The Beginnings
In 2021, Saurabh Abrol was making a name for himself as a restaurateur in New Jersey with his growing line of high-class establishments: Le Malt Lounge in Colonia, and Le Malt Royale, a private club in the heart of Red Bank. Itching to expand his horizons in the restaurant game, he started wondering what he could do next.
The first spark of an idea came when Abrol’s two beloved young daughters came to him with a simple request:
“Dad, can you make a restaurant we can actually go to?”
And with that, the brainstorming began. Abrol recruited his small-but-dedicated Le Malt team to bring to life a fun, bright, and family-friendly venture that would soon be known as Meximodo.
Field Research in Mexico City
The Meximodo team’s priority has always been authenticity. Meximodo aims to bring the sights and sounds of Mexico, all while creating an amazing culinary experience. In doing research and development, the team knew there was only one thing to do: go straight to the source itself.
In April 2023, the Meximodo team took a trip to Mexico City to discover everything that they wanted to bring back to New Jersey. They went to the legendary Coyoacan Market, where Executive Chef Antonio Carballo lead the crew in exploring different spices, chilies, and other ingredients to inspire his handcrafted authentic menu.
Since Meximodo aims to have the biggest tequila selection in the world, Master Mixologist Carlos Ruiz lead the charge through a tour of Tequila, Mexico. The team explored everything from agave fields to the tequila creation process, learning the ins and outs of this staple Mexican spirit.
They dined at as many different restaurants as they could to really get a taste of what authentic Mexican food and drink has to offer, from renowned restaurants to the smaller mom-and-pop family restaurants. And of course, they couldn’t pass up on trying as many inventive and delicious cocktails as they could.
Energized and inspired by everything they learned, the Meximodo team flew back North with a deeper understanding of the vibrant food and culture. They can’t wait to show our guests everything they took to heart over the course of the trip, and are excited to bring a little more color and fun to New Jersey.
The Big Opening
November 2023 marked history as we opened the doors to the first, and definitely not the last, Meximodo of New Jersey!
We’ve got a dream team behind Saurabh Abrol in this creative venture: authentic and flavorful cuisine by Executive Chef Antonio Carballo, countless cocktails handcrafted by Master Mixologist Carlos Ruiz, interior design from Celano Design Studio, and branding/marketing designs from Creative Director Tiffany Larson. Director of Operations Yleana Almonte is leading an incredible team of servers, bartenders, and hosts, while all-rounders Jennifer Fernandez and TJ Pingitore make sure the ship stays on course in the hustle and bustle. There’s so many more people to credit for getting this dream off the ground, and we’re so grateful for every single one of them.
We hope you love Meximodo as much as we do!