Q&A: Bar Lab Debuts Hoja Taqueria Miami Beach Outpost at Generator Miami

Miami Beach, FL – September 22, 2021 – Hot on the heels of proven success with local gems such as Broken Shaker, 27, and The Exchange, Bar Lab has partnered with Generator Group to open a second Miami location of Hoja Taqueria, located inside of Generator Miami at 31st and Collins. The second location marks the team’s steps into a larger-scale expansion for the Hoja Taqueria concept.

The Bar Lab team was inspired by travels to Oaxaca, artisanal food, and mysticism and sought to bring a piece of that authentic Mexican experience to Miami Beach. With the first location based in Downtown Miami proving itself to be a favorite for locals and visitors, Hoja Taqueria Miami Beach features a new bistro-style service, both indoor and outdoor seating, a private dining room, and a full-service bar with an expansive, curated cocktail list.

Hoja Taqueria offers something special to the market as the ethos of the entire restaurant is centered on respecting one of the most precious ingredients in Mexican culture: corn. The tacos are served on corn tortillas made in-house using masa from corn sourced directly from family-owned farms in the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico. To repay the labor of love these family-farmers pour into cultivating this heirloom corn, a portion of Hoja Taqueria’s profits go directly back to the farmers to create a supportive and sustainable farm-to-table cycle.

World Red Eye caught up with Bar Lab founders, Elad Zvi and Gabe Orta, and renowned mixologist and lead of Mixology at Hoja Taqueria, Christine Wiseman, for an exclusive look at the new Miami Beach location and discussed how the unique new concept came to fruition. Read the full Q&A below.

By Gaby Cuevas

Elad Zvi & Gabe Orta

WRE: Bar Lab is a joint partnership founded by both of you. How did the two of you meet? What made you want to work together?

Elad Zvi: We both met each other 15 years ago, at the time we were both bartenders. We quickly realized we had the same passion for food, drinks, and dreams for the future. Through pure fate and trust, we decided to start a company together, specializing in food and beverage, of which Bar Lab was born. 5 years later we started Broken Shaker.

Elad Zvi & Gabe Orta

WRE: Hoja Taqueria Miami Beach will mark the second location of Hoja Taqueria. What made you decide to expand the concept?

Gabe Orta: We wanted to expand the brand since day one; we’ve always wanted to showcase the heirloom corn and all the Mexican flavors in different neighborhoods and cities and tell the story of the corn farmers through our food and tortillas. For the 2nd location we were waiting for the right space to come through and once we saw the Generator location, it felt like it was a no-brainer to expand the brand and partner with their team to do so.

WRE: How will the Miami Beach outpost differ from the original Downtown location?

EZ: In the Miami Beach location we have a bigger kitchen than at the Downtown one, so we are able to do more things and activate in a larger way. We also have a full liquor bar, so we’ve created a full-scale, legitimate beverage program with a diverse selection of Mezcales and Tequilas.

Elad Zvi

We both met each other 15 years ago…We quickly realized we had the same passion for food, drinks, and dreams for the future.

Elad Zvi

Gabe Orta

We’ve always wanted to showcase the heirloom corn and tell the story of the corn farmers through our food and tortillas.

Gabe Orta

WRE: The Hoja Taqueria menu features a unique blend of traditional Mexican foods like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas. Are there any new menu items guests can expect at the Miami Beach location?

GO: We wanted to expand the menu and bring more fish dishes into the equation, as well as vegetarian options. We added a ceviche, a whole fish and fish taco plus a mushroom option for the taco, burrito, quesadilla. We also created a queso fundido with the option of vegetarian or added chorizo.

WRE: Tell us about the ingredients used to make the authentic, beloved Hoja Taqueria dishes. Where are they sourced from?

EZ: The star ingredient is the corn, same as the Downtown location. This is the core principle of the brand. We outsource 12 different kinds of corns from indigenous corn families in the state of Oaxaca, which we ship by boat to Miami. We grind the corn daily and make tortillas per order. We also use Oaxaca and Chihuahua cheese for our quesadillas and all the chiles are also imported from Mexico.

WRE: What inspired you to build a partnership with the family farms in Oaxaca? How has it impacted them?

GO: When we went back to Oaxaca to develop the concept, we met Amado Ramirez who started a cooperative (indentida y biodiversidad) that helps corn families develop corn fields and farming. Armando was the direct link to meeting the families we work with and after couple of trips we developed a relationship with them and more importantly, an understanding of their needs and practices. It showed how us being in the cities can make an impact on the farms and the environment by using their corn and the other resources that they grow. One of our dreams is to keep developing our relationships with the family farms and find many more ways to help them and the city of Oaxaca.

The star ingredient is the corn… This is the core principle of the brand.

Elad Zvi

Gabe Orta, Christine Wiseman, & Elad Zvi

WRE: Tell us about the cocktail menu at the new Hoja Taqueria.

Christine Wiseman: There are so many beautiful ingredients that come from Mexico. I have had the privilege of visiting many times and I draw so much inspiration from every visit. As this is our first menu for Hoja, I wanted to show the diversity of those beautiful ingredients, as well as highlight the incredible agave spirits. Mezcal and Tequila are so complex and the terroir of Mexico really shines through.

Gabe Orta & Elad Zvi

WRE: What has it been like collaborating with Generator Group for the first time? How did you come together and decide to work on this project?

EZ: We really enjoy working with them right now, they understand what we do best and let us run with the concept.

WRE: What’s next for Bar Lab? What can Miami (and/or other cities) expect from you guys?

GO: We love our city! We’re working on a couple of really cool concepts to open soon and also started a wholesale cocktail mixers brand that is starting to take off. They are currently available at other bars and hotels.

Gabe Orta & Elad Zvi

One of our dreams is to keep developing our relationships with the family farms and find many more ways to help them and the city of Oaxaca.

Gabe Orta