If the day ever comes when I leave this city – voluntarily, by court order, or otherwise – my last meal in town might very well be a few margaritas, an order of plantains, and 1/4 kilo of pork tacos at Mercadito Cantina. The newest outpost of the Mercadito NY restaurants is all about tacos, and though the fish tacos have been the main focus of raves and praise for Mercadito Cantina, the pork offerings are not to be missed. Most everything on the menu is simple, well executed, and gives you that special kind of gratification you get from eating street food, yet the dishes are anything but pedestrian. The space has the feel of the Momofuku dining room … wood paneled, lively, and has a very similar seating layout. I have always had good luck getting a table on busy nights, and the staff is welcoming. Bring friends and come hungry … ordering the tacos by weight is definitely the way to go.
You know how you can just tell that some restaurants are money without even eating there? Cabrito is a prime example. Any place with a big-ass pink goat hanging above a space that’s consistently slammed with people enjoying themselves is most likely awesome. Another telling sign? Their smart and effective use of the internet. In today’s world, it remains pretty shocking to us how few restaurants have embraced the internet and social media properly. For the same reasons bands are using their websites, Twitter and Facebook to connect with fans and potential customers, so should the restaurant biz. Your people are out there; it’s simple to get them. Not only does Cabrito have an impressive website with info, press clippings, happy hour details, online delivery capabilities and so on, but both the restaurant’s Twitter and the chef’s Twitter are informative and quite entertaining.
After a recent group dinner here, our initial good feelings were confirmed. Cabrito’s food is top notch and is some of the better Mexican available downtown. They’re famous for their goat, but don’t let that scare you. We passed on goat completely, and still had a successful feast. When it comes to margaritas, they don’t mess around. They’re constantly having happy hour specials (follow their Twitter to cash in on their impromptu drink specials), and even when the drinks are full price, they’re stiff and worth every penny. Added bonus in the form of two flat screens at the bar and NFL Sunday Ticket for those like myself looking for a good Sunday alternative to generally shitty sports bars this city has to offer.
If you know the Upper East Side at all, then you probably know that trying to find an unpretentious, good restaurant in the area is almost as difficult as eliciting human facial expressions from the overly Botoxed women who reside there. Take a walk in the east 70’s and 80’s sometime and what you’ll find is a bunch of stuffy, overpriced Italian restaurants, a handful of unbearable bars, and at least five stores that sell neckwear for tiny dogs. Not particularly Immaculate Infatuation territory. Luckily, Cascabel Taqueria has come along and opened its doors in the name of good food and making sure the neighborhood knows it’s OK to chill the f**k out every once in a while. We’ve been spending some time there over the last few weeks, and we’re officially obsessed.
Cascabel is primarily a taqueria, a low key spot for Mexican food done with high quality ingredients. It’s about keeping things simple and having some fun with a restaurant, not something you often find in this city where the food scene can be so damn serious. We’ve been fans of Chef Todd Mitgang’s since the B.I. days (Before Infatuation), when he was putting the ceviche treatment on everything from tuna to beef sliders at Crave. He’s now applying his creative approach to the menu at Cascabel, and the result is some off the hook Mexican in an atmosphere that actually feels like a real neighborhood hang. The tacos are unbelievable, there’s Negra Modelo on tap, and everything is made from scratch in house. We recommend you bring a friend and/or a massive appetite – seven bucks gets you two huge tacos, but you’ll want to try a few different kinds, so make sure you’re prepared to get down to business.
Finally. After multiple failed attempts at getting a table here, we got lucky … and during prime time no less. Literally ten minutes after sitting down at the communal table, a mob of people gathered outside to wait for a table. Bottom line, this place is great but it’s almost always a pain in the ass to get a table. Good thing there are plenty of other options on the same block. Welcome to “Beldel” (below Delancy), one of the coolest up and coming hoods in downtown Manhattan. With the LES quickly becoming the second coming of Murray Hill, the realness factor of Broome between Orchard and Ludlow is quite refreshing.
Based on the fact that they had new records from Infatuation approved Empire Of The Sun and Phoenix on random, it’s very likely that next time we go in there they’ll have the Miike Snow disc in rotation. I mention this because Miike Snow’s show at Mercury Lounge just so happened to be what brought us to Barrio Chino in the first place. If you haven’t heard their single “Animal” yet, you’re missing out on a serious summer jam.
The restaurant itself is tiny. There are only a couple of tables, the rest of the seating is either at the bar or communal table. Prepare yourself to be elbow to elbow with the stranger next to you and don’t come with a group of more than four. The vibe, drinks, and food make up for the fact that the service is seriously lacking. Two waiters for 48 people? (I counted). Not good. At least they have amazing mustaches. Be careful, although the menu doesn’t appear to be pricey, after a couple margaritas, an appetizer, and a main, you’re dropping $50-60 a head. A little expensive but it’s worth it.
La Lucha isn’t just another taco joint trying to capitalize on the throngs of drunk college kids quickly migrating to the East Village. Now that Avenue A is essentially turning into Bourbon Street, a place like San Loco gets by because those kids are so wasted they think that garbage actually tastes good. I know, I’ve been there. Young and stupid. Late night catfish tacos from The Loco. Why? “Cause it’s four o’clock in the fucking morning…”, (the single greatest screamo song ever). Thankfully, La Lucha is here to raise the bar and learn those kids a thing or two.
La Lucha is serving tacos with a purpose. They’re putting their Mexican street food on full display, and having fun in the process. The whole experience is supposed to emulate what going to a wrestling match in Mexico City would be like (insert your favorite Nacho Libre joke here as every other review of LL has). Influenced by what La Lucha’s owners would eat with their friends and family before a match, this is authentic Mexican street food refined a bit for NYC. A different kind of taco than East Village favorites like Mercadito Cantina and Mercadito, this is down and dirty, south of the border style with more flair, wrestling paraphanlia and toys. It’s kind of like eating Mexican street food at Kid Robot.
Giveaway: Dinner On Us
