Barrio Chino

I had my second great dinner at Barrio Chino last night, a breezy little Mexican place where the fiery guacamole tastes well beyond the cheap prices they charge. Though the food is Mexican, the decor (and name) borrows influences from its near-Chinatown neighborhood, with paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling, and the like. Prepare to get cozy with your neighbor as the restaurant is teensy and space is a luxury.

The complex flavors at Barrio Chino take it leagues above other basic cheesy quesadilla/enchilada/taco donning spots in the city. When I first visited I loved the dense enchiladas de mole with chicken, queso fresco and black beans. This time I had two appetizers: “sincrozinadas” which are flour tortillas with melted oaxacan cheese and huitlacoche (a type of mushroom). Then I had the tacos pescado, three little plump, soft tacos overflowing with charred, spicy citrus-rubbed tilapia with avocado salsa. Wow, I’ve never had fish tacos like these before! The smoky fish and creamy avocado was an awesome combo. Drinks are varied and stiff too, choose from diverse flavored margaritas like grapefruit and jalapeno or caipirinhas and Mexican brews.

Despite its casual vibe, there’s no skimping on service. Everything is well-timed without a rush, though the restaurant was packed with an endless list of people waiting. I’ve read some complaints on the web about the service, but I have nothing bad to say, except that you do need to be on a flexible schedule to eat there. But on a warm, relaxed Summer evening, it’s heaven.

Barrio Chino: 253 Broome Street (between Orchard and Ludlow)
Cuisine: Mexican
Average App/Entree Price: $8/$14
Food: Very Good
Service: Very Good
Value: Excellent
You Gonna Finish That? Every last bite.
Word to the Wise: Barrio Chino doesn’t take reservations for small parties but while you wait, get a drink or a snack at Cevicheria across the street, like their tomato-based, smokey striped bass ceviche.

Toloache

It is often said that Manhattan is starving for decent Mexican restaurants. We’ve got plenty of mediocre, Tex-Mex style establishments but the West coast cities have us beat in terms of authentic Mexican cuisine. So, is Hell’s Kitchen newcomer Toloache the answer to your Mexican-craving dreams and desires? Probably not, but it’s a fresh face and the food sure is tasty.

Toloache offers an extensive list of tacos including everything from marinated pork with pineapple to braised beef tongue. They even offer a specialty of oaxacan-style grasshoppers. Yes, they’re real grasshoppers. In addition they have ceviches and inspired entrees like whole grilled branzino with jicama-red cabbage as well as a pollo Toloache with chipotle marinated chicken breast, corn and pico de gallo. The menu dances between safe offerings and unique twists like a dried fig salsa and avocado French fries. Toloache is an inviting two-story restaurant with bright yellow colored walls and decorative lamps hanging from the high ceilings.

Service was frighteningly over-eager. I’m not sure if our waitress was rushing so she could get to an audition or if she just lacked timing finesse. There were plenty of empty tables in the restaurant yet we were constantly checked on, pushed to order and plates were removed prematurely by the bus boys. At one point my friend was going in for another dip of guacamole only to find the cup had been removed from beneath his hand. Entrees arrived while we were still eating our appetizer and the bill was provided to us without our request. Another round of drinks wasn’t plausible.

Aside from the service issues we did enjoy our food. We started with a guacamole trio which came with a fruit guacamole made with pomegranate, mango, quince, habanero and basil as well as a spicy guacamole with tomato, red onion, chipotle and queso fresco as well as a traditional guac with serranos. I had roasted garlic shrimp served on a crispy tortilla with black beans and spaghetti squash. The crisp tortilla seemed out of place as it was soaked in sauce (making it not so crisp) but the shrimp had a delightfully sweet flavor and was a great match for the soft spaghetti squash. My friends ordered chicken enchiladas which came with dried fig salsa, green apple salad, and Mexican cheeses and the other had mole poblano (chicken) with Jerusalem artichoke and plantain gratin. Both enjoyed their dishes. Unfortunately the grass hoppers weren’t in the cards for us that night. I’ll have to return with someone brave enough to try them with me ;)

Like I said, Toloache isn’t revolutionizing Mexican cuisine in Manhattan but if you’re pre- theater or in a rush for any other reason, it’s good to have on your list.

