Oficina Latina: a progressive dinner along the Pan-Am Highway

Paella de Mariscos at Oficina Latina

Oficina Latina  (24 Prince Street, NYC; (646) 381-2555; www.oficinalatinanyc.com)

Oficina Latina is anything but your typical biker or NASCAR bar, tucked inconspicuously on a more introverted stretch of Prince Street in Nolita.  But just beyond the garage door (which opens to the street in warm weather) sits an unofficial museum to the Pan American Highway during the 1950s, colorfully adorned with racing helmets, old black-and-white photos, mechanic 'trouble lights' dangling from cords coiled around exposed pipes, and a whole gallery's worth of vintage memorabilia evoking the spirit of the elusive highway during its heyday.  By sunset each day, the entire space is rip-roaring with a crowd of fans of a different sort.  These are fanatics of some particularly innovative cocktails, a killer tapas menu, and a versatile casual environment suited for intimate couples and groups alike.                                                                                      

Beyond the bar and communal tables sits is a more intimate dining area near the back

Just as the decor evokes a nostalgia for the spirited raceway, Executive Chef Eric Gaitan's menu reads like the itinerary for a progressive dinner running the full span of highway between Central and South America. Contemporary tapas from the nations along the highway are denoted with abbreviations on the menu,  with culinary roots from Monterrey in Mexico all the way to Buenos Aires.

Begin with a Peruvian ceviche of fresh tilapia with pink grapefruit segments served with crisp yucca chips, ideal for sharing.  Must-trys are the Venezuelan arepas, available with chimichurri short ribs, vegetables with white bean spread, or these salmon arepas--grilled spinach masa pockets stuffed with tender pink Scottish salmon crudo with buttery avocado, tangy pickled tomato skin, and sharp green onions.

The flavors at Oficina Latina are strikingly familiar, just executed to delicious perfection.  The camarones al ajillo are larger than life whole shrimp that arrive on a sprig of rosemary atop a wooden carving board.  The piquant spices and garlic gently glaze the outside of the sweet and succulent shrimp.  And if seafood is up your alley, the calamari is remarkably tender--jazzed up in a surprisingly subtle chile de arbol marinade, and then grilled.

A bartender muddles fresh lime for a caipirihna

But the tapas is by no means the only arena where the use of peppers is prominent.  Co-owner Paolo Votano, a notably charming Italian (who one particular evening roamed the floor in a denim mechanics suit with multiple pocket chains and a distressed ponytail like a tattooed Formula One playboy), has developed a seasonally-evolving cocktail list that loves to tease the balance between sweet, sour, and spicy by combining several fruits and peppers.

Weekday happy hour from 4-7 can be quite lively at the front bar, featuring buy one get one drinks.  But the drinks, even at full price, are some of the best Latin-inspired cocktails around.  Consider a mango peppercorn caipirihna or a prickly-pear-serrano-ginger mojito made with tequila.  Or purists may keep it simple, choosing from over 100 tequilas and mezcals, or over 100 rums, piscos, and cachacas.

After a few of the specialty cocktails and a starter or two, consider some of the larger plates, still excellent for sharing.  Warm, fresh mini tortillas are piled with daily roasted suckling pig, slivers of avocado, and a dollop of creamy garlic-serrano dressing.  These tacos should be award-winning, with crispy caramelized skin coating rosy, juicy, lean shreds of pork.  They are excellent.  Other delicious meats are served Argentine churrasco-style, like chimichurri skirt steak, a rich and crispy coated morcilla Colombian fried blood sausage, to a simple buy juicy, jalapeno-cilantro marinaded slow-roasted chicken.  Be sure to ask for extra tomatillo compote on the side, like a sweet, tangy green tomato marmalade that is fantastic judiciously slathered over any or all of the grilled meats.

For a sweet finale, desserts are drawn from the same pool of inspiration as many of the mixed coktails, with highlights such as a dulce de leche cheesecake with prickly pear and blackberries, or a playful lychee-serrano panna cotta with coconut ice cream and a drizzle of guava sauce.  Or for a slightly more sinful cap to the evening, try the irreverently plated 'Passion & Love' (Votano has it tattooed on his arm), the house signature shot of Venezuelan rum presented with three cut lines of cocoa powder, cinnamon, and brown sugar for dusting the orange wedges.

