Surpassing expectations: Ex Novo launches dazzling new dining destination in Downtown

The August launch of Ex Novo Downtown was among the most anticipated local restaurant openings in recent memory.

Much of the excitement centered around Ex Novo founder Joel Gregory’s decision to tap chef Marc Quiñones to run the culinary program at the new location. Quiñones has had a storied career in Albuquerque, culminating with his selection last year as a James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef Southwest.

Surpassing expectations: Ex Novo launches a dazzling new dining destination in Downtown

Ex Novo — the name is Latin for “from scratch” — marks a return to Downtown for Quiñones. He was chef at Más Tapas y Vino in the Hotel Andaluz for several years before taking over the kitchen at Level 5 at Hotel Chaco in the Sawmill District.

I made my first visit to Ex Novo recently to meet a friend for lunch. The pub sits on the corner of Central Avenue and Seventh Street NW in Downtown, diagonally across from El Rey Theater. Street parking is available along Central and Seventh, and there’s a large paid lot across the street.

The location was once home to a Firestone tire shop and the outlines of the old place remain. The former parking lot has been converted to a sprawling, shaded patio, and large windows have replaced the old bay doors. The whitewashed concrete facade dressed in bold black lettering sparkled in the midday sun.

Inside is bright and clean with blonde wood, plants and a large, three-sided bar. Instead of the black-painted metal trusses and ductwork so common to brewpub ceilings, Ex Novo has a wooden pitched roof that rises high above the dining room. A colorful comic-book style mural decorates the back wall next to a flight of stairs that leads to a small cocktail lounge called The Bitter Nun. In contrast to the main dining room, the lounge is small, dark and windowless.

Ex Novo’s menu, presented in a multipage binder, is divided into drinks, spirits, small plates and large plates. The full page of spirits includes some from local distillers. A flight of four beers is available for $12.

We were there for the food, and the variety and creativity on display were impressive. The 15 small plates are priced from $9 for Patatas Bravas, a nod to Quiñones work at Más Tapas, all the way up to $26 for a large charcuterie board. Successful dishes from chef Quiñones’ stint at Level 5 show up here, like the Carne Asada Elk ($24) and Asparagus Calabacitas ($13).

Having just sampled those dishes last year, I opted for a starter of Honey Bacon Wrapped Almond Stuffed Dates ($13). Three skewers with three pieces each were served around a metal cup of Boursin cheese dipping sauce. I’ve had a few versions of these over the years, but none better than this. The bacon was thick and crisp, the core of dates and almonds added crunch and sweetness. The Boursin cheese sauce didn’t add much flavor, but its thin consistency cut the heaviness of the dish and made the bites go down easier. The portion was enough for two to share.

Another hit from the starter menu was the Garlic Shrimp & Chorizo ($19) served in a handled cast-iron pan. The six shrimp sat in a shallow pool of dark red broth flavored with pimentón, a Spanish paprika. The shrimp were perfectly cooked, and the sauce was delicious, with a warm, spicy flavor that called to mind an intense shot of vegetable juice. Five fingers of sourdough bread marked from the grill were on board to sop up any extra broth. Share this and the bacon-wrapped dates and you’ve got yourself a great meal for two for less than $35.

There are three salads on the starter menu. Like the shrimp, the Whipped Burrata Salad ($14) was served in a cast iron handled pan. Burrata — the name means “buttered” in Italian — is a compelling variation of mozzarella with a soft, solid outer shell with the texture of a soft-boiled egg. Opening it up reveals a soupy center of mozzarella cream and curd. It was backstopped with a colorful pile of sliced strawberries and cherry tomatoes over arugula laced with black threads of balsamic dressing and topped with crumbled pistachios. Burrata is a mild-flavored cheese that needs big flavors to make it work, and it got them here from the intensely sweet and sour dressing and the tomatoes and strawberries.

The ten large plates start at $12 for a Latin American Power Bowl with rice and beans and run to market prices for Buffalo Ribeye and the Fish of the Day. Chef Quiñones’ Pollo con Papas was one of his best dishes at Level 5, so I was anxious to see what he did with chicken here. The dish is called Beer Can Arroz Con Pollo ($22). Beer can chicken is a popular preparation that involves plopping a beer can into an entire chicken and then cooking it. In this version, three chicken thighs were presented over basmati rice and red beans. The chicken was terrific, the skin crisped nicely and the meat moist, and the beans with chunks of bacon were smoky and flavorful. The pool of liquid underneath it all was a bit off-putting. A large flour tortilla was grilled, rolled up and set awkwardly on the side of the plate.

The five desserts on the menu are priced at $8 and $9. We tried the Griddled Banana Bread ($9) with peanut butter glaze, two scoops of vanilla ice cream and berries. You don’t see a lot of banana bread on local menus, but this one was a solid rendition with a crusty outer shell and soft, warm middle.

Service was prompt and efficient, and the food came out quickly. There are gluten-friendly options, but they are not labeled on the menu.

From its dazzling redo of an old tire shop to its menu from one of the best chefs in the city, Ex Novo surpasses expectations. It gives hope for the future of Downtown.