This spring, the Homewood area of Birmingham, Alabama, will be home to the new full-service Mexican restaurant: Little Donkey. Bringing Birmingham authentic Mexican food with a touch of Southern soul, Little Donkey will seamlessly blend the iconic tastes of Mexico with local flavors such as Alabama smoke, Georgia beef, and Kentucky whiskey.
Little Donkey is the latest concept by Fresh Hospitality Group, owned by Michael Bodnar, John Michael Bodnar, and Nick Pihakis, founder of Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q.
Pihakis and local owner and Chef Joshua Gentry collaborated to craft a menu that combines traditional Mexican techniques like grinding masa, pressing tortillas by hand, and freshly mixing salsas, with the Southern heritage of slow-smoked meats.
"We are so excited to see this project that we've been working so hard on come to life," Pihakis says.
The restaurant will use produce largely from local family farmers, as well as heritage breed pork and free-range chicken from White Oak Pastures, and specialty beans from Rancho Gordo located in Napa Valley.
The craft bar program will be managed by Alabama-born bartender LeNell Camacho Santa Ana, formerly of well-known LeNell's liquor shop in Brooklyn, New York.
"I really think that LeNell will help change the bar scene in Birmingham," says Joshua. "The way she focuses on specific ingredients and marries flavors will transform the way people view cocktails."
The full-service bar will have a list of original cocktails and signature margaritas.
Little Donkey is a casual dining venue seating 112 patrons in the main dining area and 13 at the bar. The interior of the restaurant features dark, worn woods, corrugated aluminum sheets, distressed metals, garage doors, tin tiles, and stained concrete. Menus and specials will be listed on chalkboards and updated daily.
Little Donkey is slated to open March 20 and will operate daily, serving lunch and dinner.For more information please visit: www.TheLittleDonkey.com
