Jose Garces Dishes on Moorestown Distrito

Details about Iron Chef Jose Garces' plan to bring Distrito to the Moorestown Mall in 2014 have been somewhat scant since the news broke two weeks ago. 

But the award-winning chef—best known for his many Latin-inspired restaurants throughout Philadelphia—revealed a little more in a recent Q&A with Moorestown Patch, including how he feels about being neighbors with his friend and fellow chef Marc Vetri, how Distrito will be different from its Philly counterpart, and just when people can expect to see his unique brand of Mexican cuisine in Moorestown. 

Moorestown Patch: Why Moorestown? The Garces' brand has spread to multiple locations (Philadelphia, Atlantic City, etc.), but this is the first to be located in a suburban market—at a mall no less. What went into that decision?

Chef Jose Garces: We are a Philadelphia-based group and the Moorestown area is an important part of the suburban Philadelphia area. We think Distrito is an ideal fit for this area. At its core, Distrito is great food and drinks in a fun, vibrant, and lively atmosphere. It’s the perfect place for families, happy hour, date night, and a great backdrop for hosting special events like birthdays, mitzvahs and even a unique wedding or rehearsal dinner event. With so many great plans in store for the Moorestown Mall—including the Osteria project just next door—we’re excited to be pushing culinary boundaries in suburban Philadelphia.

Patch: PREIT has attracted some big names in its effort to rebrand the Moorestown Mall—first with Marc Vetri's Osteria, now with Jose Garces and Distrito. Is this part of a trend—with big-name chefs known for fine dining opening in suburban environments—or is it more of an anomaly?

Garces: We don’t see this as a trend, but rather a fundamental shift in many ways. For example, high-quality, thoughtful food offerings are now a major force in casinos, stadiums, malls, tiny storefronts, mobile trucks, vending machines, almost everywhere. That was not the case even five years ago. As far as the traditional suburban mall goes, PREIT is leading the charge on this culinary front and we are proud to be their partner.

Patch: How similar will the Moorestown Distrito be to the Philly one? Same menu? Same decor? Will it be bigger, or smaller?

Garces: The Moorestown Distrito will certainly have certain design elements that let you know you are in a Distrito. That being said, we try hard to establish a unique identity for each restaurant through, among other things, its design and menu offerings. The 7,500-square foot space will be playful and lively, but it will have its own voice and feel, which we hope speaks to the area and the guests.

Patch: Is the expectation—or perhaps the hope—that the restaurant will become a sort of regional attraction? That all the folks from South Jersey who travel across the river to eat at Garces restaurants in Philadelphia will now flock to the mall—as well as attracting new customers?

Garces: We always hope that a guest’s first experience with us inspires them to visit all of our restaurants and come back often. We hope to see a lot of new faces at the Moorestown location who become longtime, loyal Garces Group fans.

Patch: Is there an anticipated opening date—besides 2014? Could you narrow it down at all?

Garces: We are still in the early stages of the project and it is hard to put an exact date on the opening. Roughly the second quarter of 2014.

Visit the Garces Group website to learn more about the famous chef and his restaurants.