                                          
Whether for a cocktail, snack, a date, or a large gathering of friends, Oficina Latina holds the rare ability to captivate and satisfy almost any mood or palate.  So the next time you find yourself traveling downtown, it's definitely worth a pit stop at the very least.      

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Cheap & Delicious: Mama's Empanadas on Steinway

(Maiz-wrapped cheese empanada at Mama's Empanadas)

Mama's Empanadas (32-41 Steinway)

Open Daily from 11AM-11PM (free delivery)

(718) 626-1272

When it's 2 o'clock in the afternoon on Steinway and there's a line to the door and every seat is taken with hungry customers hovering over finishing tables like starving vultures, it can only mean one of two things: 1) either the food is exceptional, or 2) it's extremely affordable.  It just so happens that Mama's Empanadas (not to be confused with the popular Manhattan hot pocket shop, Empanada Mama) falls under both categories.

Despite the fact that the menu lures in non-Latin lovers with nontraditional fillings like pepperoni pizza and even a Greek version with mozzarella, feta, and spinach--the vast majority of the clientele were Hispanic, which is always a good sign that something is being cooked right in the kitchen.

The stuffed pastries are available wrapped in maiz (corn-flour).

They can also be ordered in wheat-flour dough, and either fried or baked.

Classic beef, chicken, or cheese empanadas are also available "cocktail" size, like little sliders, and only 80 cents a piece!  The full-sized empanadas range from $1.30 to $1.75.  

Topping the menu at a whopping $2.45 is a shrimp-scallop-crabmeat empanada called the Biagra (yes, the counter attendant giggled when I ordered it.)

Wacky, but delicious was the mac & cheese empanada ($1.60).  We also really enjoyed the cheese steak with juicy strips of beef, peppers, onions, and creamy cheddar.

They even offer a selection of dessert empanadas (including an "Elvis" with peanut butter and bananas), and the USA (apples and cinnamon with a dollop of ice cream and warm caramel) was one of the tastiest apple turnovers I've enjoyed in a long time, almost like an apple dumpling from the state fair.

I recommend trying each of the preparations.  Each empanada is made fresh, and none were greasy at all.  The maiz pockets had a super crunch followed by a more chewy textures inside, while the wheat-flour baked tasted like a pie crust, and fried tasted like a crispy tortilla.  Green and red salsas are available by request, as well as spicy mayo for dipping.

Several imported sodas are available, as well as yogurt shakes and mixed fruit cocktails.  They also offer arepas (stuffed corn cakes) and a selection of full dinner items, such as grilled steaks and plantains.

A value menu offers some pretty good specials like 2 empanadas & a drink for $3.15, or family size with 24 empanadas & a 2-liter for $31.20.

The dining area is clean and neat, and the service was extremely friendly (and fluently bilingual).  Only open a few weeks, it already seems to be a huge hit.  And for street snacks this tasty at a price so affordable, I have a feeling it's gonna be a longstanding fixture.  Hopefully it will become 24 hours like its other location in Jackson Heights (locations also in Sunnyside and Elmhurst, by the Queen's Center Mall).

Five Napkin Burger Launches Outdoor Café with Killer Deals

Five Napkin Burger (35-01 36th St. at 35th Ave, Astoria)

To celebrate the opening of their new 60-seat outdoor café, Five Napkin Burger will be moving its slider happy hour to the sidewalk!

Starting tomorrow through Thursday May 5th, you can enjoy the happy hour specials outdoors from 4-7PM.  That means the sliders for $2 (veggie, turkey, and original 5NB), 4 pork taquitos for $2, 50-cent Hell's Kitchen Wings, and $4 drafts.

This makes 5NB one of the best deals around, so grab a seat for this phenomenal deal while it lasts.

