Excerpt from Newark Unplugged Newsletter

27 Mix restaurant and bar was opened June 30, 2005 by partners Jose Rodriguez, David Anstatt and Ciro Scalera, who have worked for years to rehab this historic block on Halsey Street. The façade and the interior are a structural and aesthetic feast for the eyes. There is a brick wall which is the entire length of the restaurant, a bevy of colors, along with cool materials such as the Terra Cotta colored corrugated plastic for the “Hut” built over the open kitchen. The restaurant, designed by Newark interior designer Madeline Ruiz, also features beautiful Spanish Cedar black doors with silver zinc patterned inlays.

The food is as impressive as the décor. This eclectic, gourmet-type menu with a slight southwest accent, includes version of Crisp Calamari, a Cuban sandwich, several neat salads and a Louisiana Po Boy, all for a very reasonable price.

This cool, classy hot spot seems to attract an upscale crowd that is intellectually gifted, and diverse. Regulars and newcomers enjoy fascinating conversations while they drink martinis and listen to Latin Jazz, which is exactly the kind of mix these savvy owners envisioned.

They are open six days a week except Sunday. The kitchen is open until 11 PM. There is a small but cozy bar up front, a 30 person dining room in the rear and a sexy brick terrace out back – to be home to a chic outdoor bar this spring.