Geno Bahena in Los Angeles?!

In my most recent issue of Tu Ciudad Los Angeles Magazine, I was very surprised to see a writeup on Generoso (Geno) Bahena's latest restaurant venture, Malverde, in Los Angeles, CA.

[Bahena] has eaten in every one of the country's 31 states and says he intends to represent the cuisine of all at Malverde using locally grown organic ingredients and sustainably farmed fish, meat, and poultry. Bahena previously owned two acclaimed restaurants in Chicago after working for Mexican cuisine maestro Rick Bayless for more than ten years, so his knowledge of the food, matched by his skill in the kitchen, enables him to rise to his own grand challenge.

Wow. I wish him the best.

www.malverderestaurant.com

E.M.

I wish all new ventures well, but Geno is one of the more over-rated chefs/restaurant managers/owners around. Using the money of investors to open new places, without empahsizing quality of food/service ils a prescription for continued failure.

I don't have any feelings about Mr. Bahena as a chef or entrepreneur one way or the other, but man that website is poorly designed.

Bill wrote:quality of food/service

I can't speak as an "investor" ,
but Chilpancingo was always on
my must-visit list when in town.
Service and food were always
impeccable, and you weren't
crammed in elbow-to-elbow
like Topolobompo. There are
only a couple restaurants that
I would miss as much if they
closed. Chicago's loss.

The service was sometimes uneven at Chilpancingo. I never had a meal there that was anything less than wonderful.

And Ixcapuzulco(sp?) on Milwaukee was even better. I don't understand the animus to disparage Behena as a chef;I thought his moles were great.

I set up a few large events at Bahena's places. My take is they always did one hell of a job for a fair price. Folks from out of town were particularly struck by three simple things, that I agree set the Chicago-high-end-Mexican (and, by and large Mexican in general) apart from most others' experiences with the cuisine -- the moles, the masa and the margaritas. The 3Ms, I guess.

Bahena was one surly dude though, I'll admit. I have no problem with a curmudgeon who does that kind of work. This is why Pablo Picasso was never called an a**hole.

For all the flawed dishes at his restaurants, the moles and the tortillas never let me down.

The lamb in mole negro that I ate at Ixcapuzalco some years ago was one of the finest things I've ever tasted. I miss it.

JeffB wrote:This is why Pablo Picasso was never called an a**hole.

Nice, new earworm for the trip home... ( )

JeffB wrote:This is why Pablo Picasso was never called an a**hole.

Apparently, Pablo Picasso never drove his El Dorado to Handlebar. (Although even there, the girls presumably could not resist his stare.)

gleam wrote:The lamb in mole negro that I ate at Ixcapuzalco some years ago was one of the finest things I've ever tasted. I miss it.

I wonder how that compares to the version and Fonda del Mar, if you've had the chance to compare them?

JimInLoganSquare wrote:

gleam wrote:The lamb in mole negro that I ate at Ixcapuzalco some years ago was one of the finest things I've ever tasted. I miss it.

I wonder how that compares to the version and Fonda del Mar, if you've had the chance to compare them?

I haven't and I should. Is it a regular menu item, or a special as it was at Ixcapuzalco?

Apparently, Pablo Picasso never drove his El Dorado to Handlebar.

Now THERE'S a reference I never expected to hear, compared to which Wesley Willis is Britney Spears.

A favorite request of mine in college radio days, since it would get the DJs in trouble (apparently no one ever thought to put a content sticker on the LP).

Mike G wrote:

Apparently, Pablo Picasso never drove his El Dorado to Handlebar.

Now THERE'S a reference I never expected to hear, compared to which Wesley Willis is Britney Spears.

A favorite request of mine in college radio days, since it would get the DJs in trouble (apparently no one ever thought to put a content sticker on the LP).

My college radio station, WCWM never had a problem playing ANYTHING (and I DO mean ANYTHING), at least while I was there in the mid-'80s. That reputation earned them the one and only radio interview with the Jesus and Mary Chain on their first U.S. tour (for example).

MLS wrote:And Ixcapuzulco(sp?) on Milwaukee was even better. I don't understand the animus to disparage Behena as a chef;I thought his moles were great.

What the status of Ixcapuzulco(sp?)?

I looked in about a year ago and it was empty, perhaps not even open (I was just walking by, not dining there). The sign out front looks like a temporary sign -- it may even have another restaurant's name on it.

Is it open? If so, how is the food? How does compare to, say, Dorado?

Darren72 wrote:What the status of Ixcapuzulco(sp?)?

Ixcapuzalco is no longer in operation on N. Milwaukee Avenue.

It now operates on Western Avenue (Bucktown) under the name, "La Bonita."

I have not been in nearly a year, so I am not qualified to comment further.

[Oh, and as far as I am aware, the original storefront on N. Milwaukee Avenue remains vacant.]

La Bonita (Ixcapuzalco)
2165 N. Western
773.486.7340

E.M.

Gentlemen...i now have every one of my favorite Jonathan Richman songs tunneling their way through my brain. This brings to mind the fact that I don't have any of them loaded onto my iPod and I will be condemned to humming "Pablo Picasso" all day long in short fragments, followed quickly by "Ice Cream Man".

And no mole in sight.

shannon

Everyone in the bank line knows that I got a crush on the new teller...

I always liked Geno's cooking by the way. For a couple of years Chilpancingo was my recommended Chicago stop for out of towners ("No, Frontera is too crowded, try this place for wonderful food in a room with spectacular Mexican art.") Sad it is gone, and I wish him well, though I know there is some ill will here and there toward him.