Sneak peek: Xelas by El Sazon in Stillwater opening soon

Cristian and Karen de Leon have long had a fondness for Stillwater.

The entrepreneurial spirit of the city where La Belle Vie and other food destinations got their start signaled to them that it's an ideal location for the duo and their business partner/bar director Zoilo Ruacho to roll out their take on contemporary Mayan fare.

Xelas by El Sazon officially opens Jan. 21 in the former Thai Basil space. This time around, the team behind El Sazon Tacos & More in Eagan and El Sazon Cocina & Tragos Minneapolis plan to deconstruct, then reconstruct Mayan cuisine based on staple crops and ancient cooking techniques of southeastern Mexico as well as Guatemala.

"I think it's the right city for the concept we want to do. There's other Mexican restaurants in the area, but more Tex-Mex," Karen said. "We're trying to do a different style.

For chef Cristian, it's about preserving practices and customs that allow him to lean into his Guatemalan roots. "It's very similar to Mexican cuisine in that we use a lot of achiote, tomatoes, garlic, corn, rice and beans," he said. "And we're using a lot of ancestral sauces, different recados, which are like moles or stews."

During a sneak peek of the menu, bold and deeply layered flavors characteristic of the Mayan region could be found in dishes such as a yellowfin tuna ceviche with a recado negro sauce served on a housemade blue tostada. "Usually recado negro is used to braise gamey meats. It has smokey notes, it has peppery notes," Cristian said. "Now, we try something more elevated by pairing it with tuna and it's just a different sensation."

Other composed plates include pork shank in earthy, nutty achiote paste on a bed of beans and yellow rice, the gold hue playing off Mayan traditions of using saffron in dishes. Meanwhile, another traditionally stewed Mayan dish gets upgraded with short ribs in a quague Guatamalen chile pepper and tomato base. A root vegetable pave with staple crops of sweet potatoes, carrots, potatoes and yams and housemade tortillas using three types of corn — blue, yellow and white — is served on the side.

"Instead of having a bowl with the stewed meats and veggies, we did an elevated technique. This is our take and our progressive idea of dishes," said Cristian, who has led kitchens at Copper Hen, Chino Latino, Good Earth and Icehouse while Karen has been on the management side of restaurants.

The de Leons branched out on their own in the spring of 2022 with the debut of El Sazon inside an Eagan gas station. The small counter spot dishing up from-scratch birria-laden tacos, ramen and pizza as well as other Mexican-influenced fare quickly became a destination. Next came El Sazon Cocina & Tragos in Minneapolis, a full-service, sit-down restaurant that gives a nod to Latin American fare. Their dinner series, "Night at the Gas Station" tasting menus with nonalcoholic beverage pairings from Ruacho, continues to sell out.

Ruacho said that while the bar program at the south Minneapolis location is more agave-based, Xelas will spotlight sugarcane-based spirits like rum and gin from Mexican distillers, the latter using botanicals such as camomile and lavender as well as citrus and strawberries. The bar menu will also include whiskey and sake cocktails with a twist.

"We're going to do an Old Fashioned with a Guatemalan rum that uses the skin of plantains with sugar to make the syrup; then we're going to fry the plantain for a garnish that also incorporates those flavors," Ruacho said. "We're trying to use a lot of Mayan techniques, flavors, ingredients."

Taking a page from the success of the dinner series' NA pairings, expect an ambitious zero-proof drink program here as well.

"It's great when we have this much culture behind us because we have so much to pull from and so much to utilize as far as techniques," Xelas bar manager Dan Tores said of the spirits and spirit-free drink menus. "We wanted to really focus on the artisanal way of making everything from scratch, our syrups … our tinctures, our shrubs, milk clarifications, fermentations."

Beyond the grand opening, the team plans to open a chef's table to offer tasting menu options, and brunch will be added this spring or summer. During the warm-weather months, a back patio with a pergola is planned. "The pond right there, so it should be a nice view," Karen said.

Xela, another name for the Guatemalan city of Quetzaltenango in the western highlands, has a reputation as a travel destination rich in Mayan history with beautiful surroundings.

The team hopes their new St. Croix Valley area spot, like their other restaurants, will become a destination, too. "We want to offer a unique experience," Cristian said. "I have a good feeling about this."

Location: 1180 W. Frontage Road, Stillwater

Hours: Tue.-Sun. from 4-9 p.m.

The vibe: The former Thai Basil has been made lighter and brighter with a rustic aesthetic and warm woods. Local artists were commissioned to create works depicting Mayan history and culture. Pieces include murals by Lake Street muralist Pablo Kalaka and in the entrance and waiting room. Stillwater-based Jimmy Longoria, whose works can be spotted at places such as Oro by Nixta, is behind artwork in the bathroom and framed pieces in the dining room, some available for sale. The restaurant's remodel, including an earthen backdrop behind the bar, was created by Top Contractors and Rodrigo Juarez.

Prices: Starters $9-$15, mains $16-$30, desserts $9.

More info: elsazonmn.com