By SDCN Editor
La Mesa, CA–Downtown La Mesa’s Papalo, which first opened nearly a year ago, has re-opened as a collaboration between its Executive Chef Drew Bent and Gerry Torres, the founder of City Tacos.
The restaurant now offers a dynamic dining experience that unites 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 innovative cuisine and national recognition on national cooking shows, 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 will be 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.
Torres and Bent say the ultimate mission is to bring more value to 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 shortly, 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 is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Doors open one hour earlier than before, and Torres and Bent eliminated the “until sold out” mantra.
