Mexican Cuisines
Pueblan Pork with Blueberry Mole
People frequently disregard fruit in non-dessert preparations; and yet, it can provide the perfect, nuanced counterpoint to one-note ingredients like proteins. Especially when said pork or chicken comes draped in the complex Mexican sauce known as mole — a combo chocolate, seeds, spices and herbs, which similarly toes the line between sweet and savory. We think you’ll agree that blueberries add an especially compelling element to the dish; providing a sort of reduced, syrupy earthiness that’s as intoxicating as a splash of red wine!
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Where to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo has largely devolved into a drinking holiday. So if you’re going to celebrate Mexican culture by way of margaritas and nachos, you might as well do it at the most legitimately commendable restaurants in town; from Enrique Olvera’s Atla to Alex Stupak’s grand Empellon!
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Alex Stupak Goes Big with Empellon
Alex Stupak has gone somewhat off-script with the direction of his Empellon empire; expanding his Mexican lineup with an inventive (yet still homestyle) Cocina, a laid-back Taqueria, and the even quicker service Al Pastor, before debuting the brand-anchoring Empellon just this past month…
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Enrique Olvera Takes It Easy with Atla
For his second NYC venture, Atla, you can forgive Enrique Olvera for dropping his guard just a tad. With little else to prove, he’s taken a cue from other fine dining stalwarts by going (if not exactly quick) than decidedly casual, opening an eatery that aims to be a destination for its NoHo neighbors, as opposed to globe-trotting, charge card-toting prestige seekers…
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Julieta Ballesteros Adds Spice to the West Village with Tavo
Julieta Ballesteros’ newest West Village establishment, Tavo (slang for a cool, well-to-do Mexican guy) pays homage to signature dishes of Monterrey, while reflecting her frequent travels throughout the world.
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El Rey Chef Takes Chinatown with Lalo
Under Gerardo Gonzalez, El Rey emerged as one of the chicest gathering hubs on the Lower East Side. So acolytes who’ve sorely missed his breezy, healthy Cal-Mex fare since his departure last April, would be well advised to follow Gonzalez to Chinatown, where he recently resurfaced with a brand new project called Lalo…
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Day of the Dead Dining Guide: 2016
Save for the sweet consumption of candy, Halloween isn’t exactly known as a food holiday (at least not savory anyway!). Which is why we tend to be more partial to the Day of the Dead. Think masa, mole, tamales and tequila…
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Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at NYC’s Best Mexican Joints
We all have plenty of reason to celebrate the abundance of stellar Mexican cuisine in NYC better known as Cinco De Mayo. We’ve rounded up the most delicious spots to celebrate this Thursday! From Cosme, with its award-winning chefs and incredible Corn Husk Meringue to the sleeper hit & Michelin-starred Casa Enrique in Long Island City, Queens…
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Inside Cosme’s Brand New Lunch Service
Since opening in the fall of 2014, Cosme has remained one of NYC’s hottest reservations. And now that chef Daniela Soto-Innes has received a James Beard Award “Rising Star” nomination, it’s all but assured that buzz won’t be slowing down anytime soon. So if you’re craving instant access to Uni Tostadas, and Husk Meringues, your best bet might be to take a long break from the office and settle in for a truly spectacular lunch…
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New York’s Top-Shelf Margaritas
It definitely feels strange to be talking about frosty drinks in February (especially considering this past sub-zero weekend), but believe it or not, this coming Monday is National Margarita Day. So get a serious headstart on Cinco de Mayo, by celebrating ‘Febrero Veintidós’ in style, with tequila-based drinks from El Toro Blanco, Gran Electrica and more…
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Say “Feliz Navidad” with this Festive Mexican Xmas Recipe
We tend to get caught up in the same old culinary traditions come Christmas, but instead of preparing that tried-and-true ham (or turkey, or goose, or lasagna or what have you), why not take a page from Mexico, by adding one of their most festive dishes to your holiday table?
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Day of the Dead Dining Guide 2015
Don’t throw your face paint and macabre costumes out right after Halloween, because November 1st -2nd is the Day of the Dead! A Mexican holiday that honors the dearly departed with parties, feasts and brightly colored altars adorned with sugar skulls, it’s a celebration that’s eagerly commemorated at restaurants through NYC, such as Hecho en Dumbo, Calexico, Rosa Mexicano & more…
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NYC’s Best Traditional & Untraditional Tacos
It’s tough for New York to truly challenge L.A. on the classic Mexican taco front, but when it comes to inventive tortilla sandwiches, our game is especially strong. Which is why we’ve rounded up a handful of the city’s very best tacos, both utterly traditional and decidedly non — from the gold standard carnitas at Tacos El Bronco in Brooklyn to the lamb-filled parathas at Goa Taco & the pan-Asian creations at Korilla BBQ…
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Beyond Goya: Miscelanea Brings Artisanal Mexican Groceries to the East Village
We’ve asserted numerous times that New York’s multi-ethnic food scene is entirely unparalleled — and that’s in no way limited to restaurants. There are countless grocery stores around the city that make internationally inspired cooking a breeze, including Miscelanea, a welcome Mexican addition to the East Village…
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Legit Mexican at the Newly Revamped Hecho en Dumbo
Tired of Tex-Mex yet? Well, we haven’t seen the last of puffy tacos and queso, but that doesn’t mean there’s a lack of authentic Mexican food around town. Take Hecho en Dumbo on the Bowery, which started as a series of Brooklyn pop-ups, devoted to blasting all manner of lowbrow stereotypes about the cuisine…
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Where to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo 2015
What’s not to love about May? Flowers are blooming, it’s warm, but not too hot, we can finally eat and drink outside, and oh yeah, the month kicks off with the taco eating, margarita swilling celebration known as Cinco de Mayo! Granted, it falls on a Tuesday this year, but that’s no excuse not to party, with a tequila flight at Anejo, a mariachi band at El Vez, or a refined, sit-down dinner at Cosme…
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Trend Spotting: New York’s Tex-Mex Obsession
Two years ago, we reflected on the Mexican food renaissance in New York; a push towards refined, regional cuisine at places like Empellon Cocina, Gran Electrica and Salvation Taco, that stood in stark relief to the city’s stable of cheesy, Tex-Mex chains. Ha! So who would have thought that, barely two years later, the tide would swing directly in favor of those aforementioned Mexicali places, constituting a trend…
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Goa Taco Is Redefining Mexican Street Food
Up until relatively recently, the basic definition of “taco” has been corn or flour tortillas, wrapped around a combination of beans, meat, and/or cheese. But as the culinary lines between disparate cuisines blur, “tacos” can now refer to tortillas wrapped around just about anything, from bulgogi beef to roasted Japanese pumpkin. Goa Taco — a Smorgasburg stand turned Lower East Side pop-up — has gone one further by doing away with the tortillas themselves, swapping out griddled discs of flour or masa and subbing in flaky, warm Indian parathas…
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At Tijuana Picnic, Modern Mexican meets 1970’s Mexico City
2015 sure has started off with a bang for Jon Neidich (managing partner of Acme) and Jim Kearns, formerly of the NoMad and Mayahuel. Together, the duo recently launched retro tiki bar, The Happiest Hour, and barely two months later, they teamed up to debut Tijuana Picnic, a modern Mexican cantina and mezcal-focused cocktail lounge on the Lower East Side…
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Cosme – First Bite
Cosme is an impossible reservation; the kind that can drive a foodie crazy because it feels too important not to eat there, and yet, it’s nearly impossible to snag a table. I guess word that one of the world’s best chefs just opened up shop in town travels fast, nevermind a Mexican joint, which we New Yorkers don’t have enough of…
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