Chico Bueno, Malo bring 2 Mexican restaurants to the Grove

By Sauce Magazine

Chico Bueno / Malo in the Grove // Credit: photo by Matt Feldt

Good Hospitality Group has been moving at a remarkable pace. What began several years ago with Good Ice, a custom ice company supplying restaurants and bars across the region, has grown into a rapidly expanding collection of concepts spanning casual dining, fine dining, cocktails and now a dual Mexican restaurant experience.

The group first expanded into restaurants with Good Company, followed by the adjacent Aperi in the Grove, before adding Trust downtown and launching Chico Bueno (4156 Manchester Ave.), a casual taqueria focused on Mexican street food, in June. Now, the group is doubling down on Mexican cuisine with the opening of Malo (4158 Manchester Ave.), an elevated counterpart next door to Chico Bueno that explores the more technical side of the cuisine.

Malo opens Thursday, July 9, offering two distinct experiences under one roof: a walk-in cocktail bar and small plates restaurant in the front of the space and a reservation-only, 10-course tasting menu tucked behind a curtain in the back.

For owner Jordan Goodman, the split concept came from a desire to showcase the full range of Mexican cuisine, from approachable street food to highly refined tasting menus.

“When the idea of Chico Bueno first came along, this was our biggest question mark. What need did we want Chico Bueno to fill?” Goodman said. “Adrian and I were both leaning toward higher-end Mexican food, but we knew with the neighborhood of the original location, off Laclede right near SLU, a more casual taqueria made a lot of sense.”

When the original Chico Bueno location plans shifted and the group moved into the former Little Lucy’s space, Goodman said the change helped solve that initial challenge by creating room for both ideas to exist side by side.

“It allowed us to do something super approachable and familiar on one side, Chico Bueno, and let us get a little more experimental on the other, Malo,” he said. “I think the concepts complement each other great because it shows the full spectrum of what Mexican cuisine can be. It can be traditional LA-inspired street food, but it can also be a very technical and precise tasting menu.”

At Malo, that technical approach comes from chef Adrian Maldonado, whose culinary background includes time in some of St. Louis’ most respected kitchens, including Sidney Street Cafe, Balkan Treat Box and Idol Wolf.

Maldonado’s Mexican heritage serves as the foundation for the menu, while his fine dining experience informs the execution.

“Obviously he draws a lot of inspiration from his Mexican heritage, but also from the precise French techniques he was taught working at Sidney,” Goodman said. “I think that’s what Malo will really showcase: Mexican-inspired ingredients and flavors, prepared with the precision and technique of French cooking.”

The tasting menu will feature dishes including hamachi ceviche, tetela topped with chicharrón de prensado and mole verde and a lamb belly barbacoa taco. Guests can choose between traditional dining room seating or seats at the chef’s counter overlooking the open kitchen. The experience requires prepaid reservations, with one seating nightly at 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

For those looking for a more casual introduction to Malo, the front room offers a walk-in cocktail bar centered around agave and other Mexican spirits, paired with an elevated small plates menu. The bar opens at 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, with the kitchen serving until 10 p.m.

Goodman said creating two experiences within the same restaurant was intentional, allowing more guests to engage with the concept.

“We’re fully aware that a 10-course tasting menu isn’t in the cards for everyone on a regular basis,” he said. “So the cocktail bar allows people who want to try Malo, or have been and loved it, another way to access it.”

While the menu will differ from the tasting experience, Goodman said the same level of care will carry through both spaces, with the cocktail program playing an important role in creating a welcoming atmosphere.

“There is no better vibe than a wrapped bar,” he said. “It brings a sense of community and approachability that we strive for in all of our concepts.”

Malo marks Good Hospitality Group’s most ambitious culinary project to date, but it is far from the last addition to the growing portfolio. The group is preparing to open Baia, an Italian concept centered around Chef Jon Priestly’s cooking, while also planning a future taqueria in Shaw.

For Goodman, the group’s expansion has always been guided by the people behind each concept.

“We really value the people in our group, and we kind of let them pave the way forward on projects,” he said. “Malo and Bueno are molded in Adrian’s likeness. One side pays homage to the childhood flavors he grew up on, the other pulls from his culinary background and desire to experiment and learn.”

As Malo finds its footing, Goodman said guests can expect the tasting menu to evolve seasonally, along with future collaborations and special dinners.

“Right now the plan is to revamp the tasting menu seasonally,” he said. “And we’re already in talks for a few collaborative dinners in the not-too-distant future.”

With Malo, Chico Bueno, Baia and its growing lineup of restaurants, Good Hospitality Group’s footprint continues to expand across St. Louis, proving that the group’s appetite for new ideas is every bit as large as its growing restaurant roster.

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