Comal, a Restaurant Influenced by Mexico City, Will Takeover the Gem Wine Space | Eater NY
"After Flynn McGarry decided not to renew his lease, he passed the keys to Gaz Herbert, the former executive chef at the King team’s follow-up, Jupiter in Midtown; Herbert will open a restaurant in the Lower East Side space at 116 Forsyth Street (between Broome and Delancey). The concept is a fine-dining menu influenced by Mexico City and the global flavors of the city’s current restaurant scene and is slated for a June opening. Herbert, who grew up between Cuernavaca and CDMX and holds both U.K. and Mexican citizenship, says, “It’s a city that I know very well and it’s very close to my heart.” He adds that in his adult life he returns for about a month every year, dating back a decade, and that a recent restaurant-hotel consulting job in Mexico included luring McGarry to come down to Mexico to do a series of dinners at the property. The menu won’t stick strictly to traditional Mexican flavors and will also pull in Herbert’s culinary background, which includes cooking at several restaurants in London such as the River Cafe and Ikoyi. This will be the first restaurant Herbert opens independently; part of the draw to this Forsyth Street location was the turnkey nature of the former Gem Wine space, which had not long ago undergone its own renovation as it pivoted away from its initial tasting-menu roots. The team is working with La Metropolitana, a design studio known for Mexico City restaurant clients like seafood favorite Contramar, to create custom furniture for the LES space, which will seat about 44, and Herbert is working on adding outdoor seating as well. As for drinks, they will pursue a full liquor license; Herbert says cocktails will stray away from “cheesy” and blend elements of Mexican ingredients and spirits with classic New York cocktails." - Emma Orlow
