Local restauraneur Jesus Magaña, along with his son Alexis, are near to opening Sal Y Limon, Spanish for salt and lemon, bringing their regional Mexican specialties to Lower Queen Anne taking over the former Ten Mercer space at the eponymous address. After some cosmetic changes, the Magañas plan to open as early as March 1. 

The Magañas bought the business in December from Brian Curry and his business partners, Tom Griffth, Don Tremblay and Aaron Sherman.

“Jesus really wanted to be in that neighborhood and it is a great location,” Curry said.

The new Mexican restaurant will keep the layout of its former tenant, including the centerpiece paperclip-shaped bar that recedes into the two-level back bar. Loft seating will be dedicated to dining, including a 20-seat private dining and meeting room replete with state-of-the-art audio visual equipment for presentations.

As the name suggests, Sal Y Limon will feature salt-rimmed and citrusy Margaritas to wash down classic street tacos, sopitos, tortas, two kinds of the traditional Mexican soup posole, and menudo, the beef tripe soup. 

Magaña has been traveling around Mexico, including Oaxaca, Puebla and his native Michoacan, along the way, picking up local recipes. 

“It’s been a neat learning experience for me,” Magaña said. 

Magaña opened his first restaurant, Mi Tierra (Spanish for my land), in Monroe in February 2001. The Magañas opened a second Mi Tierra in Woodinville in August 2004. They opened Fogón (Spanish for stove) on Capitol Hill in 2012, along with business partners Jose Ambriz and Noel Cortez. 

As in his previous ventures, Magaña’s wife Lulis will be on the management team, joined this time by their son Alexis, a recent graduate of Washington State University’s well-regarded Hospitality Management program. Adrian Cayetano, who Jesus hired at the original Mi Tierra as a teenager, will join the opening team.

Curry plans to take time off and travel with his wife, JoAnn Williams. Williams closed her women’s boutique, Ragazzi’s Flying Shuttle in Pioneer Square, in December.

“We both have some time to spend together and do some exploring,” said Curry, who earned a certificate in Viticulture from WSU. “Eventually, I want to plant some vines. I am looking for a piece of dirt for a hobby vineyard.”