Macanda, the Mexican restaurant in Wayzata from InnerBloom Hospitality, will close after dinner on May 31 for a refresh. When it returns on June 6, the menu and the room will include Japanese influences and new details gleaned from years of listening to customers.
“We‘ve learned a lot of things over the last five years,” Aaron Switz, CEO of InnerBloom Hospitality, said while sitting in Macanda’s dining room.
During the closure, gray elements will be replaced with blue and a new logo will evoke seawater. The bar space will accommodate more seats without sacrificing the Lake Minnetonka views beyond the open-air patio.
But the biggest change will be the cuisine.
“When we were researching for this restaurant, we went to Nobu Mexico City,” Switz said. That restaurant’s blending of cultures and ingredients really lit up his creative brain. The company was already drawn to Japanese ingredients, with Yumi and the now-closed SotaRol part of its portfolio. Now, it will be a part of Macanda’s menu.
The two cuisines will blend in a selection of small plates, such as yuzu citrus in the aguachile and ponzu chimichurri. A couple of guest favorites will remain, but the menu expansion makes room for chef Alejandro Castillon to experiment with a wider array of ingredients in the dishes. Prices will range from $12 to $30, with premium items like wagyu beef going for a bit more.
Changes in the dining room come directly from years of customer feedback. The handcrafted chairs now will allow for a slight recline; the foam over the booths will be streamlined.
“We used to have these round bar stools,” said Switz. “Architecturally, they’re amazing, but from a customer perspective — you know, there‘s a girl in heels and there‘s nowhere to rest your feet.” Little things like that will change.
