A long-vacant, river-facing commercial space at Haymarket Landing in downtown Eau Claire is close to opening as a restaurant. Condesa, described as an upscale Latin-inspired fusion steakhouse, hosted a small preview gathering on the evening of Friday, Oct. 23.
Owner Juan Pablo Nunez, known locally as JP, became the owner of about 7,800 square feet of the ground-level Haymarket Landing spaces on April 30 and began building out the restaurant with the aim of opening before winter.
The space had earlier been announced in 2018 as a planned tech hub for Taiwan-based electronics manufacturer Foxconn. That project never came to fruition, and the property sat empty and went back up for sale.
Guests at the preview sampled small plates, greens, tacos and dessert, including beef barbacoa tacos and churro cheesecake, along with craft cocktails.
The coming menu is expected to feature fresh seafood including wood-fired oysters, empanadas and other Latin-inspired dishes, familiar American steakhouse sides, and prime-grade steaks as its anchor. Brunch and a full Latin cocktail menu are also planned.
Condesa is gearing up for its grand opening in the coming weeks.
