Opening Soon: J. by José Andrés at W Mexico City

When W Mexico City started undergoing renovations in late 2013, the changes made in the hotel’s guest rooms and public spaces were occurring largely beyond guests’ view, done in a way to minimize disruptions. Repeat visitors might have noticed subtle differences—why was the location of the breakfast buffet always changing?–but in the nearly two years that have elapsed since then, rooms have been brightened and redesigned according to the vision of Indian designer Anurag Nema, and common spaces have been emboldened with big statement pieces, abstract objects that hint at certain aspects of Mexican history and culture: pyramids and lucha libre wrestlers, for instance.

The hotel is almost ready to officially pull the curtain back on the renovations, but there’s one more piece of the puzzle still to be put in place: the W’s new restaurant. As recently as this week, workers hurried to install artwork, position tables and chairs, and put the finishing touches on J. by José Andrés, the spacious, sure to be buzzy spot that will replace Solea, the restaurant that had been on site since the hotel’s opening in 2002. [pagebreak]

J. by José Andrés is the latest in José Andrés’s ever-expanding culinary empire, and for those who have dined at any of the restaurants owned by the renowned, award-winning Spanish chef, many elements of the Spanish-inflected menu will likely be familiar. But there’s at least one element that sets this new restaurant of his apart, and that’s the fact that it’s the first Andrés restaurant outside the United States and its territories and commonwealths (Andrés has a restaurant in Puerto Rico). Andrés, who has said he is inspired by Mexico and its cuisine, noted that the country felt like the right place to open his first outpost abroad.

Andrés, who visited the restaurant to take a selfie with its crew after the Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards were named in Mexico City late last month, seemed to be pleased with the progress. J. by José Andrés is large, with lots of different areas within the restaurant to accommodate a range of guests’ needs. There’s a bar, several spacious dining room areas, and a sprawling terrace with brightly-colored chairs. All of the spaces are fun and playful, making reference to both Spanish (a big bull head looks out over diners) and Mexican (lucha libre) cultures. If you find yourself facing a long wait, spend some time playing foosball in a play room: the foosball characters are flamenco dancers and matadors.

On the menu, look for favorites like jamón ibérico and tortilla española, but with nods to Mexican recipes and locally-grown ingredients. Ditto for the cocktails on offer: expect classic concoctions with a twist. Hotel reps are holding their cards close to their chests about naming an official opening date, but it may be as early as next week.