Chef Mario Pagán unveils $4M La Central restaurant at Distrito T-Mobile
The aroma of “melao” coming from the rum still, the flaming charcoal grill, Puerto Rican rum, tobacco, and coffee, will be the stars of the scene of the new $4 million restaurant, La Central by Mario Pagán, located at the Distrito T-Mobile, which will open its doors on June 2.
La Central will generate about 75 new jobs, the owners confirmed.
In an ambiance that pays tribute to the bonanza of the island’s agricultural past, the renowned Puerto Rican Chef Pagán is unveiling his new space and gastronomic proposal featuring modern tropical cuisine.
“I’m happy and honored to present La Central, the best of our past now in the present, a place where I make my dream of honoring rum, coal, tobacco, coffee and the agricultural abundance of our island, come true,” he said.
“Visiting La Central will provoke a feeling of modern nostalgia, present in all elements, including the kitchen, where coal will be the unifying entity since all fruits, vegetables and proteins will go through the grill and coal, before reaching the table,” said Pagán.
La Central by Mario Pagán, with its variety of spaces and seating areas, allows for multiple experiences under a single roof. The restaurant has an ample bar and lounge area, with a copper rum still in the center, a permanent stage for events and live music, a private room for up to 44 people, a Cigar Room, the main room, the mezzanine, and a terrace. The space can accommodate up to 200 people and is available for events and groups.
The tropical decor, by Hans Moll-Stubbe, is inspired by the sugar mills, the distillation towers, the aging barrels and the cane, coffee, and tobacco crops, from the beginning of the last century.
The eatery will be overseen by BluHost, presided by José M. “Peco” Suárez, who said, “at BluHost we are excited about the concept achieved at La Central by Mario Pagán and we are ready to make this restaurant a favorite of the local public and a must stop for those who visit us.”
This is the fifth restaurant unveiled in recent weeks at the $180 million Distrito T-Mobile entertainment complex, joining Sazón Cocina Criolla, La Burguesía, Lupe Reyes and Barullo Taberna Española.
All ingredients needed to prepare La Central’s menu will be sourced prioritizing local products, among them, Karma Honey Products, Frutos del Guacabo, Pedro Álvarez, Vallejo Frutas y Vegetales, Truly and vendors from Placita de Santurce, Pagán said.
