Yo Quiero Pompano

In the past I have expressed my disdain for the Mexican food (especially burritos) in New York. But, thanks to a suggestion from a friend and fellow blogger, I have found a place that may have completely changed my opinion for good. Pompano Taqueria is the off-shoot of Pompano, a high-end Mexican restaurant run by Chef Richard Sandoval. This taco is truly a hidden gem, unless you are fortunate enough to work in the building in which it is located.

Pompano Taqueria has a small, but impressive, menu that features flavor combinations that are available on tacos, quesadillas, tortas, or burritos. I had to go with the namesake items and ordered two tacos: one Alambre with grilled chicken and one Pescado. I also made it a combo, which, for $2.50 more, gives you rice and beans, a soda, and a bag of homemade tortilla chips. But, here’s a Miss Menu tip: If you order two tacos (or more), it automatically comes with chips.

But, back to the heavenly tacos. The Alambre consisted of perfectly grilled chicken with poblano rajas (grilled peppers) and melted manchego cheese served in a flour tortilla. I have only recently begun to truly appreciate the goodness that is manchego cheese. And now that I have seen the light, I can’t get enough of it. This may have easily been the best taco I’ve ever had, and without a doubt the best one I’ve ever had in NYC. I seriously didn’t want to finish the last bite!

The Pescado featured sautéed king fish with napa cabbage and a chipotle sauce in a flour tortilla. The king fish was really tender and not fishy at all. The cabbage gave it a great crunch, but I wasn’t the biggest fan of the chipotle sauce. I know chipotle is suppose to be smoky, but this was a little too much. If you are a chipotle flavor fan, then I’m sure you’ll love this taco though.

Now, for the extras. The authentic chips were fantastic and not greasy at all. They definitely were good enough to eat on their own, but tasted even better with the salsas. There was a salsa/toppings bar next to the cash register that features 3 salsas, a pica de gallo, chopped red onions, and cilantro. I tried the roasted tomato and the tomatillo salsas, both of which were very flavorful. I didn’t even want to put them on the tacos because the flavors were so good on their own. The rice and beans were pretty disappointing. The rice was on the bland side and the beans tasted straight out of the can. I ended up pouring some of the roasted tomato salsa on them to give it a boost. It helped a little, but I would have rather had another taco than fill up on the rice and beans.

Another Miss Menu tip: If you call ahead, you can skip the line and walk right up to the front to pick up your order. If you work in Midtown West, this makes it even more reason to make the trek to 3rd Avenue during your lunch hour! The line to order doesn’t take long, but there can be a decent wait to pick up your food. I waited about 10 minutes. At least you can be sure that the tacos aren’t pre-made and sitting under a heat lamp!

All in all, this was one of the best Midtown lunches I’ve had, without a doubt. The food was delicious, and you could taste how fresh the quality ingredients were. Pompano Taqueria is seriously unlike anything else available in the area and a true culinary treat. I’m already planning my next taco outing!

Pompano Taqueria
Pavillion Food Court - Lower Level
805 Third avenue
b/t 49th & 50th Street
website

A Food Network Chef's Cetrico Focus

I love venturing out to different neighborhoods in NYC. Each one has such a different feel...and more importantly for Miss Menu, even more new restaurants to try! I headed down to Tribeca on Saturday to try Centrico, an upscale Mexican restaurant. When checking out the restaurant's website and menu before heading downtown, the chef's name looked really familiar to me. I put it together that Aaron Sanchez was recently a contestant on Food Network's Next Iron Chef. Then I remembered that he was eliminated pretty early on in the competition. Hmm...I was seriously hoping he left the issues he had in the Next Iron Chef kitchen out of Centrico's kitchen!

Centrico has a great corner location...perched up high with tall ceilings and large windows that give it a very open and airy ambiance. When the weather permits, tables fill the wrap-around outdoor seating area. The restaurant has a simple, yet slightly-outdated, decor that manages to feel typically Mexican without the requisite sombreros and cacti. To start the meal off right, we ordered margaritas, which came in many different flavors, both frozen and on the rocks. I got the raspberry frozen margarita, which had freshly crushed raspberries on the bottom of the glass, topped with a very strong frozen margarita mix.

