Plans for CHOMP! at Luna Complex still in the works
Food bazaar, new restaurant could open soon
Plans for vacant properties in the Luna Complex have been delayed, but are still in the works, according to the developer of the commercial space on Cerrillos Road near downtown Santa Fe.
Changes have been made to each of two developments, and Ken Joseph hopes to have business operations in both spaces up and running within the next few months.
In July, Joseph spoke to the Journal about plans for “CHOMP!,” his planned food bazaar and vendor space in the former Talin Market spot.
A new restaurant for an adjacent, 7,000-square-foot property — which previously has housed a car dealership, a movie theater and nightclubs — was also in the works. The restaurant, which Joseph was co-developing with a local consultant, was supposed to feature an “urban chic” menu created by “Hell’s Kitchen” chef Robert Hesse.
At that time, the goal was to open both by late summer.
But an agreement with TV chef Hesse didn’t materialize. Joseph said “we were really close, and there was just a deal I couldn’t pass up to lease it to someone else.”
He says he’s now signed a lease with the operators of “one of Santa Fe’s best restaurants” for the big dining space that faces Cerrillos. He wouldn’t say more about the restaurant, except to say it was “well-known” and it wants to wait to make its own announcement once there is an official opening date.
He said there is sill some construction work being done for the restaurant, to match the leasee’s “aesthetic.”
“They will be opening in the next several weeks,” said Joseph.
As for CHOMP!, which Joseph is operating himself, he said the main factor in the delay was the need for a changeof-use permit from the city, something he said he was unaware of in the early stages.
“Since it was basically a grocery store, (this is) to change the permitted use to allow for restaurant and bar,” he said. He is now waiting for the final sign-off from the city.
He said he hopes CHOMP! will open by the end of 2018 or early 2019.
“It may creep into early next year,” he said. “I’ve been unfortunately consumed with getting the main restaurant moved in, and there’s only one of me.”
Of the 16 maximum spots available for lease at CHOMP!, Joseph said he has four to five signed and eight to 10 “handshake” deals.
Asked about what offerings at the bazaar will be, Joseph said “(a) full bar with pizza, Thai food, sushi and honey products … that’s it for right now that I can announce.”
The Thai food, he said, will be coming from the owners of Santa Fe’s Crackin’ Crab restaurant, where they used to operate J&N Thai Bistro.
“They’re going to do their Thai food at CHOMP!,” he said. He also said Santa Fe Honey Salon is still on board. He declined to identify the sushi proprietor, saying he didn’t have a go-ahead to release the name.
Back in July, Joseph said the bar was going to be operated by New Mexico Hard Cider, which is already ensconced at Luna.
He said he now plans to run a wine bar himself — he has a full liquor license — and serve “artisan” pizza using an adjacent pizza oven.
A couple of restaurants Joseph believed were on board for CHOMP! last summer are now iffy, he said.
As he mentioned back then, Joseph said last week that most of the still-available spaces in the bazaar are small retail kiosks for things like olive oil, skin care products or farmstands.
The Luna Complex is at the intersection of Cerrillos and Manhattan Street.