August 30, 2022 – It was a minor miracle. Despite the fact it was 2pm, El Charrito still had not sold out of its handmade flour tortillas, so we promptly bought the maximum allowed per person (two packs each).
Some of the best food news of the year is that those tortillas will be significantly more accessible starting this Thursday, Sept. 1, when the Salinas institution opens its Monterey sister spot at 474 Alvarado St. in the former Lallapalooza.
Guests will be able to pounce on tortillas and El Charrito’s signature burritos and bowls 8am-3pm Tuesday through Sunday, with hours expected to expand quickly. The fast casual service, under the name El Charrito Express, will occupy the back half of the sizable space with access via the parking lot off Calle Principal.
Breakfast will bring on burritos with chorizo, nopales, huevo con chile, bacon or ham. Lunch will star their popular chile verde along with other standbys like barbocao, carnitas, carne asada and chicken.
The other half holds its official grand opening Sept. 23 for evening sit-down and bar service. As Edible reported around this time last year, Alejandro’s will feature upscale Mexican designed to vibe like a trip to the Yucatan Peninsula.
Owner-operator Alex Moncada and his wife Tricia have been working relentlessly with collaborators for a year on overhauling the space and sculpting a menu to match.
“The food will surprise people for sure, but more than anything guests will notice the time and effort that went into the design of the space,” he says. “We really wanted to create a ‘Wow’ moment.”
“We want [diners] to come in and feel like they’re on vacation,” Tricia says.
Menu highlights at Alejandro’s include grilled octopus with pineapple and toasted hominy; hamachi tostadas with lemon habanero aioli, radish sprouts and black sesame seeds; stuffed poblano chiles; whole wood-fired branzino; bone-in pork chops brined in citrus habanero; and guava cheesecake.
Monterey-based contracting firm Craft Design Build and its principals Jon and Meryl Rasmussen led the physical reinvention.
San Francisco-based consulting chefs Jessy Manuel and Paul Piscopo helped guide the assembling of the menu.
Brooklyn-based James DeFoor of Hawksmoor NYC crafted the drink lineup.
The wine list will feature Alta California and Baja California selections with an emphasis on Valle de Guadalupe grapes.
Moncada helped his family overhaul El Charrito in 2016, swapping out dusty grocery shelves for a far bigger hot service line, digitized menus and app-driven ordering, which proved all the more helpful during COVID.
A few years later, he started sniffing out a more ambitious expansion. When he learned Ottone Group owner Pat was interested in retiring, they worked out a deal to acquire the former Lallapalooza, Lalla Oceanside Grill on Cannery Row and Lalla Grill at Del Monte Center.
They’ve retained many employees in each place. The collective experience of team members like Oaxacan-born Chef Jorge Leyva, who will direct Alejandro’s kitchen, and longtime GM Julio Mata, who will run the front of the house, has made Lallapalooza’s remake that much smoother.
At both Lalla Oceanside and Lalla Grill, Moncada and company have quietly introduced updated menus and drink programs while retaining the social feel and contemporary American food and drink.
Now their flagship spot will bring welcome infill to downtown Monterey.
“The magic happens when the customer leaves the restaurant and doesn’t feel like they simply ate dinner, but instead leaves with a memorable experience,” Alex says. “It’s hard to describe what the magic is because it’s everything…the food, service, lighting, design, beverages, music. This is what Alejandro’s will deliver: an experience.”
More at the El Charrito and Alejandro’s websites.
About the author
Mark C. Anderson, Edible Monterey Bay's managing editor, appears on "Friday Found Treasures" via KRML 94.7 every week, a little after 12pm noon. Reach him via mark@ediblemontereybay.com.
