Tropical tastes have moved into the former Figo36 restaurant space in Charlotte
We’ve said goodbye to Figo36, an Italian restaurant known for fresh pasta and pizza. Now, a taste of the Caribbean has taken its place with the opening of MaBí Cocina Tropical.
When Raydal Hospitality — the team behind Charlotte favorites Sabor and Three Amigos, plus La Caseta — acquired Figo36 from the Menagerie Group last year, not much changed concept-wise.
But now, Figo36 has closed, and Raydal has changed the space into an entirely new restaurant that captures founder and CEO Dalton Espaillat’s background in Santiago, Dominican Republic.
MaBí Cocina Tropical features authentic Dominican food in an affordable and a lively — yet family friendly — atmosphere.
“The best way to describe it is going into the restaurant, you pretty much are coming into my hometown — to my home — and experiencing my culture,” Espaillat told CharlotteFive. “It’s not going to be intimidating.”
The move taps into the rapid growth in Charlotte’s Caribbean community, which has been met with new food and drink spots including Crav’n Caribbean, Panzu Brewery, The Reggae Lounge and Caribbean Hut, to name just a few.
It’s also taking place at a time of adjustment for Raydal, which recently closed Saru Ramen at Camp North End.
What to expect
The space closed for a quick, two-week transformation. But the planning has been underway for a long time, Espaillat said.
“There aren’t many places paying specific homage to the D.R. and I personally am excited to create space for this culture,” he said in a news release. “While we have enjoyed working on Figo36, we’ve been wanting to do the MaBí concept for some time. We have the space and the time is now.”
MaBí Concina Tropical’s concise menu will offer a lineup of fresh fruit batidas (like a milkshake or smoothie), along with sandwiches and a few main dishes.
You’ll be able to stop in for lunch or dinner Tuesday through Sunday to explore Latin foods found in the Dominican Republic, including pastelitos and empanadas, chicharrones and Dominican spiced chicken. Cuban bread will be made fresh in house, along with the restaurant’s sauces.
Watch out for its highlights, including:
Charcoal chicken — a recipe Espaillat has been honing for years
Ropa vieja
Dominican smashburger
Cuban sandwich
A lunch special with meat and two sides for $15
On Saturday and Sunday, MaBí Concina Tropical will offer brunch with a Dominican twist that includes dishes with fried salami, cheese and yuca hash. (You’ll find yuca throughout the menu, enabling several items including the empanadas to be gluten free.)
The beverage program will rely heavily on infusions with the tropical flavors of the Caribbean, with coconut, passion fruit and guava. Among the craft cocktails you’ll want to look out for is a banana-infused old fashioned.
“There will be a lot of fun things in there,” Espaillat said.
MaBí Concina Tropical
Location: 416 E 36th St Unit 600, Charlotte, NC 28205
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. (Special brunch menu from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.); Sunday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (Special brunch menu from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.)
Cuisine: Dominican, Caribbean
This story was originally published July 30, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
