Karen Negveskey and Alex Bobadilla (Mike Platania photos)
Karen Negvesky and Alex Bobadilla have steered Sincero, their Mexican-American food concept, through various iterations since it launched in 2019.
They started it as a pop-up, serving tacos, tostadas and more at local breweries, before signing on to be one of the first vendors at Manchester’s Hatch Local food hall.
Now, as Negvesky and Bobadilla are preparing to open the latest version of Sincero at 404 N. Second St. in Jackson Ward, they’re looking forward to some of the particulars that come with running a restaurant in its own brick-and-mortar space: things like trading cardboard boats and tin-foil to-go containers for heftier dishware.
“There have been a lot of versions of Sincero, but this is the first time we’ll actually get to open a door,” Negvesky said, laughing.
“And we’ve never plated our food on actual plates,” Bobadilla added. “So that’s something that we’re excited to do in itself.”
The couple is leasing the roughly 1,700-square-foot space from Jason and Amanda Lucy, another local restaurateur couple, that operated Lucy’s Reserve there from 2014 until its closure this spring.
Bobadilla has been cooking professionally for about 12 years, starting out in D.C. and Baltimore before landing locally at Brenner Pass in Scott’s Addition. Negvesky’s experience is behind the bar, having also worked at Brenner Pass as well other local spots including Metzger, Black Lodge and Pasture.
Bobadilla said the idea for Sincero’s food is to be American but with Mexican influences, an approach that’s brought menu items like a birria melt sandwich on a hoagie roll and Papas Machas, which are waffle fries topped with salsa and queso.
He said that he wants Sincero’s food to pay homage to traditional Mexican food, but that he’s not overly concerned with it being completely authentic.
“I try and do my best to pay homage … but there’s plenty of taquerias in town,” he said. “We’re not going to open (tables) with chips and salsa. … I feel like we’re trying to just separate ourselves from that a little bit, trying to take that next step up.”
Negvesky said the brick-and-mortar version of Sincero will be, “slightly upscale, but not in a fine-dining way at all.” All the dishes on its opening menu are priced between $10 and $16.
The location also will have a full bar and cocktail menu, including drinks made with mezcal and tequila.
“With the bar, I want it to be approachable and have a little something for everyone,” Negvesky said. “I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel, but I do have some ideas for some fun (cocktails).”
Lucy’s Reserve had operated at 404 N. Second St. from 2014 until this spring.
When Sincero left Hatch Local in the spring after about a year there, Bobadilla and Negvesky said they weren’t totally sure where they’d land. The stint in the food hall was a good stepping stone, they said, and helped get them exposure, but it felt right to move on.
“I feel like we learned a lot there, but I think you do cap out at a certain amount of food that you can even produce there,” Negvesky said. “We reached our maximum capacity and we were ready to take the next step, but we weren’t really sure what that was.”
When the pair heard through friends in the industry that the Lucy’s space was available, they jumped on it. It was located in their own neighborhood, Jackson Ward, where they’ve lived for years, and after meeting with the Lucys, Bobadilla said it felt like a good fit.
“We really just got extremely lucky,” Negvesky said, noting that the building is in great shape and needed minimal work to get it ready.
“We want to create a space that’s comfortable for everyone. Maybe somewhere you want to have a nice date, grab a quick beer at the bar with your friends,” she said. “Or take your mom out to a nice meal. That’s always my favorite thing to say.”
Sincero is planning to offer dinner service only at first, with hopes to later expand to add brunch on weekends.
Bobadilla and Negvesky said they’re hoping to open Sincero’s first doors in the coming weeks. After cooking for years on portable stoves under a tent and in a food hall stall, Negveskey said making the leap into brick-and-mortar is a little nerve-racking.
“But I think that everything that we’ve done up until now has set a good path for us and really prepared us to the best that I could,” she said.
Added Bobadilla: “I feel like this iteration is going to be what we pictured (Sincero) to be. I think this was the goal the whole time.”
The Lucys were represented by Sperity Real Estate Ventures’ Nathan Hughes in lease negotiations.
Sincero will be at least the second new restaurant to open in Jackson Ward this fall. And Dim Sum, an Asian-inspired restaurant from RVA Hospitality, is opening this weekend at 305 Brook Road.
The plans for And Dim Sum date to 2014, when RVA Hospitality owner Liz Kincaid looked to bring it to Union Hill, however it wasn’t until Max’s On Broad closed this spring that And Dim Sum began to become a reality.
RVA Hospitality recently completed a renovation of the old Max’s space to make way for And Dim Sum, whose menu includes duck wontons (five pieces for $12), pork belly bao buns (two for $8) and Hawaiian fried rice ($12).