Toloache: 251 W 50^th Between Broadway and 8^th
Cuisine: Mexican
Food: Good
Service: Poor
Value: Good
You Gonna Finish That? Meh, you can taste the side.
Word to the Wise: Order a margarita and avoid the watered down sangria. They have hundreds of tequilas to choose from, even Mezcal.

Hell’s Kitchen

I made my second trip to Hell’s Kitchen (the restaurant, not the location) on Saturday for dinner and found it to be just as enjoyable as the first. Overall, this is a great spot to hit pre-theater or whenever in the neighborhood for decent modernized Mexican food and drinks. I started with a frozen margarita and my friend had a sangria- both delicious and adequately strong. They have an extensive tequila list as well. We shared two appetizers: hoja santa crusted (no clue what that is) tuna tostadas with guacamole and grilled pineapple and tamarind marinated filet mignon chalupas with grilled tomatillo and guajillo sauce. The tender filet and the crisp chalupa was a nice harmony but the tuna tostada preparation was odd- two thick cuts of seared tuna atop the tostadas rather than diced tuna. For entrees he had the grilled wild salmon with sweet corn pudding , baked vegetable cake and salsa rioja while I had the grilled shrimp with serrano sauce, sweet plantain and guacamole. My shrimp was out of this world. It was served with a mountain of crispy carrot and cucumber matchsticks- a delicate crunch with the soft and sweet plantain. Service was very quick and adequately friendly. Overall, a great meal and I would even pay a third visit if in the neighborhood again.

Hell’s Kitchen: Mexican, Eclectic
Location: 679 9th Avenue (betw 46th and 47th)
Average App/Entree Price: $9/$20
Food: Good
Service: Very Good
Value: Very Good
You Gonna Finish That? Every last bite.

Three Places to Dine Al Fresco for Under $30

The weather is getting warmer and what better way to enjoy a beautiful day than with a lovely meal outside? This weekend I checked out a few restaurants with outdoor seating which were all delicious and very affordable. From a bustling sidewalk cafe to an intimate meal in a garden, Manhattan offers a lot in the way of dining al fresco. Here are three picks that I recommend paying a visit to on the next sunny day:

Revel
In the space that was once a bar-aptly named 10 Little West 12^th- comes a new member of the meatpacking district restaurant scene. Revel has a large dining room but it is the open air courtyard complete with heat lamps that draws the appeal. Unfortunately Saturday was a bit too chilly to be dining al fresco so my friend and I enjoyed our salmon cobb salad and omelette with goat cheese and spinach, huddled under the lamps. A brunch at Revel for just $24 (including tip) will get you a delicious entree, complimentary bread basket with muffins and pastries, a beverage, and perfect service. That’s pretty tough to beat in the uber-pricey and fashionable meatpacking district.

Revel: 10 Little West 12^th Street (between 9^th Ave and Washington)
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Italian

Tree
If you blink you just might miss this French, East Village gem. At first glance, Tree appears to be a small cafe, but walk towards the back and you will be handsomely rewarded. The back door opens to a lovely garden with picnic tables and canopy umbrellas. The brunch menu is traditional with such classics as French onion soup, frisee aux lardons, eggs sardou, and mussels with frites. The service was not the best but for $20 and a beautiful setting with delicious food, I would run back to Tree any day.

Tree: 190 First Ave (between 11^th and 12^th )
Cuisine: French

Agave
A charming West Village Mexican restaurant, perfect for people watching while the sun sets. I washed down my post-trapeze class excitement on Sunday evening with a margarita and dinner here. The guacamole comes nicely accented with a perfect amount of spice in a crispy tortilla shell. Whether you order a grilled skirt steak quesadilla with mushrooms and cheese, fire grilled gulf shrimp tacos with corn, or a masa crusted chicken salad with picquillos, queso blanco and avocado ranch dressing, the meal will cost you a solid $30 or less.
Agave: 140 7^th Ave South (between Charles and W 10^th)
Cuisine: Mexican