Nearly eight months after buying Tio Javi’s from the family of late Baton Rouge restaurateur TJ Moran, Chris Bachman, who also owns the nearby Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, is making changes to the Mexican restaurant on Constitution Avenue.
Tio Javi’s has been closed since July 1 for renovations, and plans to reopen July 15 at 11:30 a.m. with a new kitchen and condensed menu, says Carlos Betancourt, who operates the restaurant.
The revamped digs and food items are all part of Bachman’s vision for the restaurant, says Betancourt, who was previously a chef at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse for 12 years and worked with Bachman under Moran.
Betancourt says the kitchen is still undergoing extensive renovations, all of which aim to highlight the restaurant’s traditional approach to Mexican cuisine.
Other renovations include repainting the interior to “more traditional Mexican colors,” changing the carpet and ripping out the flooring, he says.
Betancourt says he is also condensing the three-page menu to two pages. It will still feature customer favorites like queso and traditional tacos, while offering new recipes for shrimp enchiladas and carnitas.