Pachanga Patterson: Your Invitation to Family Meal

Pachanga Patterson (33-17 31st Ave., Astoria)

Anyone in the restaurant industry will tell you that sometimes the most delicious creations may never find their way onto a menu.  What might be your favorite dish at your local restaurant is more than likely pedestrian and common to the chef or waiter who unfortunately more often than not eats it out of convenience rather than choice.  In the back kitchens after dinner service has simmered down, those common ingredients get manipulated and rearranged into who can result in some pretty delicious and inspired bites.  Staff members remove their aprons to savor family meals while decompressing, oftentimes sharing favorite family recipes or recent discoveries.  With cooks frequently from Mexico, it should come as no surprise that more often than not, those family meals are predominantly Mexican-inspired.

If you're an enthusiastic diner who now feels gypped from some of New York's most exciting off-menu specialties, the owners of Vesta (the successful Italian restaurant famous for wines on tap and Baby Jesus Cake) opened a restaurant last week, Pachanga Patterson, conceived around the very principal of bringing those simple, creative, secret recipes to the front of the house for customers to enjoy. In a nod to both their philosophy as well as the history of the neighborhood, the name is a blend of a term for dance party and the former name of 31st Avenue.  While the menu is decidedly Mexican, the ingredients might catch you a little off guard... in a rather delicious way. And just as with her successful kitchen at Vesta, Chef Michelle Vido has created a menu devoted to supporting local farmers and artisans with ingredients sourced in the area.

They've only been open a few days, but here is a sample of the delicious dishes we devoured in a cozy, exposed brick dining room dressed up like a festive street party.  The service was impeccable, relaxed and friendly, elevating the innovative food which is lovingly prepared with the signature stamp of clean, simple flavors we have come to love at Vesta.

To begin, share the trio of salsas, available for $5 each or all three for $12.  The roasted corn and tomato is like a cool confetti of vegetables spilled from a salsa piñata.  The tomatillo & avocado is creamy and packs a slight snap on the tongue, with the charred tomato & serrano chili (pictured at the heading) loaded with a wickedly playful dose of fiery heat.

Tacos range from batter-fried pollack to Berkshire pork shoulder with cracklins, but we fell in love with the Moo Shu Duck, deliciously glazed in a caramel-sweet and tickling-spiced sriracha hoisin sauce, with color and cool crunch added by crisp slivers of cucumber and radish (3 for $12).

While I will return soon to enjoy the pork belly enchiladas with chocolate & fig and cumin crema, I rather hastily licked the plate clean with of the vintage hanger steak, tender seared beef medallions surrounded by a tangy poblano moat, arranged on a savory mountain of exquisitely tender swiss chard laced with a lava flow of wonderfully salty oaxaca cheese ($19).  Herbivores will delight in the Veggie Jenga, a stack of tostada, smashed beans, and avocado, capped with a fried egg sombrero, all served on a silky pool of sweet potato puree ($19).

While we didn't save room for dessert, the show-stealer is the El Diablito (baby devil cake), a spin on the sacred Vesta dessert, presented here as a chocolate date cake drowned in chili-infused caramel.  The drink menu features several classics with a few new concoctions, including a Tequila Mockingbird--a sparkling margarita with mint, cucumber, and champagne. Tequila and mexcal shots are served with a sangrita chaser of orange, lime, and tomato juice with ancho chili powder.

Have you tried Pachanga Patterson yet?  While it's still newly opened, please share your experiences in the comments below...

MexiQ is smokin' delicious

Build-your-own tacos with the Cazuela Tasting

MexiQ (37-11 30th Ave., Astoria)

(718) 626-0333

Open daily from 4pm

Want a comestible recipe for success?  Open a restaurant in one of NYC's most eclectic culinary hotbeds (Astoria) that features a menu by a renowned chef (Iron Chef contestant, Julieta Ballesteros, of Crema and Los Feliz in Manhattan) blending a fusion of ultimate comfort cuisines (Southern and Mexican) with owners of successful Astoria establishments (Dino Philippou of Cavo & Dimitri Paloumbis of Break) and a management team that has recently been at the helm of such neighborhood favorites as Cavo and the Studio Square Beer Garden.  With such an accomplished curriculum vitae from a restaurant before it even opens its doors, there undeniably comes a high degree of expectation.

