Sarasota has never had a shortage of brilliant Mexican food, with excellent taco shops around every corner. But at Kolucan, which opened in Gulf Gate last year, Mexican cuisine is treated with a level of reverence and infused with an inventiveness that’s new to Sarasota. Diners will find established Mexican American favorites, but alongside the burrito bowls, carne asada and mole come upscale riffs on Mexican flavors previously unavailable here.

Located at the corner of Gulf Gate Drive and Gateway Avenue, Kolucan occupies the space that was most recently Opus and, before that, Off the Hook and Il Panificio. Owners Gino Calleja and Jose Rojas both cut their teeth at local eateries before jumping at the chance to open their dream restaurant when the space became available. Rojas previously worked at restaurants like Louies Modern, while Calleja worked at Mattison’s and Siesta Key Oyster Bar before he opened Reyna’s, his hit taco shop. Recently, Calleja sold the original Reyna’s on North Beneva Road so that he could focus on Kolucan.

That focus has paid off. In a whirlwind renovation, walls were painted blue, Mexican flourishes were installed behind the bar, and the adjoining cocktail lounge, called Frida’s Bar after Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, received a significant facelift, with large-scale paintings by local artist Alexis Fraser, aka Lipstick Lex.
While the interior changes were underway, the chefs took to the kitchen to develop their flavors. Gone are the days when they served menus developed by others. Kolucan is theirs, and with that freedom comes a menu that pays homage to the cuisine that shaped their youth.

The appetizers come with some standard offerings, like chips and salsa ($5) and queso fundido ($14). But the real fun begins with the tostada Veracruzana ($14). Large chunks of raw tuna are tossed with pickled cabbage and serrano chilies and tumbled onto a crisp tostada shell. The result is cool and loaded with umami, with a creeping spice from a habanero aioli drizzle. In the aguachile de camarón ($15), plump shrimp are “cooked” in lime juice and tossed with chilies and cucumbers. Creamy avocado cuts through the acidity and rounds out this refreshing dish.

Avocados also receive the all-star treatment in the guacamole con chicharrón ($16). The creamy dip is crowned with crunchy pork belly and accompanied by warm tortillas and salsa macha (a chili-infused oil) so that you can remain in control of your spice level. My recommendation is to use it generously, but if you’re sensitive to spice, just glance in its direction.

Entrées follow a similar script. You’ll find familiar favorites like enchiladas ($21-$23) and chiles rellenos ($24). But the huachinango a la Veracruz ($28) is the real showstopper. A whole fried snapper stares back at you when it arrives at the table, as if it’s been snatched from the ocean mid-swim and tossed into the fryer. The crunchy crust gives way to tender meat that has been expertly seasoned and is accentuated by a bright white wine sauce surrounding the fish and accompanying potatoes. Add a side of huitlacoche risotto ($6) for the table to enjoy. Huitlacoche is a rare and superb Mexican delicacy—a fungus that feeds on corn that’s known as “corn smut” or a “Mexican truffle.” If there’s another restaurant serving it in Sarasota, it’s news to me.

Drinks and desserts are as thoughtful as the rest of the menu. Cocktails are tequila-heavy, as one might expect, and the paloma de hibisco ($14), made with blanco tequila, hibiscus syrup, lime juice and grapefruit soda, is not to be missed. There is also an impressive offering of hard-to-find Mexican wines. The dessert menu includes churros ($7), tres leches ($10) and flan ($8) alongside a luscious chocolate cake called “Moctezuma’s lush” ($10) and a mango carlota ($7).
As our culinary landscape evolves, the local neighborhood taco shop will maintain a place in our hearts—and for good reason. But as talented chefs like Calleja and Rojas continue to open adventurous, path-breaking restaurants like Kolucan, I feel lucky to be here to experience it.

Kolucan

6644 Gateway Ave., Sarasota, (941) 921-3133, kolucan.com