Forget the fajitas and burritos. The newest oceanfront restaurant in Long Beach is putting a different spin on Mexican cuisine.
Hacienda Tulum officially opened Thursday, Oct. 15, at 180 Boardwalk, bringing an upscale Mexican steakhouse to the city’s waterfront, with premium steaks, fresh seafood and traditional dishes inspired by the owner’s travels through Mexico.
The approximately 200-seat restaurant is part of a newly developed oceanfront property and the latest venture from Nicolas Geeraerts and Tommy Mitsios, the owners of Tulum Tacos & Tequila in Mineola and Baldwin.
It also marks the second phase of their Long Beach expansion, following the July opening of Tulum Taco Stand, a casual, walk-up spot serving tacos, bowls and frozen margaritas along the boardwalk.
But Hacienda Tulum is an entirely different concept, one designed to draw diners to the beach long after summer ends.
“In the winter, people don’t really think about tacos and tequila, and since we are on the beach, we wanted to do something people could enjoy all year round,” Geeraerts told Greater Long Island. “That’s how we came up with this concept.”
A different taste of Mexico
The idea took shape during a trip to Mexico, where Geeraerts spent several weeks sampling regional dishes and exploring a culinary tradition he felt was largely underrepresented on Long Island.
“Not Cancun or Cabo,” he said, referring to the country’s popular resort destinations. “What I realized is, if we make that type of Mexican food here, people would love it.”
To bring that vision to life, Geeraerts enlisted chef Eduardo Salgado, who has roots in Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe wine region, to develop a menu centered on traditional Mexican flavors and preparations.
“We wanted something close to the homeland, not Americanized,” Geeraerts said. “Most people think Mexican food is burritos and fajitas. That’s not what we are doing here.”
The menu features traditional moles and chochoyotes — masa-based dumplings resembling gnocchi, served with pistachio, pumpkin seed and cilantro pesto.
“Our moles are authentic, our chochoyotas … are phenomenal,” Geeraerts said. “Even our Pat LaFrieda steaks are different than you find in a lot of places.”
The raw bar also gets a creative treatment, with East Coast oysters served with melon granita, citrus and pineapple-habanero powder.
“My favorite might be the East Coast oysters,” Geeraerts said. “Just wow.”
Desserts offer their own twists on familiar favorites.
There’s arroz con leche, a traditional Mexican rice pudding served with salted toffee and caramelized peanuts, along with churros accompanied by pistachio ice cream and blueberry-white chocolate sauce.
“Our banana bread is next level, topped with banana ice cream, crumble, fresh banana and salted toffee,” Geeraerts said.
Dining with an ocean view
Hacienda Tulum features indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, along with furnishings imported from Mexico and private dining accommodations.
Guests also have access to an attached parking garage with elevator service directly to the restaurant.
For Geeraerts, however, the biggest draw is the opportunity to introduce Long Islanders to dishes they might otherwise have to travel to Mexico to experience.
“Unless you travel to parts of Mexico, you won’t find the dishes we have,” he said. “It’s completely original to this area.”
Top: Hacienda Tulum owner Nicolas Geeraerts at his new oceanfront Mexican steakhouse in Long Beach. (GLI/Andrew Rappaport) (GLI/Andrew Rappaport)
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