Downtown La Mesa’s Papalo, which first opened nearly a year ago, has re-opened as a collaboration between Executive Chef Drew Bent (pictured above right) and Gerry Torres (pictured on the left), the founder of its next-door neighbor City Tacos.
The restaurant now offers a dining experience that brings together international culinary techniques and the soulful spirit of BBQ. Torres and Chef Bent have decided to refine the style and brand, now calling it “Chef Driven BBQ and Comfort” to replace “Sonoran Style Mexican BBQ”.
Guided by the vision of Chef Bent, Papalo’s menu showcases his world-class training and passion for pushing the boundaries of traditional BBQ.
Known for his cuisine and recognition on national cooking shows, Chef Bent’s menu will always feature tri tip, smoked cherry pecan glazed pork ribs, and mole chicken. Vegetarian options have been added, including mac ‘n cheese and a wedge salad. Monthly chef specials will be introduced, and catering options have been rolled out as well.
“Papalo is more than just a BBQ restaurant,” Bent said. “We’ve created a space where guests can experience the richness of international culinary techniques alongside the familiar comfort of BBQ. Our goal is to provide a dining experience that is not only delicious but also elevates the flavors and techniques used in each dish.”
All meat is cooked in a wood-fired convection smoker, which distributes heat evenly and cooks more quickly without losing any flavor. Papalo earned significant recognition this spring when the BBQ editor of Texas Monthly, Daniel Vaughn, was most “wowed” by Papalo during a visit to San Diego (https://texasmonthly.com/bbq/san-diego-barbecue/).
Torres and Chef Bent say the ultimate mission is to bring more value to the guests by utilizing City Tacos’ distribution channels, purchasing power, and service model in hopes of delivering an amazing guest experience. Torres says menu prices have already dropped since taking over. The collaborators hope to expand beyond La Mesa in the near future, too.
“This is the start of something big,” Torres said. “Chef’s culinary expertise and talent speaks for itself, and our collaboration is going to take Papalo to new heights. It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.”
Papalo, located at 8323 La Mesa Blvd., is now open Tuesday – Sunday from 11 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
It is open an hour earlier than before, and Torres and Chef Bent eliminated the “until sold out” mantra.
