NYC Tastes

This past Memorial Day Mr. T and I opted out of travel for a glorious "staycation" in the city.  Since most people head to the beach, we were left with quiet streets and a multitude of open reservations to great spots like Oxomoco; the gorgeous, sun soaked Mexican spot in Greenpoint that received a Michelin star last year.  I don't understand every aspect of the Michelin award process, but I have to assume the Spring Pea Tlayuda had something to do with that honor.   This beautiful round of masa was stretched thin, layered with creamy quesillo, salsa cruda, mint, serrano and scallion.  It was slightly spicy yet refreshing; like biting into a the perfect garden vegetable pizza. For a classic Mexican egg dish order the Chilaqulies Rojos, a crunchy mound of tortillas and egg dressed with warm red salsa, queso fresco and crema (pictured here without cilantro). For something a bit more intense, I would suggest the Hamburguesa Pambazo; a rich patty of dr...

Fast casual restaurants have taken over this city the past few years, and while I personally think most are best suited for a generic lunch, there's one spot that works well for any meal, Mexicue.  This laid back Mexican/BBQ spot began as a food truck back in 2010; roaming the streets of Manhattan and Brooklyn serving up delicious tacos filled with pickled cabbage, cotija cheese and all kinds of smoked meat. Then in 2014 they set up shop at three locations across the city, expanding their menu from tacos and sliders to bowls, burritos and all sorts of fantastic cocktails. Today the menu at Mexicue continues to evolve with items like Cornbread French Toast at brunch, bourbon fueled Mexican Mules during happy hour and their delicious Impossible Tacos, that taste exactly like the ground meat tacos Mom used to make but completely vegetarian.  Of course the old favorites are still around as well, like those spicy brisket tacos topped with thick lime crema....

My birthday night was comprised of my three favorite things in life- crisp refreshing gueuze, delicious Mexican food and wonderful friends.  It began at the gorgeous Gramercy Tavern bar for bottles of Cantillon Gueuze, a rare treat to find on the beer list, followed by dinner at Enrique Olvera's hopping spot Cosme. Even on a Monday night this place was completely packed with folks throwing back Margaritas and Palomas at the bar and dining on fresh guacamole with thick blue corn tortilla chips. The simple pairing of Burrata with salsa verde and fresh microgreens was perfection; the zesty salsa being some of the finest in the city.   We then moved onto larger dishes like Tlayuda, a spicy Mexican style pizza topped with chorizo, black beans and stracciatella cheese, Enmoladas with ricotta, hoja santa, queso fresco and a crispy tostado topped with strips of tuna, daisy capers, yuzu and avocado. Everything we ate was saucy and spicy; definitions never used to describe me b...

I'm absolutely  obsessed with Mexican food lately.  Mr. T thinks I'm crazy but I seriously just want to eat some form of taco for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  So when taqueria and tequila bar Casa Neta moved into the old Flute Gramercy it was like a chorus of angels came down from heaven just for me. The redesigned space is long and sleek with a marble topped bar and a cozy alcove for more intimate dinners.  Drinks include all sorts of wine, margaritas and beer cocktails along with some Casa Neta originals like the creamy Oxacan Sunscreen with house horchata and coconut and a fruity Frida's Lover with cinnamon tequila and strawberry. A variety of tacos, ceviche and queso dot the menu including hefty Short Rib tacos loaded with layers of tender beef, poblano rajas, manchego cheese and an avocado- crema.  These were amazing and I loved how they put both the pico de gallo and guacamole on the side when I asked for no cilantro.   I was t...

I can still remember opening week of Cosme.  I was at day three of the  Star Chef's Congress  and had just seen the world famous Chef Enrique Olvera speak when I decided to race home and check out his dinner that very evening.  Unfortunately Cosme was booked solid and the entire bar was full by the time I arrived. I took it off the go-to list until things calmed down a little but it's still just as crazy today. Reservations for dinner continue to be impossible but not many people know they just started serving brunch. When I stopped in last Sunday I was able to score a table alone and there were still open seats at the bar. There were so many wonderful sounding things on the menu like Corn Johnny Cakes with pineapple passion fruit and Green Chicken Chilquiles with creme fraiche but it was the Duck Enmoladas that really caught my eye.  The duck was simply shredded into a glorious mound of rich, tender meat then stuffed inside a soft blue torti...

I love a good happy hour and when it comes with nice salty margarita it's even better. Dos Camino's happy hour has a little something for every taste; $4 beers, $5 glasses of wine and $8 margaritas in both traditional and their signature Prickly Pear.  Not to mention a fantastic selection of bar bites that really serve more as dinner than just snack. My favorite is the Chicken Enchilada- a massive corn shell taco covered in mole poblano sauce and queso fresco.  It's saucy, cheesy and loaded with lots of tender chicken. The famous Dos Caminos guacamole is also available during happy hour in a single size portion along with a rich Chorizo Fundido and Pumpkin Seed Fritters.  Happy Hour at Dos Caminos runs from 3:00-6:00 every day so arrive early to take advantage of this great deal. Dos Caminos 373 Park Avenue South at 27th Street New York, NY 10016