It looks like Rosa Mexicano is going to have some Tex-Mex competition up the street, when Mi Cocina, a similarly colorful, artsy restaurant opens on May 10.
The new eatery, located at The Collection in Chevy Chase, will be the 23rd restaurant in the Dallas-based chain, and each location sports a different décor, according to the company’s design coordinator, Angeline Guido Hall.
The Chevy Chase locale includes amber textured glass light fixtures, cocoa-colored booths and bold, bright paintings done by Mexican-born artist Luis Sottil. The artwork, painted with gold leaf and natural pigments, features orchids from Tamaulipas, the Mexican state that borders Texas. Sottil also created a number of unique Talevera pottery vases that were shipped in custom-designed crates.
About 95 percent of the menu will be the same as at the other locations, but Chevy Chase diners will get to sample some new tamales dishes plus grilled salmon (with agave-guajillo glaze or poblano cream). The rest of the menu reads like a hit parade of Tex-Mex staples—nachos, enchiladas, tacos, burritos and more, many of which were on display for staff training when we visited. Good luck to the trainees when it comes to remembering the names and identities of all 22 sauces..
5471 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, 301-652-1195, www.micocinarestaurants.com
