Scoop: El Toro Bruto owner launches dinner service at HEX in Camp North End
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"Noche Bruta" roughly translates to "rough night" in Spanish. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
Coffee shop by day and Mexican restaurant by night. Starting Thursday, March 21, HEX will transform on the weekends into Noche Bruta, run by chef Hector Gonzalez-Mora.
Why it matters: It's a collaboration between two of Charlotte's favorite local businesses and a full-circle moment for both its owners.
"We started as a permanent pop-up inside a beer shop so the idea is to pay it forward with Noche Bruta."— HEX co-founder Chandler Wrenn
Catch up quick: Before the business evolved into what is now Stable Hand in South End, HEX's owners started brewing out of Good Bottle in 2017.
- In 2019, chef Hector Gonzalez-Mora hosted his first Chilito Taco pop-up at HEX's original Camp North End location. His breakfast tacos gained a devoted following during the pandemic.
- In 2022, he opened El Toro Bruto out of Resident Culture.
- Since Resident Culture announced they were switching out El Toro Bruto with a new barbecue menu in November 2023, many have wondered what Gonzalez-Mora's next move would be.
"We want to make this feel intentionally like a different space...It will not feel like a coffee shop."— HEX co-founder Chandler Wrenn
The vibe: On Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, HEX will transform into Noche Bruta from 5pm to 10pm.
- The kitchen will switch over, lights will dim and the Noche Bruta neon sign will turn on to signify the Mexican "fonda" is open.
- HEX will still serve its Japanese-inspired menu from 8am to 4pm daily, a nod to co-founder Tanner Morita's Japanese-Hawaiian upbringing.
Dig in: Noche Bruta will offer traditional Mexican fare like guacamole, salsa and chips, churros with dulce de leche and ribeye tacos.
- Gonzalez-Mora is experimenting with new flavors that blend cultures. The "Katsu Hawaiiano," for example, is his take on the "Torta Hawaiiana," made with pork, guac, ham, cheese, and pickled onions on Shokupan bread — a Japanese milk bread made in-house.
You can pair the food with wine, or one of the wine cocktails that Wrenn created — the broken-down Margarita and Paloma (each made with white wine) or the Mexican Sangria (made with sparkling water, simple syrup, lime juice and red wine).
Stop by: HEX Coffee, Kitchen and Natural Wines is at 201 Camp Road.