Chef Jesus Preciado opens Louis Corner in South End and the locals are lining up
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On warm days the wall of windows is left open at Louis Corner, the newest addition to the South End’s restaurant scene. A cool breeze slips into the restaurant and the aromas of fried fish and pickled vegetables waft onto the street.
This is the fifth restaurant in the neighborhood from MAZÍ Food Group, joining Desnuda Cocina & Bar, Gigi, Ilona and Kava Neo-Taverna. While many of the other restaurants play with international flavors, such as Greek at Kava and Latin and Asian fusion at Desnuda, MAZÍ’s executive chef and owner Jesus Preciado felt it was time for a change.
The hanger steak at Louis Corner. PHOTO: MAZI FOOD GROUP
“We thought why we don’t do something more Americanized, and we did something nice, easy with good flavor, which people can come here for every day,” said Preciado.
The restaurant stands out among others in the South End in that its open for lunch, a rarity in a dinner-oriented neighborhood.
The menu pulls influences from around the United States, including some distinctively Southern-inspired dishes like jambalaya risotto with shrimp, chicken, andouille sausage and a Creole flavor profile, a hearty mac and cheese topped with smashed broccoli and panko and a miniature shrimp and grits appetizer.
Other dishes give the feel of retro fine dining, like oysters Rockefeller, steak tartare and deviled eggs with a tarragon vinaigrette. Preciado hopes to balance luxurious-feeling flavors with an affordable price point. He noted the 32-ounce porterhouse steak served with porto sauce and steak fries for $75.
Shrimp and grits at Louis Corner PHOTO: MAZI FOOD GROUP
“We don’t try to kill people with the price,” he said. “We try to have people enjoy a really good piece of meat, and you don’t have to pay $200 for a piece of steak.”
It’s a bit of a choose your own adventure. Diners can live it up with caviar service, seafood towers and bottles of domestic sparkling wine or have a laid-back evening over smashed burgers and regional beers.
Preciado says that at the other MAZÍ restaurants there has been a bit of a learning curve and diners often have different cultural expectations. For example, he notes that they increased the serving of the pasta dishes at Gigi to better suit the American portion size. American cuisine presents fewer challenges. Diners pretty much know what to expect from chicken sliders and fish and chips.
Preciado says this will be the group’s final restaurant in the South End. They plan to take a breather and then consider moving into other neighborhoods of Boston or even other cities. But their core five will also be here.
“The South End is very supportive,” Preciado said. “It’s a great community.”
And a hungry one. On a recent Thursday evening Louis Corner had a line out the door of eager locals waiting to try the already-popular smashburger. It’s first come, first served, so arrive early to snag a seat.
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