Macondo

This “street-food,” spot by the owners of upscale Rayuela, recently opened on a bustling corner of East Houston. The location fits the menu, a mélange of borrowings from allover the Spanish speaking world featuring anything from Cuban plantain balls with pork to shrimp empanadas and Venezuelan arepas

It’s meant to be casual, with netting that separates tables, exposed brick, and a chalkboard walled bathroom with “100 Anos de Soledad” (the book which inspired the name of the restaurant) etched on the walls. But despite its breezy state-of-mind, the flavors here are pretty serious.

You can crawl up to the airy bar from the street, where three stools are perched beneath the overhang. The aguacate + mescal is a signature drink featuring honey, avocado, agave nectar, midori, cointreau, lime juice, and scorpion mescal. The harmony of sweet and tangy flavors was a nice kickoff to the meal.

We went just a week after opening night, so my (few) criticisms will be reserved here. Some shining dishes were the “chorishrimp” with Columbian chorizo and chili sauce as well as an arepa “Willianco” served with oven roasted quail, spinach, figs and manchego cheese. Don’t miss savory flat breads like the “setas” with mushroom, caramelized onions, membrillo (quince paste), cabra cheese, and pistachio. Our waiter was just as excited to explain the dishes as we were to sample them.

After a meal like this I always proudly state how soon I’d like to rush back. But I know on my next visit, our brief 15-minute table wait will be a thing of the past. Check out Macondo on your next free Summer night in the city, before everybody else does!

Macondo: 157 East Houston Street between Allen and Eldridge
Cuisine: Latin Street Food, “comida de la calle”

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Yerba Buena

Two weeks after opening night, Yerba Buena was bustling with people munching on inspired Pan-Latin fare, a cross between Peruvian, Cuban, and Argentinian food. Yerba Buena reaches above the mark with sophisticated décor, beyond many of the shabby chic alphabet city establishments (which I love as well). An open kitchen lends well to the narrow space, allowing aromas of roasted suckling pig and chipotle BBQ ribs to spread throughout the room.

Service was a bit spotty, though one can’t be too critical of such a new restaurant. There were moments when some dishes were ready and brought promptly, while others had to wait with empty plates. The passion in the venture was evident though as the owner himself pulled out a chair for my friend, and brought my cocktail from the bar to the table, insisting that I not carry it myself. Our waitress was excited to tell us about her favorite dishes, while answering any questions about the various sections of the menu, listed as “Para Picar”, “Frios”, “Botanas”, “Chanco”, and “Para La Mesa.” My vegetarian friend appreciated the small “Vegetales” section, as most of the dishes featured either pork, chorizo, or short ribs.

Cocktails here are carefully designed by former Pegu Club bartenders, like the Desert Rose, made with rose infused Plymouth gin, prickly pear puree, and lemon juice. The wine list complements the food, with offerings from Argentina, Spain, and Chile for the most part. We ordered a Martin Codax Albarino 2006, which was crisp and delightful with the heat from dinner.

We started with a fiery guacamole then had appetizers of crispy calamari salad, crispy grouper tacos with jicama, and a citric grouper ceviche. Entrees were pillowy arepas served with homemade bacon and “three types of cheese, ”and empanadas with chihuahua cheese, corn and huitlacoche mushroom. We also shared wild mushrooms and sweet plantains with a spicy truffle crema. We closed the meal on a sweet note with black and white chocolate fondue served with churros, strawberries, bananas, and coconut cake.

Yerba Buena delivered a meal with distinct flavors in a beautiful setting, for a modest price tag. I think they can tie up some of the loose ends and become a great Alphabet City staple destination.

Yerba Buena: 23 Avenue A (betw 1st and 2nd streets)
Cuisine: Latin American
Average Entree Price: $17-$19

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Ideya

Casual Caribbean fare in a relaxed environment made Ideya a great place for the birthday celebration I dined there for. Be careful of the addictive, overflowing baskets of crispy plantain chips with salsa which could ruin your appetite. Save room for a grilled zucchini and eggplant terrine with chickpeas and goat cheese, fresh and clean with a tomatillo-avocado salsa adding a hint of spice. Other notable contenders included a pecan duck breast with banana-lentil salad and a red wine sauce as well as grilled shrimp with cilantro pesto. Skip the Croquetas de pollo with sweet potato and goat cheese. I shared this with a friend and we agreed that the flavors were indistinguishable, tasting more like creamy fried chicken than anything else. Though not all perfect, I applaud the inventive menu which fuses borrowings from French cuisine into island dishes. Ideya is certainly worth a visit if you’re in the Soho area and seeking an affordable meal.

