NEW OWNER, NEW CHAPTER. Purchased by Foxconn Technology Group in 2018 – with promises of an "innovation center" and at least 150 new jobs; a pitch that never materialized - the plaza-facing, ground-level units of Haymarket Landing have sat empty ever since. As of Thursday, April 30, that space has a new future as an elevated, fusion-style steakhouse. (Submitted renderings)

Signed, sealed, delivered, Condesa. Following a newly-inked deal, the plaza-facing, ground-level units of Haymarket Landing in downtown Eau Claire officially have a future worth cheers-ing to: A sprawling, fusion-style steakhouse plans to open its doors later this year.

Juan Pablo “JP” Nunez, a familiar face in the local dining scene and new owner of Haymarket Landing units 101-102, has an ambitious vision for the long-vacant space – which he officially purchased from Foxconn on Thursday, April 30. 

The steakhouse, Condesa, will take advantage of its riverside views, with plans to install a massive bar stretching across its river-facing window and develop a parallel outdoor dining area.

Current plans allot some 50 seats in the bar alone, with the main dining room to offer a look into the kitchen, where a wood-fired grill will be the star of the show.

In total, the new steakhouse will be about 7,800 square feet.

Its menu – tailored by a “Michelin-trained, spectacular executive chef consultant,” Nunez shared – will be anchored by prime-grade steaks and familiar steakhouse sides like fresh vegetables, plus fresh seafood including wood-fired oysters, as well as empanadas and Latin-inspired dishes.

"(My father and uncles) came here with the American Dream, you know? I'm first-generation ... seeing their work ethic, for me, was huge. If they didn't instill those values in me, I don't think any of this would have even been possible."

JUAN "JP" NUNEZ

OWNER, CONDESA

Nunez and the Condesa team envision building out a patio dining space (submitted rendering, pictured) facing the riverfront, adding onto what will already be a sprawling wood-fired, fusion-style steakhouse inside.

Nunez is particularly excited to unveil Condesa’s drink menu. “We’ll have a great wine selection, but for our craft cocktails, (expect) Latin-inspired drinks,” Nunez said.

“We’ll have a great margarita and a mojito – caipirinha, which is Brazilian – and Latin drinks like a carajillo, which is similar to an espresso martini,” he continued.

Weekend brunchers haven’t been forgotten either. Condesa will offer a bottomless brunch on Saturdays and feature a small-bites style menu and five or so specialty cocktails alongside mimosas.

The full menu, which Nunez said was roughly 90% complete by the time the property’s sale was finalized – Thursday, April 30 – will focus on from-scratch dishes with locally- and regionally-sourced ingredients (including protein from area beef farmers).

While formally in the works for about three years, the idea of Condesa is at least partially thanks to an unlikely source: Eau Claire’s Memorial High School.

While attending Memorial, Nunez was part of Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), a club focused on preparing students for careers in marketing, hospitality, finance and management. One of Nunez’s DECA projects included plans for a high-end, Mexican-style restaurant in Eau Claire, he recalled.

“10 years have passed (since then),” he said, “and I think we’re ready for something elevated like this.”

Nunez will likely be familiar to those who frequent longtime local staple, Cancun Mexican Restaurant.

Throughout his childhood, and then as a staff member himself, Nunez saw his father and uncles – his first mentors, he said – pour into the restaurant, which now has three locations across the Chippewa Valley.

Condesa, which translates from Spanish to English as "countess," and its logo pay homage to Nunez's familial roots. Its logo, pictured in the rendering above, is inspired by designs found on Spanish-style ceramic tiling. 

While food service can be a tough business, he said, it’s what he grew up in; it’s what he knows best. Now, striking out on his own – Condesa is not attached to his family’s restaurants – Nunez said he knows the ingredients of a successful restaurant.

“Work hard, be consistent and treat your people fairly and right,” he said.

The latter translates not only to customers but to a restaurant’s staff. For Nunez, that will include offering benefits, like healthcare. “It doesn’t sound like a high bar, but when you’re in the service industry – especially for ‘lifers’ – that’s not the norm,” he said.

“(My father and uncles) came here with the American Dream, you know? I’m first-generation and I was able to see their whole growth. … Seeing their work ethic, for me, was huge. If they didn’t instill those values in me, I don’t think any of this would have even been possible.”

Pending construction and renovations to the 7,000-plus-square-foot space, Condesa could be open by late summer or early fall.

An exclusive with Volume One. This is a developing story with more updates to come.