A local Mexican barbecue restaurant is taking the spot of Urban Café on Troost Avenue in Kansas City.

Barbacoa will infuse traditional Mexican recipes with American barbecue techniques, relying on open wood fire and slow smoking for its dishes.

Urban Café at 5500 Troost Ave. closed Jan. 2 but plans a fall reopening in Midtown, according to a post on its Facebook page. The closing allows founder Justin Clark to focus on the next phase of Urban Café, he said in the post.

In the meantime, Urban Café will continue offering private and corporate catering and will focus on its restaurant location inside Kansas City International Airport’s new single terminal, Clark said.

Barbacoa plans an April opening and is the latest concept from Taco Tank owners Roman Raya, Phillip Raya and Madeline Buechter. It draws inspiration from Roman Raya’s Mexican-American heritage and growing up with backyard family barbecues, Buechter said.

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