can enjoy it,” Coronado says.
25 Best Restaurants: Felice Urban Cafe
The Mediterranean-inspired, small-plates restaurant on Larchmere Boulevard is getting a Guatemalan flair.