Exposed brick walls, a mix of candlelight and the warm amber glow from the filaments of enormous cartoon-sized light bulbs on the ceiling, and a flawlessly über-attractive staff styled in denim and plaid like tequila-wielding Gap models make MexiQ feel like a hip, sexy, urban cowboy saloon.  Overhead, a refreshingly diverse and enjoyable playlist croons tunes ranging from Regina Spektor to The Eagles that harmonizes pleasantly with the low hum of laughter and banter throughout the room.  In a recessed far corner, a large group dips from assorted guacamole jazzed up with pork belly and lime-poached shrimp at a Mexican picnic table under an abstract luminescent wagon wheel chandelier by a flat screen television mounted behind a waterfall that runs from ceiling to floor.  Just beyond a row of intimate dark-planked booths with steel-plated tabletops, singles mingle at the main bar, taking full advantage of the proximity to the 48 taps featuring craft beers, sports-broadcasting flat screens, and the temp-controlled tequila dispenser.

Besides the craft beer selection (a 4-7PM weekday happy hour features $3 Mexican beers and $5 margaritas), a colorful cocktail list boasts inventive concoctions such as a cherry cayenne manhattan, Agua Loca sangria, as well as passionfruit-jalapeno, Jim Beam-guava-chipotle, and watermelon margaritas (refreshingly delicious, and pictured above, with agave nectar and fresh melon puree).

Though I was initially turned off by the replacement of the typical basket of tortillas by the single six-inch tortilla presented with a mini-squeeze bottle of salsa roja, at the end of the meal I was actually grateful that I hadn't wasted my appetite on chips and salsa.  Keep an open mind, and this simple amuse bouche actually hits the spot and gets the taste buds ready for the dishes to come.

An important bit of advice: ask your server which plates are better for sharing.  Some of the dishes are clearly intended for multiple diners, such as the Ceviche Flight, which offers two mini-martini-glass-shots of two different ceviches, easily shared by two to four guests, and a killer deal at $14.

The octopus and shrimp ceviche blends ridiculously tender octopus and tangy lime-poached shrimp in spicy green olive tomato salsa.  The crowning touch is a dollop of creamy avocado mousse and deliciously salty fried capers.  A brilliant blend of colors, flavors, and textures.

The second ceviche is much lighter, with juicy pieces of citrus-marinated sea bass that almost taste like tender scallops, dressed with pickled onions and tomato.  Though the menu lists a mango pico de gallo on the first ceviche, it actually topped this one, which in my opinion was the perfect pairing.

The Mac & Cheese is quite appropriately listed as an appetizer rather than a side dish, as it should be consumed before anything else.  If you truly want to enjoy it properly, the subtle and exquisite blend of velvety white cheddar cheese, creme fraiche, delightfully crunchy herbed panko bread crumbs, and decadent white truffle oil should be devoured before you introduce your palate to the spicier and more piquant offerings on the menu, which might otherwise make this gourmet comfort dish seem less vibrant than it actually is.  I added applewood smoked bacon for a little salt to cut the richness for an additional $2, but shrimp and huitlacoche (a mushroom relative that grows on corn) are also possible add-ins.

Somewhat misleadingly titled (though accurately described), the Fiesta Nachos are actually an 8 layer dip served with a large cone of tortillas for scooping as well as several blue and yellow corn strips as a garnish.  I would have called this a Fiesta Dip or Pinata Dip, as nachos imply chips covered with toppings.  Despite the technicality in wording, I loved that with each bite came a wonderfully different flavor and temperature combination, as it was nearly impossible to gather every ingredient with each scoop.  Cool and velvety guacamole with salty green olives, spicy jalapenos, warm and creamy refried beans, sharp cheddar cheese, savory seasoned bite-sized cubes of chicken, mexican cream, and garden-fresh pico de gallo.  Another dish perfect for sharing with the entire table.

Though they're listed as a side dish for only $4, the fried pickles make a perfect appetizer, as well.  Four long spears of tart and tangy pickles are beautifully coated in a crispy and golden breading that miraculously holds on to each pickle with every bite.  Be sure to dip them in the shot glass of southwestern cream that accompanies...  One of the best deals on the menu.

