Mala Pata and Peyote delivering new Gateway Plaza destinations
Not your average Latin American restaurant, Mala Pata has been marinating for a couple years now—and is finally slated to deliver May 14.
A menagerie of meaningful influences, the long-anticipated Gateway Plaza spot is a culmination of diverse ideas, backgrounds and influences from four veterans of the Triangle food and bev scene: Angela Salamanca and Marshall Davis of Durham Food Hall’s Ex-Voto, and Eric Montagne and Zack Gragg of Locals Seafood.
Breaking the mold of a singular restaurateur opening their own place, the star-studded foursome aims to “mesh all of our flavors together so we can tell the story of Mala Pata.” says Gragg. Adds Davis: “What makes Mala Pata unique is that it’s this collective—it’s not a single person driving it.”
From left: Executive chef and co-owner Zack Gragg, bar manager Alison Houser, co-owners Angela Salamanca, Marshall Davis and Eric Montagne. Photo by Matt Ramey
In an effort to hype up the new spot, R&D menu items and get a feel for how they work together, the team has hosted citywide pop-ups—from popular brunch stints at Centro to burrito experiences at Natural Science and activating the former Garland to-go window during Hopscotch to even events benefiting the Frankie Lemmon School.
Bridging classic Mexican cuisine and techniques with Southern flavors, the Mala Pata menu places emphasis on cultural mainstay corn, which the team plans to nixtamalize in-house for fresh masa daily. “Even though we’re using a traditional method in the nixtamalization, you’re going to see the influences of each of us as individuals kind of projected on that,” emphasizes Davis, with Gragg adding: “We think that’s going to be a key differentiator in our ability to make a name for ourselves.”
Find such standout dishes from the pop-ups that have already staked claim on the permanent menu like lechona tacos; collard green tamales; and a pozole verde featuring housemade chicken broth, Mexican hominy, cabbage, radish, cilantro and deep-fried chicken skin topping. Also expect a unique spin on family-style dining and a big emphasis on brunch.
Playing off of Salamanca’s success with her other local spots Centro and mezcaleria Gallo Pelón—the latter of which Davis also worked on, in addition to smashburger concept Patty Boy—the restaurant will open in tandem with craft cocktail bar Peyote, pouring a mix of playful and classic bevs.
“Our goal is to focus on simplicity and quality instead of smoke and mirrors,” emphasizes Davis.
Fuego Margarita | Photo by Matt RameyPina y Queso | Photo by Matt Ramey
Think frozen drinks and refined central and South American classics like a Ruby Red Paloma on tap and Black Sesame Carajillos, in addition to a curated selection of mezcal and agave spirits—plus elevated bar food and to-go options like burritos.
Both concepts will also boast their own identity through aesthetics that play into the food and drinks. Mala Pata’s modern Latin American look—complete with rustic elements and furniture/light fixtures sourced from Colombia—will be complemented by a 20-foot mural by local muralist Gabe Eng-Goetz, while Peyote will evoke a funky and loud vibe via pink walls, acid-washed yellow floors, and a concrete tile bar, perfect for pre- or post-dinner ’tails.
All together, Mala Pata and Peyote’s atmosphere, food and drinks will offer a newfound destination for Gateway Plaza patrons and those looking for a go-to spot outside DTR. “We’re really excited to be a part of this community and feel the outreach of Raleigh, expanding the food journey of customers,” boasts Gragg. “We have a great relationship with all of the businesses around here and we’re all really excited about what’s coming in the future.” @malapata.molino
Mala Pata hosts monthly pop-ups ahead of its summer opening—from brunch to prix fixe mezcal dinners to late-night burritos.
While Gateway Plaza’s highly anticipated Mala Pata won’t be open until the summer (stay tuned), the star-studded team is giving Raleighites a taste of what to expect via a residency at Centro with one or two monthly pop-ups.
So far, the forthcoming Mexican-inspired resto has hosted one quickly soldout brunch in January, with the next one slated for Sunday, Feb. 25. And if it’s anything like the first (see: the ranchero shakshuka, breakfast torta and fried chicken biscuit with red-eye chorizo gravy that puts Bojangles to shame), you’re gonna wanna be there or be square.
“Ultimately we want Mala Pata to be a neighborhood restaurant that people are able to eat at once or twice a week, versus being a place that people only go to on date night or for a special event,” maintains Davis. “We want to be tied into the neighborhood.”
Adding to the hype of this month’s brunch pop-up will be a collab menu with chef José Rios of The Fearrington House Restaurant, along with drinks from industry vet Courtney Whitley. Co-owner Marshall Davis, who is opening Mala Pata alongside Angela Salamanca (of Ex-Voto, Centro and Gallo Pelón fame), and Eric Montagne and Zack Gragg of Locals Seafood, says the pop-ups are a way for them to work with each other and with potential new team members.
