De Mole Mexican restaurant in Williamsburg is a family affair. Headed by Executive Chef/Co-Owner Jose Luis Flores who worked with chefs such as Douglas Rodriguez and Richard Sandoval, he has created an ode to his family recipes and heritage in Brooklyn.
When I walked into this bright, hipster spot in Greenpoint, I never imagined I would get anything close to an authentic Mexican meal in there. I was very wrong.
Looking for a really cool spot on the LES with a retro vibe and zingy Asian/Mexican small plates? Take a trip downtown to sample Chef Alex Lopez eats at Tijuana Picnic.
Tortaria is a lively Mexican sandwich shop downtown, which serves Tortas, Taquitos and Tequila – the three essentials “T’s” if you ask me.
Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest to this establishment for a complimentary meal. All opinions expressed in this post are my own.
I was recently invited for a press dinner at El Maguey y La Tuna, a family run Mexican restaurant on the Lower East Side.
Dressed in simple yet homey surroundings, El Maguey y La Tuna is exactly the kind of place at which I would have hoped to find the BEST Mole Poblano I have tasted in New York City!
There is a reason why this dish is so good here. It is hand made from scratch over several days by Mama Cortez who doesn’t even use as much as a blender to aid her art.
Preserving family recipes is what makes El Maguey y La Tuna a rather unique spot. Every dish on their menu has a reason for being there. The origins could be from a grandmother, aunt or uncle or a favorite post-hangover remedy (that’s where the Chilaquiles come in).
The daughter Maria, who usually handles the front end of the restaurant, is equally adept at cooking and managing the kitchen when she is needed to do so. Here, everything is a family affair.
El Maguey y La Tuna offers a wonderful selection of food from rural Mexico in a place that tastes and feels like home. They have a full-service sit-down bar with specialty cocktails such as Jalapeno Margaritas, Dessert wines and Mexican Beers. They also offer Brunch on weekends for $11.95 which includes a cocktail!
With food so good, people so authentic and a price point so reasonable, I don’t see why El Maguey y La Tuna will not be on my multiple return list!
Here is some of what we ate:
|
|
* Restaurant Name |
|---|---|
| El Maguey Y La Tuna Mexican Restaurant | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★★☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| Lower East Side / Mexican | |
| * Street Address | |
| 321 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002 | |
| * Phone | |
| (212) 473-3919 |
Food: ☆☆☆½
Service: ☆☆☆½
Ambiance: ☆☆
Cost: $$
Must try: Burrito with habanero sauce and quesadilla
Food: ☆☆☆½
Service: ☆☆☆½
Ambiance: ☆☆
Cost: $
Must try: The salsa bar, any burrito
There is a reason why the Espinoza brothers Taqueria has been thriving in the wildly competitive Mission District of San Francisco for many decades now.
Pancho Villa hits a home run when it comes to satisfying that burrito craving that one often gets. Delivering authentic, fresh Mexican food in huge portions has garnered this spot a huge fan following and several awards over the years.
The line is out the door starting pretty early in the day. Service is helpful and pleasant and the digs are clean enough. What rocks is the fresh salsa bar they have the back of the restaurant, which serves up some of the most unique and tastiest salsas, I have had.
Pancho Villa has all the ingredients in being the a cut above it’s competitive rest.
Here is some of what we ate:
|
|
* Restaurant Name |
|---|---|
| Pancho Villa Taqueria | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★★☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| Mexican | |
| * Street Address | |
| 3071 16th Street , San Francisco, CA 94103 | |
| * Phone | |
| (415) 864-8840 |
Food: ☆☆☆ 1/2
Service: ☆☆☆ ½
Ambiance: ☆☆ ½
Cost: $$$
Fit for: Lunch Spot, Brunch, Dine At The Bar, Outdoor Dining
Dishes not to miss: Salsas de la casa, Quesos Flameados, Burrito de Atún
Chef Julieta Ballesteros, of Mexicana Mama fame, has traded up to Crema in Chelsea, where she serves upscale, refined Mexican cuisine.
This eatery is a place to try delightful combinations of carefully composed plates. Ballesteros has put a lot of thought into the creation of each dish. At Crema, one experiences combinations of Mexican flavors that are rare and very pleasing to the palate. Continue reading
Food: ☆☆☆
Service: ☆☆☆ ½
Ambiance: ☆☆☆
Cost: $$$
Fit for: Groups, Vibrant bar scene, Spicy food.
Dishes not to miss: Tostadas de Atun, Mole Poblano, Calamar Maya
Special notes: Happy Hour at the Tequila Lounge is Monday to Sunday 5 – 8 PM with special bar bites priced at $3 each.
Continue reading
Food: ☆☆☆
Service: ☆☆☆
Ambiance: ☆☆
Cost: $$$
I recommend: Cremini Mushroom Quesadilla, the Grilled Mahi Mahi and the Warm Banana Cake.
I was intrigued by this little restaurant that was dedicated to my two favorite foods of all time – chilies and chocolate.
So of-course I had to trek over to Park Slope to check out this charming joint, that has carved out a niche of its own. This tiny restaurant can only seat about 16 people at a time. Its very informal and the server was very friendly. Continue reading
