Mesa Coyoacan
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Vibe: Laid-back chic
- Occasion: Group dinner, communal dining, neighborhood bites
- Don’t Miss: Tacos de suadero, enchiladas de mole, churros
- Price: Appetizers, $8; entrées, $14; desserts, $4.50
- Reservations: Accepted only for six or more
- Phone: (718) 782-8171
- Location: 372 Graham Ave., between Skillman Ave. and Conselyea St., Brooklyn
The first time I ate tacos de suadero was from a street cart in Mexico City. The persuasive aroma of cooked meats and freshly baked, corn tortillas drifted down the crowded, sweltering streets.
I
had no idea what “suadero” even meant, but when I eyed the meat
simmering in a deep metal pan, I had to order it. It’s Spanish for
thin, smooth brisket, and in the right hands, it’s amazingly tender and
tasty. You rarely see tacos de suadero in New York. But they’re on the menu at Mesa Coyoacan, a new restaurant in Williamsburg.
Most
of the tacos at Mesa Coyoacan taste like they’re straight out of Mexico
City. They’re $9, three to an order, and most are excellent – the
crusty, sweet shreds of pork in the carnitas; the carne de asada –
slivers of skirt steak – with salsa verde, and moist grilled tilapia
topped with pickled cabbage and a wonderful avocado crema.
Mesa
Coyoacan doesn’t look much like a Mexican joint. The bar top is made
from tables that were left behind by the previous tenant, the bar
shelves from wood scraps rescued from Dumpsters. Filament bulb fixtures
hang from the ceiling, mismatched wallpaper lines the walls, and pop
music blares from the speakers. There’s a choose-your-own-adventure
quality to the dining room – a couple of communal tables, 11 barstools,
a big booth next to the bar, and a few two-tops scattered amidst it
all.
Really, the only thing Mexican about Mesa Coyoacan is the food. The chef, Ivan Garcia,
grew up in Coyoacan in the south of Mexico City. He worked at Barrio
Chino and Mercadito Cantina, where they serve anglified Mexican,
subdued for the American palate. Mesa Coyoacan is different. It’s a
Mexican kitchen, serving a hybrid of street food and family-style
cooking. There are pork-stuffed tamales, enchiladas verdes, tacos al
pastor, fried plantains, shrimp tostadas, grilled cactus and horchata.
It’s hard to find a good black mole sauce, but Garcia’s is
phenomenally flavorful. It’s a 37-ingredient mole that requires its own
chef and includes six types of chiles, Mexican chocolate, almonds and
cinnamon. I highly recommend the enchiladas de mole – moist chicken
bathing in smoky-sweet sauce, rolled up in a thick tortilla and crowned
with crema fresca, avocado, onion and sesame seeds. There’s also $7
tamale trio with shredded chicken and black mole wrapped in a corn
husk.
There are a few hiccups on the menu. Skip the ceviches,
both were ruined by a watery tomato salsa. The grilled whole snapper
was dry and poorly matched with a lump of guacamole and a cold cactus
salad. And all three salads arrived way overdressed.
There’s a small but well-edited wine list and a great Michelada, a lime-spiked beer served in a spice-rimmed glass.
For
dessert, I love the churros, which come with a rich chocolate and milky
caramel dipping sauce. There’s also homemade strawberry ice pops spiced
with chile de arbol, and cinnamon-flavored horchata.
Mesa
Coyoacan’s been open only a month, and it’s already crowded with repeat
customers. We have tons of great ethnic food in New York. But to be
honest, we could use a few more good Mexican restaurants like this one.
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