The branched chain restaurant Toks has opened in the historic center of Veracruz, in the former 17th century church of the Santo Domingo convent. The monastery ceased to exist in the middle of the 19th century, when secularization took place in Mexico: since then, its church has been used for a long time as a warehouse and even a garage, new structures have appeared in its interior, it was also built up from the outside, while the main western facade.
When the idea arose to transform the former church (1624-1651) into a restaurant, special attention was paid to its high-quality restoration. The results of the study made it possible to find forgotten components of the building, for example, to open embedded windows and interior murals, which are considered a rarity for the Veracruz region.
Some of the later structures were left for the needs of the restaurant, while the central nave, where the main hall is located, was completely cleared. After consultation with the restorers, an additional storey with utility rooms and a staircase were carefully added.
The choice of materials took into account the historical context and tropical climate with alternating very wet and very dry seasons. For the floor, the Mexican marble Santo Tomas was chosen in two shades, for the paving itself and for the border, as is typical for the monastic churches of the region. Various screens, doors, window frames, furniture are made of teak wood that can withstand the vagaries of the local climate. The discreet warm tone of the walls was coordinated with the restorers.
