Food Culture

Monroe’s next-best-thing to abuela’s kitchen is Kahlo Tapas & Tequila. Partners Mario Mata and Cesar Nunez have opened their newest venture that features distinguished Mexican flavors in the form of a tapas and tequilería establishment.

article by Vanelis Rivera | photography by Andrew Bailey

For a city that spans approximately thirty-three square miles, Monroe, Louisiana has considerable options for one of America’s favorite cross-cultural fusions—Tex-Mex. There’s a lot to rave about when it comes to these heavily Tejano (Texans of Mexican heritage) style restaurants, like digging into a plate of chips and queso while waiting on cheesy chicken enchiladas to arrive. But the flavors of México are far and wide reaching. Thirty-two states make up the dominating landmass of Central America, and with it, cultural intricacies abound, many of which are expressed in the kitchens of tias (aunts) and abuelas (grandmothers). Unfortunately, not everyone has the great honor of having a Mexican abuela, but a distinguished Mexican tapas and tequilería (an establishment that serves tequila) is ready to become Monroe’s next-best-thing to abuela’s kitchen—Kahlo Tapas & Tequila.

Mario Mata, owner of Kahlo, jokes about his Homeric journey to Monroe: “Nació en una penca de un maguey, criado por Xoloitzcuintles. La luna y las estrellas le mostraron el camino a Monroe, Louisiana (Raised in the stalks of an agave plant, raised by the native dogs of México . The moon and the stars revealed the path to Monroe, Louisiana).” Though Mata’s parents were established in the United States before he was born, he is the only one of his siblings born in México, a detail that characterizes the dignity and pride he has for his heritage.He was raised in Georgia and Alabama at an early age, but most of his childhood was spent in Monroe due to his parents’ involvement in the restaurant business. As a teen, he decided to return to México to complete his education and quickly discovered that his Spanish was lacking: “My Spanish was very bad, and I didn’t know until I went to México. My Spanish was a mix of other Spanishes.” It didn’t take long for him to become fluent in Mexican standards, and after establishing a family of his own, he decided to join his parents and brothers in Monroe in pursuit of a life of opportunity. The immigration process to bring his family from México to Monroe took three years, but the wait only strengthened his resolve. His restaurant staples as a Monrovian included establishing Avocado’s as well as his newest ventures Burrito Loko, located in West Monroe, and now Kahlo which he has opened alongside his partner Cesar Nunez.

Celebrating what it means to be Mexican was the heart of the Kahlo project. “I like art. Anything that stands for what it means to be Mexican, art and food; I wanted to showcase it,” explains Mata. After years of his friends tasting and sharing their enthusiasm for his home cooking, Mata began visualizing a space that would do justice to authentic, from-the-kitchen, Mexican food. In his other restaurants, Mata avoided using the word “authentic” to describe his cuisine mainly because he associates the word with the style of dishes that would be cooked in his house, which are not often completely reflected in Tex-Mex dishes. Born in González, a municipality located in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, Mata has been exposed to the many culinary interpretations and presentations unique to regions. As a tip-of-the-hat to the Spanish influence on his culture, Kahlo’s Mexican staples are set in a tapas-style presentation and setting.

In Spanish cuisine, a tapa is an appetizer or small portion of any kind of Spanish dish. In the Kahlo menu, the first tapa listed is a Bayou Life favorite: their Elote! This Mexican-style corn on-the-cob stands alone because of its coating of chile powder, butter, lime juice, and sprinkled with queso fresco. It’s the simplest dish on the menu, but it’s packed with flavor and makes an excellent addition to any of their entrées. Another simple and flavorful tapa is the Sope, a savory corn cake that takes the form of a fried corn disk topped with beans, then your choice of meat, and stacked with lettuce, queso fresco, pico de gallo, and sour cream. A stand-out tapa with traditional Mexican flavor is their Camarones a la Diabla (Spicy Shrimp) served with a tomato based sauce, given a kick of spice, and rice. The most popular tapa, so far, is Kahlo’s Ceviche Stack. This Spanish-influenced classic is made traditionally: cured fish and shrimp cooked with the citrus of fresh lime juice stacked in layers of avocado, cucumber, and pico de gallo. The beauty of the tapas dishes is that they can be combined to make a full meal, so get creative with your choice of eleven different tapas that may soon grow in number.