“We’re all friends outside of work, but we don’t work together often,” he says. “These pop-ups are a way for the five of us to learn what it’s like to be in the kitchen with each other. … It feels good to have five individuals who are super-excited about cooking and open to trying anything.”
Naturally, the pop-ups also serve as a platform for R&D’ing the menu, which Davis says is still being finalized, but will ultimately feature several Oaxacan influences. Their team recently took a trip to the Mexican city to take cooking classes from a local chef to learn about the products and flavors of the cuisines—plus a distillery tour to learn about mezcal production, which will come in handy with Mala Pata’s sister bar Peyote.
“[Angela and I] take a trip to Oaxaca every time we’re starting something new,” says Davis of the pair’s 12-year history. The trip was a way for the team to “taste some of those things we don’t typically have access to up here, so we can at least retain what the smells, acids and salts are, and have a reference point when we’re recreating things here.” And with some of the food products and mezcal they brought back, they also plan to host an exclusive prix fixe dinner soon (!).
Along with the Centro residency, Mala Pata also plans to host burrito/taco pop-ups on Friday/Saturday nights at area bars like Natural Science, Standard Beer + Food and Person Street Bar as a way for them to get feedback from the community. “Ultimately we want Mala Pata to be a neighborhood restaurant that people are able to eat at once or twice a week, versus being a place that people only go to on date night or for a special event,” maintains Davis. “We want to be tied into the neighborhood.” And, clearly, Raleighites are accepting them with open arms—and satisfied bellies.
A first look at upcoming Gateway Plaza concepts via a supergroup of Raleigh restaurant vets
As anyone in the restaurant industry will tell you, things never go exactly according to plan.
When Angela Salamanca and Marshall Davis opened Ex-Voto inside the Durham Food Hall, the intention had always been to nixtamalize their own corn. The time-intensive, traditional approach to prepping corn and turning it into masa was supposed to be the signature element of their joint project, allowing them to churn out high-quality tortillas, tamales and other products by hand in-house. Instead, their opening aligned with the onset of the pandemic, and Ex-Voto became known for its bounty of thick crunchwraps sealed with melted hoop cheese. It’s one of the single best dishes you can order anywhere in the Triangle, but this wasn’t what they’d set out to accomplish.
“Some of what is going to happen at Mala Pata is a continuation of what we really wanted to do at Ex-Voto that we weren’t really ever able to do once we got in the space,” says Salamanca, who also owns Centro and Gallo Pelón in DTR and lives near Gateway. “There was this unfulfilled desire of, ‘This is something we really want to do.’”
The restaurant’s name is a nod to that journey. Mala Pata—or “bad luck” in Spanish—is a playful reference to the challenging start for Ex-Voto and food hall neighbor Locals Seafood. Two industry vets from Locals—Eric Montagne and Zack Gragg—are partnering on the venture too, ensuring a heavy dose of fresh seafood on the menu. The rest of Mala Pata’s name, molino & cocina, means “corn mill and kitchen.”
In addition to “really good fish tacos,” the menu will “take traditional methods and play with them a bit,” offering ingredients and dishes inspired by flavors from across Latin America, says Davis. The owners are optimistic they’ll open before the end of the year, but they know all too well nothing is a given.
In at least one aspect, Mala Pata will mirror Salamanca’s success at Centro and mezcaleria Gallo Pelón, pairing the restaurant with a neighboring bar. The partners are adding a “come-as-you-are” cantina next door called Peyote Mini-Mercado, which will function as a late-night mezcal bar and grab-and-go joint, in addition to serving as Mala Pata’s service bar. Down the road, Mala Pata’s back of house will also include a ghost kitchen for pop-ups and other fun stuff, but the owners are keeping its name under wraps for now.
It won’t be Ex-Voto though, and that’s partly because Salamanca and Davis are in the final stages of nailing down a spot “near Longleaf Swine” to bring the hit concept to Raleigh. Their target opening is next spring (!).
In the meantime, the business partners are still figuring out the exact vibe of Mala Pata and Peyote. In a group text, they send a jumbled range of inspirational ideas and styles. The strongest influences may be Austin’s Nixta Taqueria; Florida’s Taquiza; and a mélange of places in Oaxaca, Mexico, and market stalls in Mexico City ranging from “gluttonous street food to very traditional,” says Davis.
“At the end of the day, that’s what I think we are,” adds Salamanca: “gluttonous people with refined taste.” “We’re hedonists,” Davis throws in with a laugh. And we’re here for it. @malapata.molino