Ideya: 349 West Broadway Between Broome and Grand
Cuisine: Caribbean
Entree Price: $17-$23
Word to the Wise: If you want to save some money on drinks ask for a glass of wine. They served me an entire water glass of Albarino !

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Crave Ceviche Wine Bar

After barely being open for a month, Crave Ceviche Wine Bar has already developed a following. This pocket-sized restaurant was packed to the brim with people pouring out onto the sidewalk last Thursday evening. Chef Todd Mitgang takes ceviche to another level, offering up innovative selections such as arctic char with truffles, strawberries, caviar and sea salt or lump crab with wok fried okra. The fish in the ceviches are cured in anything from champagne to sherry vinegar to grapefruit with thai basil. And to my delight, there was nary a martini glass presentation to be found. The menu really dazzled me as dishes played with ingredients inspired by Italian, Thai, Middle Eastern and of course Latin American cuisine. A killer yellow fin tuna BLT was speckled with pancetta while a calamari salad came with shitaki mushrooms, crispy kimchi, and ginger scallion oil. The dishes were not perfect, the caper crusted wild salmon had a slight fishy taste and the crispy kimche could have been more delicate. However, Crave is doing well for such a newby. I’m sure they will tie up some of the loose ends. The wine list contains a nice variety of wines from Spain, Chile and Argentina with some American selections in the mix. We started with the house sangria which was a “Fall” sangria, infused with cinnamon and cider before ordering a Chardonnay from Navarra. The entire place was held together by one girl who was doubling as hostess and waitress for every table. She did a fantastic job for us and seemed to be keeping other guests happy as well. I hope they get her some help soon though!

Crave is a welcome newcomer to the “culinarily challenged” Turtle Bay/Upper East Side. I cannot wait to return.
Crave Ceviche Wine Bar: 946 Second Avenue
Cuisine: Eclectic, Latin American, Seafood

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Cuba Cafe

I came to Cuba Café expecting decent food, stiff drinks, and a relaxed atmosphere- certainly not fine dining. My expectations were perfectly met. Cuba Café is so loudly tropical with brightly patterned tablecloths and a tiki-esque bar that you have to have a good time. We ordered a few appetizers: chorizo sautéed with port wine, crispy oysters with sautéed spinach, salad with avocado and hearts of palm, shrimp ceviche, and tuna ceviche. Appetizers were followed by a seafood paella for the table. Though the menu was thoughtful, the execution was poor. The tuna ceviche came in a hollowed out avocado with a thick mayonnaise sauce. The shrimp ceviche was served in an oversized martini glass- a valiant effort at elegance but with a sauce brimming over the sides it was more like a recipe for dress ruining disaster. The paella was tasty with a hearty portion of mussels, calamari, clams, and shrimp though with that much salt- how could it not be? Our newby waiter (his first night) was perpetually confused and often impossible to find. The food arrived at various times, no rhyme or reason to when plates were served.

I can’t say that I loved my meal at Cuba Café. However, with a table outside on a gorgeous night and a stiff mojito in hand, does it really matter all that much? Despite my gripes, I can see myself returning to Cuba Café as their 4-7PM happy hour is wooing me.

Cuba Café: 200 8^th Ave Between 20^th and 21^st
Cuisine: Cuban, Latin American, Tapas

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Esperanto

This alphabet city getaway serving Latin American fare was the perfect spot to get a bite on a beautiful Saturday evening. The atmosphere is very warm with bright, pastel colored walls and patterned tablecloths adorning rustic wooden tables. The restaurant is actually rather large with a few different rooms and plenty of outdoor seating. Esperanto offers an array of drinks including flavored caipirinhas, sangria, and mojitos to complement the sourdough bread with red pepper spiced olive oil as you peruse the menu. The menu selection is quite eclectic offering up fresh seafood dishes such as ceviches and calamari salad as well as turf dishes like carne asada and grilled pork chop with pineapple salsa. I started with the plantain crusted goat cheese salad served with sautéed leeks and cilantro pesto. Friends of mine had the calamari salad and the ceviche of the day which was a shrimp and snapper ceviche. For entrees I had the moqueca bahiana which was shrimp and snapper prepared in a clay pot with coconut milk, cashews and rice. This was a really unique dish and executed beautifully. The moist rice sopped up the creamy coconut sauce and the seafood was mildly spiced and flavorful. Friends had the carne asada and the grilled salmon with spiced mashed potatoes, sautéed spinach and mango salsa. The service was friendly and prompt. The prices were pleasantly affordable at just around $15 for an entrée. I’m so pleased to have this delicious option in my repertoire for the future. Can’t wait to go back!

Esperanto: 145 Avenue C and 9^th
Cuisine: Latin American

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