Though I've yet to sample everything that tempts me on the menu, the pulled pork carnitas are something either I or my friends have ordered on every visit.  Marinated in citrus and coca cola (the result is a tangy molasses), the braised pork is flawlessly tender, with a beautifully sweet and mildly spicy glaze.  Served in a cast iron skillet and served with a heavenly dense jalapeno goat cheese corn bread, it ranks up there with some of the best pulled pork I've ever tasted.  The presentation has changed slightly from the original menu, but if you ask your server, you'll get the original accompaniments to make mini-tacos, as you do with the Cazuela Tasting.

The MexiQ Cazuela Tasting is a smoked meat lovers dream, with three cast iron pots offering generous portions of the pork carnitas, as well as the tequila-oregano braised beef brisket, and the adobo-rubbed beer braised short ribs.  Though the dish is $26, it comes with enough meat, expertly smoked in-house, to make nearly six jumbo sandwiches, and is intended to serve two to four guests.

Served with a generous amount of warm, soft corn tortillas, guacamole, mexican cream, salsa roja, and pickled jalapeno cabbage, it's an explosion of endless flavor combinations for building your own taquitos (see the image at the heading of this post).

I am extremely critical when it comes to fish, so trust me when I say that the Yacatan Style Chilean Sea Bass was the single most wonderful filet of sea bass I have ever enjoyed.  Blackened to glorious perfection, the meat inside was juicy and tender, with a crisp outer shell of seasonings.  The generous filet is served on a bed of chipotle mashed plantains which confused me deliciously.  They look like smashed red potatoes, but tasted like a sweet tomato smash with hints of pepper and banana, the perfect accompaniment for the blackened sea bass, which is crowned with a tower of golden beer battered onion rings.  Though the Mexican tartar sauce served alongside adds a welcome coolness to the dish, fish this tasty needs nothing at all.  This is a plate I will order again and again.

For dessert, don't expect your abuela's tres leches.  This deconstructed version of the classic three milk cake is actually a moist sponge cake topped with dulce de leche ice cream and drizzled with mango syrup.  A shot glass of evaporated, condensed, and whole milks is poured over the cake table side by the server.  With each forkful, you get all of the richness and sweetness of a tres leches without the soggy texture that can so easily be over-drenched.  Think caramel mango shortcake with fresh blueberries and cream, and you'll be in heaven.

Another misleading title is the Pecan Pie, which I almost didn't order because I don't actually really enjoy pecan pie all that much (I love the buttery filling but sort of loathe the pecans).  To my pleasant surprise, this was a phenomenal dessert that was really more of a sticky toffee and chocolate ganache torte, speckled throughout with crushed pecans.  This warm gooey chocolate cake is served with a spiced english custard and fresh berries, and topped with vanilla ice cream.  It's an exceptionally great finale.

Only open now for about a month, it seems that MexiQ is still ironing out some details and reworking a few components of what is turning out to be a delicious menu.  The general manager explained to me that they are taking quite seriously the feedback they receive, both in the restaurant and on websites such as Yelp.  "We really care about what customers are saying..." he explained.  "For example, we have already lowered the prices of our sodas and coffees because of feedback.  We're genuinely trying to listen to what our customers want, while maintaining our vision."

I've already been three times, and enjoyed exceptional service (ask for Michael or Erin), delicious food, and a very vibrant atmosphere.  While I admire their commitment to revision, I hope they don't change too much.  Because right now, it's a crazy-explosive-comfort-delicious blend of the American deep south and Mexico that I already quite love as it is.

Rosa Mexicano is still my favorite...

Rosa Mexicano at Lincoln Center (61 Columbus Avenue at 62nd St.)

When the original Rosa Mexicano opened up in 1984 on Manhattan's upper east side, it shook the restaurant scene by offering elevated classic Mexican cuisine in a more upscale, fine-dining setting.  While that original location (a longtime favorite of mine) still offers much of their original menu with a traditional and old school festive Mexican ambiance, the Rosa Mexicano brand has since expanded.  Now with 9 locations (including three in NYC), patrons can enjoy Rosa Mexicano in New Jersey, Maryland, even California.  Of course as I've watched their empire expand over the past several years, I grew fearful that quality would be compromised in the chain.  So I recently paid a visit to their more elegant and grandiose location across from Lincoln Center to see if I still enjoyed the dishes as much as I recalled (for several years, this was where my friends and I celebrated birthdays and special occasions).

