Distrito in University City gets a reboot

Seven years in, Jose Garces and crew have revamped the University City flagship of Distrito, his flamboyant Mexican eatery.

The changes, which were unveiled Thursday, Aug. 13, are subtle but better define the restaurant. In sum, Garces is limiting the refined small-plate menu to the second floor, up past the wall of wrestling masks.

The fun stays on the first floor, now branded as Distrito Taqueria.

The entrance has been moved to the center of the doorway. The dark private room that had been tucked behind the hostess stand has been expanded into a large private dining room looking out onto 40th Street.

The hostess stand is now on the opposite wall. This uprooted the VW Beetle that seats four patrons; it's now in the back of the dining room. An oversize swing has been built to accommodate a party of six; the booth is equipped with a TV. The movie marquees that advertised specials have been moved from behind the bar into the middle of the room.

At first blush, the new menu downstairs appears to be a lean collection of traditional, hearty-portioned comida. In fact, it is extensive. You choose from nine proteins (pork, chicken, beef, goat barbacoa, or tofu chorizo) and have it prepared various ways - inside tacos, in a Mission-style burrito, in a burrito Suiza with cheese and red chile sauce, as nachos, or in quesadillas. A few appetizers round out the list. (Your go-to probably will be the tacos al pastor.)

No fish tacos. They're on the menu at Garces' Buena Onda in Logan Square. (Corporate chef Gregg Ciprioni says shrimp is also an option at Distrito, but it's one of those things you have to ask for.)

The bar list is pretty simple: margaritas, wine/sangria, six beers on tap, and six beers in cans (and buckets of five beers).

And beer towers - that is, 128 ounces of cerveza served in a tap container placed at the table.

The second floor is pretty much as it was.

These changes are unique to the University City location. Moorestown remains as-is.