Karen Negveskey and Alex Bobadilla (Mike Platania photos)
Karen Negvesky and Alex Bobadilla have steered Sincero, their Mexican-American food concept, through various iterations since it launched in 2019.
They started it as a pop-up, serving tacos, tostadas and more at local breweries, before signing on to be one of the first vendors at Manchester’s Hatch Local food hall.
Now, as Negvesky and Bobadilla are preparing to open the latest version of Sincero at 404 N. Second St. in Jackson Ward, they’re looking forward to some of the particulars that come with running a restaurant in its own brick-and-mortar space: things like trading cardboard boats and tin-foil to-go containers for heftier dishware.
“There have been a lot of versions of Sincero, but this is the first time we’ll actually get to open a door,” Negvesky said, laughing.
“And we’ve never plated our food on actual plates,” Bobadilla added. “So that’s something that we’re excited to do in itself.”
The couple is leasing the roughly 1,700-square-foot space from Jason and Amanda Lucy, another local restaurateur couple, that operated Lucy’s Reserve there from 2014 until its closure this spring.
Bobadilla has been cooking professionally for about 12 years, starting out in D.C. and Baltimore before landing locally at Brenner Pass in Scott’s Addition. Negvesky’s experience is behind the bar, having also worked at Brenner Pass as well other local spots including Metzger, Black Lodge and Pasture.
Bobadilla said the idea for Sincero’s food is to be American but with Mexican influences, an approach that’s brought menu items like a birria melt sandwich on a hoagie roll and Papas Machas, which are waffle fries topped with salsa and queso.
He said that he wants Sincero’s food to pay homage to traditional Mexican food, but that he’s not overly concerned with it being completely authentic.
“I try and do my best to pay homage … but there’s plenty of taquerias in town,” he said. “We’re not going to open (tables) with chips and salsa. … I feel like we’re trying to just separate ourselves from that a little bit, trying to take that next step up.”
Negvesky said the brick-and-mortar version of Sincero will be, “slightly upscale, but not in a fine-dining way at all.” All the dishes on its opening menu are priced between $10 and $16.
The location also will have a full bar and cocktail menu, including drinks made with mezcal and tequila.
“With the bar, I want it to be approachable and have a little something for everyone,” Negvesky said. “I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel, but I do have some ideas for some fun (cocktails).”
Lucy’s Reserve had operated at 404 N. Second St. from 2014 until this spring.
When Sincero left Hatch Local in the spring after about a year there, Bobadilla and Negvesky said they weren’t totally sure where they’d land. The stint in the food hall was a good stepping stone, they said, and helped get them exposure, but it felt right to move on.
“I feel like we learned a lot there, but I think you do cap out at a certain amount of food that you can even produce there,” Negvesky said. “We reached our maximum capacity and we were ready to take the next step, but we weren’t really sure what that was.”
When the pair heard through friends in the industry that the Lucy’s space was available, they jumped on it. It was located in their own neighborhood, Jackson Ward, where they’ve lived for years, and after meeting with the Lucys, Bobadilla said it felt like a good fit.
“We really just got extremely lucky,” Negvesky said, noting that the building is in great shape and needed minimal work to get it ready.
“We want to create a space that’s comfortable for everyone. Maybe somewhere you want to have a nice date, grab a quick beer at the bar with your friends,” she said. “Or take your mom out to a nice meal. That’s always my favorite thing to say.”
Sincero is planning to offer dinner service only at first, with hopes to later expand to add brunch on weekends.
Bobadilla and Negvesky said they’re hoping to open Sincero’s first doors in the coming weeks. After cooking for years on portable stoves under a tent and in a food hall stall, Negveskey said making the leap into brick-and-mortar is a little nerve-racking.
“But I think that everything that we’ve done up until now has set a good path for us and really prepared us to the best that I could,” she said.
Added Bobadilla: “I feel like this iteration is going to be what we pictured (Sincero) to be. I think this was the goal the whole time.”
The Lucys were represented by Sperity Real Estate Ventures’ Nathan Hughes in lease negotiations.
Sincero will be at least the second new restaurant to open in Jackson Ward this fall. And Dim Sum, an Asian-inspired restaurant from RVA Hospitality, is opening this weekend at 305 Brook Road.
The plans for And Dim Sum date to 2014, when RVA Hospitality owner Liz Kincaid looked to bring it to Union Hill, however it wasn’t until Max’s On Broad closed this spring that And Dim Sum began to become a reality.
RVA Hospitality recently completed a renovation of the old Max’s space to make way for And Dim Sum, whose menu includes duck wontons (five pieces for $12), pork belly bao buns (two for $8) and Hawaiian fried rice ($12).
Karen and Alex are the best, can’t wait to order some good grub and a nice cocktail.