September 8, 2022

New Concept

The Bistro had been operating for 12 years with some great reviews. Like most businesses, the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll. So the owners decided to dust it off, rebrand it with a new concept, and relaunch the restaurant.

The owners have always been fascinated by the famous cenotes of Mexico. A cenote is a natural pit, or sinkhole, resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater. The regional term is specifically associated with the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, where cenotes were commonly used for water supplies by the ancient Maya, and occasionally for sacrificial offerings.

Pronounced ‘say-NO-tay’, the Mayan considered the Cenote to be a sacred place, since it was the only source of water in the jungle they believed it was where they believed their gods live and their spirits reside. It was referred to as “Xibalba.”

This became the basis of the new restaurant, where Chris Owen was hired as Chef to blend old-world Mexican cuisine from the Yucatan Peninsula with a fresh modern vibe. The result is Cenote Modern Mexican.