Another Michelin flare, the Oxomoco wood oven, produces fantastic fish, barbecue and “chorizo” tacos made with beetroot, not to mention one of the best steaks we've ever eaten inside or outside of restaurants specializing in meat. We've always liked their frozen drinks (despite the cold season, the apple cider and apricot and blueberry options are perfect for the season) and there are also many other cocktails, wines and beers available. The owners of Bar Henry expanded to Queens with this Mexican restaurant with capacity for 40 people, specializing in regional cuisine from Cintalapa, Chiapas. The brothers Cosme and Luis Aguilar pay homage to their late mother with traditional dishes, such as mole de Pollo and the Cochinito Chiapaneco (pork ribs marinated with guajillo), which are based on their recipes.
The spot painted white leads to a garden in the back. Inside the bustling graffiti room that clings to the sand of its 80s incarnation, the waiters of Alcatraz stalk tacos from the order counter at a speed that would impress an athletic coach. Alex Stupak tacos are simple and are served on paper plates with side dishes that come in takeaway containers. Tortillas made with Indiana corn that are nixtamalized (the kernels are cooked in lime water and peeled) and pressed at home every day are thin and elastic, with a delicate sweetness of corn.
This Cosme spin-off is more informal than the big hit of Flatiron, with a smaller but delicious menu. Start with guacamole and chilaquiles, add a couple of shrimp, eggplant or suadero tacos, dive into the selection of three sauces and you've prepared a feast. Imbued with Mexico City's all-day restaurants, the 60-seat space features elegant black and oak furniture, a bar with white terrazzo tiles and green vegetation that covers the walls. The team behind Colonie goes from American farmhouse cuisine to regional Mexican cuisine with this 60-person canteen in Dumbo.
The team prepares market-driven south of the border dishes, reinforced with ingredients prepared from scratch, such as homemade sausage and hand-pressed tortillas made with traditional corn. Named after her beloved 83-year-old grandmother, Carmen “Titita” Ramírez Degollado, the “matriarch of Mexican flavor” and owner of the legendary El Bajío in Mexico City, Casa Carmen is a new restaurant by the duo of brothers and co-owners, Santiago and Sebastian Ramírez Degollado. With two chefs and a team of “mayoras” (esteemed older women) overseeing the menu, their traditional Mexican food focuses on recipes learned and improved by Titita. Choose typical dishes such as Pickled Duck Toast (pickled duck toast with refried beans and lettuce), Banana Empanadas with Beans (banana empanadas with charred chipotle sauce) and Pescado a la Veracruzana (rotating selection of fish, guero peppers, olives, capers and tomato sauce).
While Fonda's East Village branch was permanently closed during the pandemic, its Chelsea and Park Slope locations, along with a new branch in Tribeca, continue to serve Mexican food by chef and cookbook author Roberto Santibañez. At Mesa Coyoacán, chef Iván García's favorite regional Mexican place, driven by products, organic ingredients and proteins from grass-fed animals, are mixed into classic dishes inspired by his childhood in Mexico City. As Casa Pública approaches its fifth anniversary, the restaurant's dedication to regional Mexican home cooking continues to transport diners to Mexico City (interior design inspired by art deco and all that). Their tortillas are the only ones in New York made with real fresh dough; the other factories use Maseca, instant cornmeal.
Viva Fruit and Vegetable, 120 Essex Street, New York, NY, 212-353-0871 (map); Batista Mini Market, 120 Essex Street, New York, NY, 212-254-0796 (map). Alex Stupak's burgeoning contemporary Mexican dining empire includes Midtown's flagship restaurant, Empellón Al Pastor in the East Village, Empellón Taqueria in the West Village, and the recently opened Empellón Taqueria in Waterline Square, on the Upper West Side. The highest concentration of Mexican supermarkets in New York City is in Sunset Park, Corona, East Harlem and Hell's Kitchen, although there are also several stores spread across other areas of the city. Butcher Shop, 4805 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 718-437-4520 (map); Trade Show, multiple locations; Corona Food Plaza, 4125 102nd Street, Queens, New York, 718-458-0522 (map).
Fresh poblano peppers, such as avocados, are abundant in typical New York grocery stores, although they may be more expensive in typical chains. With eleven locations in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens, this Mexican chain's famous Al Pastor tacos, known for their thinly sliced Mexico City-style pineapple dressed with pork, are very accessible to New Yorkers. Stand on the corner of 116th Street and Second Avenue in East Harlem, New York (map); Viva Fruit and Vegetable, 120 Essex Street, New York, NY, 212-353-0871 (map); Tulcingo Bakeries, multiple locations, Queens, NY; S D Fruit Vegetable Inc. .
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