Note: Reviews written through May 5th are based on Bandolero's pre-opening pop-up event, which took place at Tackle Box in Cleveland Park.   Mexico’s Día de los Muertos is an exuberant and heartfelt tribute to lost loved ones. Mike Isabella’s Day of the Dead inspired restaurant Bandolero, which opens in late May, is the chef’s playfully inventive homage to modern Mexican cuisine. Isabella's inspiration comes from the classic dishes but he puts his own spin on each by incorporating untraditional flavors and ingredients. The eatery’s jet black exterior houses a space laden with reminders of the fallen – cemetery fencing runs along the downstairs, coyote and cow skulls sightlessly peer down from the walls of the dining room, and the arches behind the bar evoke the tops of tombstones. The food is a colorful contrast to the doom ‘n’ gloom aesthetic. Meals begin with a basket of masa crisps and featherlight chicharrones – known on this side of the border as pork rinds – which make perfect scoops for vibrantly green guacamole studded with hearty chunks of avocado. You can also dip into the Maya-inspired sikil pak made with ground up roasted pumpkin seeds, then dappled with a shower of pomegranate seeds and flashy bits of orange. The trio of tiny tuna tartare taquitos in crunchy, blue-flecked malanga root shells are muy excelente. Micro-cubes of sweet potato and small scallion rounds are mixed in with the fish to punch up the flavor, while a splash of sambal sauce adds a flash of heat. The pulled suckling pig is a taco triumph. Thatched with matchsticked apples and sporting a zee of zippy habanero mustard, the swine-y ensemble rests on a soothing swipe of apple butter across the soft mini tortilla. Mahi mahi tacos are done fish stick style, so the logs of whitefish are crusted with a golden layer of crushed tortilla chips. Accessorized with a swoosh of guacamole, chopped cabbage, and a wedge of lime, the three-bite tacos are a winner. And the mole negro short ribs are so tender that you won’t need a knife, though you may ask for a spoon to swoop up every last drop of the chocolaty sauce. Creamy coconut flan soaked with rum and boasting a hint of Mexican piloncillo dark sugar and pineapple accents is a top-notch dessert choice.  You'll also want to try the Sopapillas (fried donuts with dulce de leche). Bandolero carries on the rich traditions of our neighbor to the south, while adding a flavorful, forward-thinking flair. To that we say, ‘Viva Isabella!’.  

Note: Reviews written through May 5th are based on Bandolero's pre-opening pop-up event, which took place at Tackle Box in Cleveland Park.   Mexico’s Día de los Muertos is an exuberant and heartfelt tribute to lost loved ones. Mike Isabella’s Day of the Dead inspired restaurant Bandolero, which opens in late May, is the chef’s playfully inventive homage to modern Mexican cuisine. Isabella's inspiration comes from the classic dishes but he puts his own spin on each by incorporating untraditional flavors and ingredients. The eatery’s jet black exterior houses a space laden with reminders of the fallen – cemetery fencing runs along the downstairs, coyote and cow skulls sightlessly peer down from the walls of the dining room, and the arches behind the bar evoke the tops of tombstones. The food is a colorful contrast to the doom ‘n’ gloom aesthetic. Meals begin with a basket of masa crisps and featherlight chicharrones – known on this side of the border as pork rinds – which make perfect scoops for vibrantly green guacamole studded with hearty chunks of avocado. You can also dip into the Maya-inspired sikil pak made with ground up roasted pumpkin seeds, then dappled with a shower of pomegranate seeds and flashy bits of orange. The trio of tiny tuna tartare taquitos in crunchy, blue-flecked malanga root shells are muy excelente. Micro-cubes of sweet potato and small scallion rounds are mixed in with the fish to punch up the flavor, while a splash of sambal sauce adds a flash of heat. The pulled suckling pig is a taco triumph. Thatched with matchsticked apples and sporting a zee of zippy habanero mustard, the swine-y ensemble rests on a soothing swipe of apple butter across the soft mini tortilla. Mahi mahi tacos are done fish stick style, so the logs of whitefish are crusted with a golden layer of crushed tortilla chips. Accessorized with a swoosh of guacamole, chopped cabbage, and a wedge of lime, the three-bite tacos are a winner. And the mole negro short ribs are so tender that you won’t need a knife, though you may ask for a spoon to swoop up every last drop of the chocolaty sauce. Creamy coconut flan soaked with rum and boasting a hint of Mexican piloncillo dark sugar and pineapple accents is a top-notch dessert choice.  You'll also want to try the Sopapillas (fried donuts with dulce de leche). Bandolero carries on the rich traditions of our neighbor to the south, while adding a flavorful, forward-thinking flair. To that we say, ‘Viva Isabella!’.