Former Bistro space will go 'Mad 4 Mex'

The Mad 4 Mex restaurant will open its doors by September, filling the Italian Bistro space-vacant since 1994. After a three-year hiatus, students will finally be dining again in the former Italian Bistro space, when a "funky" Mexican restaurant moves into the 3401 Walnut street complex next fall, administrators announced yesterday. The "Mad 4 Mex" restaurant -- a branch of the Pittsburgh-based Big Burrito, Inc. -- will open for business by September, filling the space which has remained vacant since July 1994 when the bistro closed because of financial difficulties. Restaurant co-owners Tom Baron and Juno Yoon said they are excited to serve the University community and are not concerned about the previous inability to lure a restaurant to the location. "All good things take time," Baron said. "Three years? Hey, we'll be here forever." Mad 4 Mex is noted for its moderately-priced, distinctive "Cal-Mex" fare -- based on Mexican cuisine with a California-style emphasis on health food. "It's a fun restaurant, with a casual attitude and reasonably-priced food," Baron said, adding that the eatery will offer half-price food between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. each night. Menu offerings include a variety of burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, soups, salads and appetizers, as well as extensive vegetarian fare, including five "very veggie burritos." Yoon and Baron opened their first Mad Mex in 1993 near the University of Pittsburgh campus, and have opened six additional theme restaurants in the Pittsburgh area. Their company's success received a recent front-page profile in The Wall Street Journal, which reported that Big Burrito recorded sales of $6.8 million in 1996, along with a net income of $200,000, and is expected to reach $10 million this year. Baron noted that the opening of Mad 4 Mex represents the Big Burrito company's "initiation into Philadelphia." "Our concept will work incredibly well here," Baron said. "The location is great for us." Administrators heralded the restaurant opening as the "first step" in efforts to attract new retail and restaurants to the University City area. "I'm delighted to finally announce a new restaurant in this space," University President Judith Rodin said. "It's incredibly important for a great University to be a destination spot," she added. And Executive Vice President John Fry emphasized the student contribution to the choice of restaurants. "We're responding to a market demand for more and better restaurants," Fry said. The extended vacancy of the spot had troubled administrators, who are working with the consulting firm William Jackson Ewing to expand University City retail, as well as open up the area around Sansom Street into Sansom Commons, an upscale retail park. Although Kravco -- a Philadelphia-based leasing company -- previously managed the 3401 Walnut shopping complex, the University acquired full leasing rights to the property in November. The management shift allowed administrators to heighten efforts to fill the space, according to University Treasurer Scott Lederman. Attracting retail and restaurants to the University City area is only one part of larger University plan to invest money in campus facilities, including classroom buildings, residences and athletic facilities, Fry said yesterday.