Mazunte owner, partner to open new restaurant

The owners of Mazunte Mexican and Sprout restaurants are opening a new restaurant specializing in Mexican snacks called sopes. It's called Calle, and will be located in the space that has been Tap and Go at 950 Pavilion Street in Mount Adams.

Josh Wamsley of Mazunte and Whit Hesser of Sprout are both frequent travelers to Mexico; Oaxaca and Mazatlan, respectively. The idea for the new restaurant came up over dinner together one night.

"The street food down there is just amazing," said Hesser. "That's the inspiration behind the restaurant." (The name means street in Spanish.) The menu will have a narrow focus: sopes, salsas, margaritas and Mexican beers. The sopes they're doing are larger than most; very much like the snack called huaraches. They are larger, thicker than a tortilla and oval-shaped (like the sole of the Mexican sandal, huarache.)

They'll use blue corn masa to make theirs, and offer three types: vegetarian, smoked barbacoa and braised chicken. There will be a wide selection of mezcal and tequilas, plus fresh margaritas and Mexican-style beer.

Hesser said they're working on creating a vibrant, colorful interior and patio. James Hood of Sprout will be the general manager. They hope to open mid-June.