Seafood, tacos and loco moco: Three awaited Wichita restaurants are ready to open
We now have opening dates for three Wichita restaurants that diners have been patiently waiting for.
The first one is Las Islas Marias, a new Mexican seafood restaurant in the former Neighbor’s space at 2150 N. Amidon. It quietly opened last week and now is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and from 10 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays.
The restaurant’s Facebook page now features a video that shows lots of the unusual dishes being prepared and served, including a halved fresh pineapple being grilled on an open flame (destined to become a seafood-stuffed “pina rellena”) and a can of Tecate beer stacked high with shrimp and dripping with orange sauce, a popular attraction in Mexican seafood restaurants that offers seafood stacked on top of a can of beer that will benefit from flavors seeping inside. It also shows dishes like grilled shrimp, molcajetes, whole fried fish and an array of meats served on a tabletop grill. The owner of the new restaurant also have a Las Islas Marias in Kansas City.
Next up: The brick-and-mortar version of food truck Mo’s Hut is set to open on Monday. Owner Shawn Gordon said work has been moving ahead of schedule at the former Wings & Things spot at 2800 E. Central.
Gordon, a Hawaii native and a trained chef, will serve his signature dishes from the islands, including teriyaki beef, Korean short ribs, kimchi fried rice, Hawaiian burritos and loco moco. The new restaurant will include a big saltwater aquarium stocked with a stingray, eels and more. Hours will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
Finally, Puerto Vallarta Mexican Restaurant, which is taking over the former Charlie’s Pizza Taco and Pedro’s Express space near Central and Tyler, will open on Feb. 25, which is a week from Monday. Owner Pedro Guevara says he will offer table-side service and a full menu of made-from-scratch Mexican dishes. His hours will be 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
Guevara also is offering an opening-day special. Diners who visit on Feb. 25 will get 25 percent off their bills.
This story was originally published February 15, 2019 at 9:05 AM.
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