While reservations are highly recommended (especially in the evening with Lincoln Center just a stone's throw away) if you do have to wait, the bar is simply beautiful, with backlit glass panels of pressed rose petals along the ceiling.  They offer the full drink selection, as well as the menu, so if you score a seat, it might be worthwhile option on an evening that an unreserved table seems unlikely.

My favorite seat in the house, however, is just up the floating orange and red terrazzo staircase.  A seat by the window offers impressive elevated views of Lincoln Center and Columbus Avenue, while a table on the railing overlooks a 30-foot iridescent blue tiled gently cascading water fall that steals your breath in the evening light.

With 240 miniature sculpted cliff divers soaring downwards, it's pretty easy to see why the interior has garnered awards and much acclaim.  But here is an insider tip.  Just as several Manhattan venues implement cover charges or admission fees for stunning evening ambiance or entertainment, Rosa Mexicano seems to have built theirs into the menu.  One of it's biggest criticisms has been the price.  Though portions are not noticeably different, lunch items are sometimes $5 cheaper than on their dinner menu.  If you are willing to gaze upon the waterfall in daylight, then lunch here is where you'll find the best deal.  Lunch is served 11:30 to 4:00 weekdays (brunch on the weekends until 2:30) so I recommend arriving around 2:00 to miss the business rush and enjoy a more relaxed early afternoon meal.

Although they've been serving flawless and addictive frozen pomegranate margaritas since long before it became Manhattan mainstream, the bar also offers many classic Mexican concoctions that you won't likely find elsewhere.  Consider La Paloma (Sauza Hornitos reposado tequila with grapefruit soda over ice), El Vaquero (agave nectar, muddled lemons, and grapefruit juice spiked with Jack Daniels), or the Martini Mexicano (Ketel One shaken with jalapeno-infused olive brine), not to mention a coconut-cilantro mojito or a spiced vanilla and clementine orange rosé sangria.

Quacamole is a no-brainer, the best and freshest in the city, so just plan on placing an order right away.  The server will ask you when he inquires whether you prefer tap or bottled agua.  Though they claim a single order serves two, it really is a perfect starter for up to four just to whet your palate for the upcoming meal (remember generous communal bowls of pureed black beans with cheese and deliciously tender red rice are served with the entrees, so plan on being filled up beyond your expectation).  Prepared tableside in traditional lava rock molcajete, the guacamole attendant will wheel a cart directly to you as he cuts open fresh avocado to blend with tomato, onion, cilantro, and jalapenos.  

Even the mild has a tiny kick to it, so order accordingly.  Be sure to clarify if you want no jalapenos whatsoever, as it is definitely present in even the mildest blend.  Along with the creamy avocado dip, you'll receive a basket of soft tortillas, crunchy chips, and ramekins of pasilla de oaxaca and a tomatillo and habanero salsa... smoky and tangy condiments intended to be used as accompaniments throughout the entire meal (although they taste wonderful on the tortillas alone).

My favorite empanadas anywhere are still Rosa Mexicano's empanadas de jaiba.  Three crispy corn turnovers are packed to bursting with jumbo lump crabmeat, and served with a creamy avocado salsa, as well as a mango pico de gallo.  Tropical sweet bits of mango dancing with salty sea lumps of crab and a golden pastry crunch is one of the most divine appetizer combinations fathomable ($12 at lunch or $14 at dinner... same portions).

Not many foods in this world are quite as sinfully delicious as a skillet of melted cheese.  For $9, we enjoyed a generous cast iron cauldron of melted chihuahua cheese with crumbled chorizo, rajas (slow-roasted peppers), and fresh cilantro.  Mix it with the guacamole, wrap it in fresh warm soft tortillas, or dip a crispy chip into it.  At a table for four, we devoured this rather quickly.

One of the best deals at Rosa Mexicano is the taco platter.  Pictured above is a pescado pibil, red snapper marinated in achiote, orange, and garlic, and topped with habanero-lime pickled onions.

