Brace For Bracero A Little Bit Longer, Now Opening June 22

Little Italy's highly-anticipated, upcoming Bracero Cocina de Raiz— the buzzed-about sister restaurant of Romesco's— is now slated to open on June 22, a rep for the Plascencia Group confirms this week.

While no official reason has been given for the delay, here's everything you should know about Bracero right now: The Kettner Street eatery, spanning some 4,800 square-feet and two levels,  is helmed by chef and empire builder Javier Plascencia and pastry chef/Rick Bayless restaurant group alum Janina Garay. The casual ground floor will feature a long dining bar and raw/ceviche bar, multiple wells for cocktail service and a taco area with fresh-made tortillas and meats on vertical spits. The upstairs dining room and bar will be a tad more formal (and available by-reservation only) with an open kitchen featuring a Caja China roasting box, custom made by Planet Rooth.

As for the menu, expect a broader picture of what Mexican food is, meaning authentic, well-prepared food. Plascnencia recently rolled out at a sneak peek dinner featuring the likes of his grandmother's dry aged beef recipe served with confit cow udder in a tomato and bone marrow broth, along with more mindblowing menu items. Booze-wise bartender Christian Siglin will bring a killer agave-based cocktail program and Bracero's new manager and wine director, JM Woody van Horn, will showcase Baja and Alta California labels. Do check back for more extensive Bracero coverage.