Chef behind Otro Cafe and Gallo Blanco to open new Phoenix restaurant. Everything to know

The owners of Otro Cafe and Gallo Blanco are opening a new restaurant in the Central Phoenix space that housed Southern Rail, which closed in December after nearly a decade.

The new concept from chef Doug Robson is global comfort food with Arizona ingredients, marking a departure from his two popular Mexican restaurants. It's projected to open in May 2024, next to Changing Hands Bookstore.

Robson has a process when he creates a restaurant: First, he acquires the space, then sits in it to get a feel for what it's meant to become and how the cuisine would complement the neighborhood around it.

Why Doug Robson is branching out from Mexican food

"I was born in Mexico, my dad is English and mom is French Vietnamese," Robson said. "While Mexican food is in my DNA, I wanted to create other types of food with regional and global ingredients."

The group is still deciding on a name but gravitating toward Tesota, Spanish for desert ironwood, which Robson felt was a meaningful representation of his Arizona-born company.

Aside from owners Robson and his wife Georgia, the new restaurant's team includes chef Jared Porter, who worked with Robson at LGO, and Ashli Galbreath, who will manage the front of the house.

What's on the menu at Tesota

The menu will have a selection of raw bar items, like oysters on half shell, shrimp, ceviche, crudos, as well as wood-fired pizzettas, chaufa, noodles and rotisserie meats from porchetta to lamb to chicken. He plans to add a complementary vegetarian menu as well.

Happy hour provisions consist of tinned fish, pates and oysters, "something to nosh with bread," Robson said.

Expect weekend brunch and special occasion wines

With a wine cellar, the team is also looking to offer everyday and special occasion wines.

The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner daily, with brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.

"Our job as chefs is to explore cuisine, be respectful of the ingredient and bring different types of food to the American plate," Robson said. "We are looking forward to introducing our third restaurant with some new ideas that hopefully people will enjoy."

Tesota in Phoenix

Hours: 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Expected opening date: May 2024.

Details: 300 W. Camelback Road, #2, Phoenix.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: New restaurant Tesota to open near Changing Hands in Phoenix