New restaurant brings Spanish-Latin fusion cuisine to The Drake Oak Brook

The Drake Oak Brook unveiled its first new full restaurant in over five decades this week, fusing two cuisines representing the hotel’s owner and chef.

Coa, located at 2301 York Road in the iconic hotel, offers agave-infused cuisine and tequila-based spirits that blend Spanish and Latin influences inspired by the respective cultures of hotel owner Tely Nagle and Executive Chef Ezequiel Dominguez.

“With the addition of an entirely new dining experience that’s so close to our hearts, we are thrilled to continue the hotel’s long history as a beacon of fine dining and close gatherings for guests and locals,” Nagle said in a news release. “Every element has been made to feel like an extension of my family dining room from the warmth, traditions and flavors of my culture.”

Chef Dominguez’s menu offerings start with a variety of hot and cold tapas — including Spanish staples like patatas bravas, gambas al ajillo, tortilla Espanola and jamon serrano — while appetizers swing to the Latin side, with ceviche, guacamole, empanadas and queso fundido.

Entree choices include a variety of paellas and Latin-influenced steak and seafood dishes like sea bass infused with tequila and served with mango watermelon relish and corn purée.

“Some of the earliest dishes I remember making with my mother at six years old were tapas,” Dominguez said in the release. “I’ve thoughtfully merged my formal culinary background with these family traditions that have been passed down.”

With a restaurant named after a tool used to harvest agave, you would expect a robust spirits program. Led by the restaurant’s official Mezcal Temachtiani (‘teacher’ or ‘master’ in the Nahuatl language of central and southern Mexico), Coa has over 40 curated tequila and mezcal varieties for premium tastings. They’ll also offer housemade sangrias and signature cocktails, including a Sage Pineapple Smash and a Valencia Old Fashioned with Valencia orange tequila.

The dining room features one-of-a-kind birch wood finishes carved on-site and custom furnishings brought from Mexico, including handcrafted furniture and hand-sculpted chandeliers. Authentic fire clay tiles hand-painted in Guadalajara surround the center bar.

Contemporary touches include interactive digital displays for high-definition musical screenings and visual storytelling, including live feeds from around the world, content from Nagle’s travels, abstract art from her and Chef Ezequiel’s respective cultures and music videos.

Coa will be open seven days a week for dinner and offer late-night dining from Thursday through Sunday. Daily lunch service, an early dining experience, weekly Happy Hour and Sunday brunch are set to debut later this spring.

https://www.dailyherald.com/20240404/dining/new-restaurant-brings-spanish-latin-fusion-cuisine-to-the-drake-oak-brook/