On the entrée side, you’ll notice a few familiar words like tacos, enchiladas, and huevos rancheros, but the key to some of the dishes in this section of the menu is the style in which the meat of your choice is prepared. Bistec ranchero (steak in ranchero sauce) is prepared in a piquant tomato-based sauce that includes onions, green chilis, and seasoning. Pork carnitas is Mexican-style slow cooked pork, equal parts crispy and tender. Chicharron en salsa is pork belly slow cooked in salsa. Asado de puerco is pork cooked in a red chili sauce. And Barbacoa is meat steamed until tender accompanied with onions and cilantro. One particular unfamiliar dish worthy of exploration includes the Chilaquiles. Traditionally a breakfast course, this dish consists of corn tortillas cooked with sauce, chicken and cheese, then topped with a fried egg and avocado. Though the restaurant is still working on an official dessert menu, an off menu dessert item that you’ll want to ask about is their Chocoflan, a traditional dessert that is a combination of chocolate cake on the bottom with a soft and creamy flan on top. It’s been dubbed “The Impossible Chocolate Cake” as well as “Magic Mexican Chocolate Flan Cake,” but all that you really need to know is how you can lose yourself in it. Doesn’t matter what side of the menu you order from, your dish will not only be rich in taste, but also rich in color—just like the restaurant’s interior.

After all, México is a color culture. The use of bright pigments in art and architecture represent the array of the country’s natural world. And though Mexican artists abound, only one name seems to raise eyebrows—Frida Kahlo. Mata uses the German surname of the famous artist, itself a testament to the extensive cultural diversity of the Mexican people, as well as the image of the flower crown, an iconic accessory of the artist, as a subtle ode. “I didn’t want to use Frida because it’s too obvious. I wanted people to raise the question: What does Kahlo mean?” In the restaurant, Frida shows up on throw pillows and on a mounted portrait, but the most impressive visual of her can be found in the impressively crafted mixed media mural that utilizes a wide arrange mediums, including acrylic and spray paint, designed painted by Mata. “I went all in,” he says proudly. He’s always painted as a hobby, and though he’s completed work for other restaurants, nothing quite compares to a piece of art completely designed and representing his vision. At first glance, the mural looks inspired by México’s Día de los Muertos holiday. A large sugar skull with two star-shaped light fixtures as eyes beams a smile, while mariachi skeletons celebrate the wedding of a skeleton bride and groom. In reality, the pain and beauty of Frida Kahlo’s emblematic paintings inspired Mata. In the mural, Frida’s portrait is joined by those of fellow contemporaries, Chavela Vargas, Costa Rican-born Mexican singer, and Maria “La Doña” Felix, Marylin Monroe of México. Other iconic images commemorating Mexican culture collage the scene, like red roses, Loteria playing cards, flower crowns, cacti, and guitars. Mata adds a quote by Vargas: “Nadie se muere de amor, ni por falta, ni por sobra (Nobody dies of love, neither from scarcity, nor abundance).” Mata affirms that “Art isn’t just a painting,” because it extends to music, food, and drink.

The tavern-esque space is cozy and intimate. Cafe-style tables and chairs scatter the main dining floor, while croc patterned banquette seating, perfect for large parties, line half of a wall. Exposed brick walls peek out from under a red painted stucco, and an elevated lounge houses three vintage style sofas at the foot of Mata’s mural. Painted antique tin-tile ceilings feature pendant lights and an antique candelabra chandelier that marks the bar area, noted by high bar shelves and a ladder that can access the literally high-shelf tequila. If you’re not a snazzy tequila drinker, your first stop may not be Kahlo’s higher-end family reserve Jose Cuervo—hand blown bottle, delivered in a custom-painted wooden box, and hand signed—though it should be aged tequila. Mata suggests patrons start with a reposado (tequila aged over a year), such as their Coralejo, a mild flavor that’s meant to be sipped and not shot (as is the custom with blanco or silver tequilas, which are characterized by their clear appearance and freshly distilled flavor). A tequila aged for about three years in oak is called an añejo, and it exhibits rich aromas with a smooth finish—the kind of tequila you want to enjoy. Most of Kahlo’s cocktails are tequila-based, namely the Paloma and Vampiro, two Mexican favorites. Paloma (dove) is México’s most beloved cocktail of carbonated grapefruit and tequila balanced with fresh-squeezed lime juice. The Vampiro (vampire), appropriate for the festivities of this month, is mixed tequila and Viuda de Sánchez (Sanchez’s widow), México’s best selling sangrita (a drink mix of lime, orange, and peppers). It’s tangy and refreshing!

At Kahlo, everything has a story, so make sure to awaken your curiosity, be inquisitive, and stay open minded. “We still have a lot of plans of the story we want to tell here,” says Mata, referring to the many Spanish influences that have shaped Mexican art in all its forms. There is depth to culture that we won’t always get in a few drinks and food plates, but Mata’s intention is to begin the conversation, not only widening our palate, but also our appreciation and understanding for our southern neighbor, México.

Kahlo Tapas & Tequila is located on 428 Desiard Street, Monroe, Louisiana and is open Monday through Saturday between 11 AM to 10 PM and 11 AM to 9 PM on Sundays. The bar stays open until 2 AM, Thursday through Saturday. You can call them at 318-570-4954 for information on specials and live music. Give them a follow on Instagram and Facebook.