Each of the taco skillets (chicken pictured above) are served with a bowl of red-bean chorizo chili, corn esquites (a Mexican street favorite), salsa, and soft corn tortillas, with a small salad of mixed greens.  At lunch, the chicken tacos are $13.50. When you consider that you can easily make four or five tacos with the portion, and individual tacos at authentic vendors in the city run close to $3 a piece, I'm not sure why so many people gripe about the prices at Rosa Mexicano.  Not to mention that they used extremely fresh and superb quality ingredients.  This exact same entree at dinner, however, is $18.50... which does seem like a rather arbitrary and ridiculous mark-up.

My friend ordered a dish I had not yet tried (and believe you me, I have tried almost everything here throughout the years), enchiladas mole blanco.  I have erroneously always assumed mole to be the poblano and chocolate sauce commonly used, but there apparently exist many other variations.  In this extremely satisfying rendition, two corn tortillas are generously stuffed with tangy and spicy tomato-chipotle shredded beef, then blanketed in a thick and creamy sweet corn and pine nut mole.  The rich buttery earthiness of the sauce juxtaposed with the piquant peppered beef was entirely unique and exciting for me to try.  This is a dish I would enthusiastically recommend again ($15... $19.75 at dinner)

I nearly panicked when scanning the menu I noticed the absence of my longtime favorite, the Budin Azteca.  Though my server couldn't offer an explanation, I was relieved to discover that it had simply been renamed Budin de Pollo.  Almost like a Mexican lasagna, this little baked pillow of cheesey deliciousness consists of layers of corn tortillas, pulled chicken, chihuahua cheese, corn, and roasted peppers, surrounded by a moat of poblano cream sauce.  If my arteries could afford it, this is a dish I could eat day after day, and remains one of my favorite guilty pleasures in the entire city.

Is there anything more traditional than churros en bolsa?  Warm Mexican doughnut sticks dusted with cinnamon and sugar.  Crisp and buttery on the outside, soft and warm inside, and served with chocolate, raspberry, and caramel dipping sauces.  Though the milky caramel was decadent, I couldn't help but double-dipping in the chocolate and raspberry for a sweet and tart cordial pastry combination.

Keeping up with the Manhattan cupcake obsession, Rosa Mexicano serves up its own version, the Pingüino... a moist chocolate cupcake filled with hazelnut mousse, topped with whipped creme fraiche.  The cocoa-nutty pastry sits in a pool of espresso-piloncillo (Mexican brown sugar) chocolate sauce and is crowned with a chocolate wafer completing the penguin effect.  This was a top hit at the table, moist, not ridiculously rich, balanced beautifully between the chocolate, mousse, and fresh cream.

One of the most unique and delicious of this classic dessert I have ever tried, the Flan de Rosa is incomparably creamy, almost like a vanilla bean panna cotta, served over a thin wafer of toasted almond cake for a unique contrast in texture and flavor you don't ordinarily find.  The pool of maple syrup was almost unnecessary, as the flan itself was so perfect, and paired with an absolutely exquisite and peppery chocolate mole sorbet. Just yet another prime example of how Rosa Mexicano takes classic Mexican recipes and adds just the right amount of elevation to transcend common street food.

The food, despite the somewhat muddled and confused pricing disparity between dinner and lunch, is at the top of its class.  It would be difficult to find better Mexican food in New York City.  And while you may prefer the street vendor or hole-in-the-wall vibe with your chips and salsa and Coronita, it is nice to know that you can enjoy delicious Mexican food and receive exceptional service as well; Rosa Mexicano's service would be hard to beat.  We had to chuckle, as they even drew a curtain in the dining room to separate the patrons from the incoming dinner staff gathering for pre-shift.  Though it's probably intended to delineate private gatherings, we appreciated not seeing or hearing the staff as they prepared for the evening and tasted communal samples of the day's specials.  If you're not going to share, I'd rather not see or hear about it.

Though some may argue, we found that you absolutely get more than what you pay for.  Although I will probably avoid the dinner menu inflation, anyone who considers themselves to be a true lover of Mexican cuisine should at least drop by for lunch.