On the menu, it seemed like there were more entradas (starters) than there were platos principales (main dishes). By now, I'm sure you can guess what I suggested to my friend...let's order a bunch of appetizers to split! We weren't sure how many to order, so we started with three and let the waiter know we'd probably be ordering more later. First up for the first batch was the Queso Fundido. Think small baked casserole of hot, melty cheese with chorizo and potatoes mixed in. It was served with tiny, handmade corn tortillas that tasted so different and SO much better than the standard, packaged tortilla. My friend ate the chorizo, which left me with plenty of cheesy, potato goodness. In my opinion, melted cheese almost always tastes good, but the flavor of this dish was unbelievable.

Next up was the Plantanos Rellenos...sweet plantains filled with smoky beans,
drizzled with crema fresca. Despite not seeing or tasting much crema fresca, the flavor of the plantains with the black beans was really good. Problem was, it seemed like they had gotten cold after being prepared, and weren't as good as they probably could have been. People who know me well always think it's funny that I like plantains when bananas are one of my least favorite foods (read: I can't stand being around someone who is eating one!).

Rounding out this first batch was the Tostadas de Jaiba. Having no background in the Spanish language, I got a kick out of how that word is pronounced...sounds like High-ee-buh. Who knew?! I am usually not one to eat crab, but the waiter highly recommended this dish, so I had to give it a taste. It was made up of round tortilla chips that were topped with lump crabmeat, avocado, cilantro, and the most delicious chipotle-lime aioli. I have recently decided that I love almost every aoili I have ever had...such great, creative flavors combinations.

I was feeling pretty good at this point, but my friend wasn't satisfied yet. So, we went back for more, and decided on one more entrada each. I chose the Quesadilla de Verduras and my friend got the Camarones Crujientes. The quesadilla was described as being filled with seasonal vegetables, queso oaxaca, and topped with a roasted tomatillo salsa. Sounds pretty simple, but unfortunately it was too simple. The tortilla was one of the packaged kinds, which was disappointing after tasting the handmade ones earlier. And the seasonal vegetables consisted only of mushrooms. Now, I'm no farmer, but I'm pretty sure more than just mushrooms are in season right now...somewhere in the world. Basically, the only redeeming quality was the queso oaxaca. As I said before, melted cheese always makes it better! The tomatillo salsa was really flavorful and a nice addition too. I took my friend's word for it that the shrimp were tasty. I just couldn't get over them staring at me from the plate...can't stand when they're served head-on, even when I'm not eating them!

All in all, it was a pretty good meal. Some things were definitely amiss, and I can't help but think maybe they were similar to Sanchez's mistakes on the show. But, Centrico featured some interesting twists on class Mexican dishes. While this restaurant may not be "centrico" (centrally located) in Manhattan, it's definitely worth a trip downtown. If anything, just go to sit outside and enjoy a margarita and some queso fundido on a beautiful day.

Centrico
211 West Broadway
@ Franklin Street
website
Menu Pages listing

Run from the Border

As I mentioned in my last post, Mexican restaurants can be very hit-or-miss. Unfortunately, after a great meal at El Rio Grande, I was slightly let down by Viva Pancho the next night. Now, I should clarify that I still had a great time out with my co-workers for one of their birthdays, but that great time was hardly complimented by great food.

Viva Pancho is a hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant just off from Times Square, and tucked in between Virgil's Real Barbecue and a deli. It would be easy to miss if there wasn't a man in a sombrero standing in front of the restaurant holding a menu. Once inside, the restaurant feels like it's trying a little too hard to feel authentic. On a more positive note, the host/waitstaff is accommodating for large parties, like we were, and the service is very fast.

I have come to Viva Pancho before both for drinks and for meals, and I quickly learned after a meal or two that their food is just plain bad. The enchiladas and burritos are way too light on filling. The chicken is poor quality, slimy dark meat, and almost all of the dishes are bland. Even the salsa is watery and mediocre. But, I have learned one thing...after these experiences, the drinks are the only safe bet.

Our group ordered a few pitchers of margaritas, which were great. I've also had the sangria that was very good. I ended up trying some of my friend's chicken fajitas, and I have to say that if/when I go back to Viva Pancho, I will definitely be ordering those. Because some of my co-workers frequent the restaurant a lot and know some of the waiters, they brought out a few rounds of fruity shots on the house, as well two desserts. See, I can find the positive in every situation! The flan was just ok, but the fried ice cream blew me away. Huge pieces of fried cinnamon dough were covered with vanilla ice cream. Divine! Actually, I may rethink that fajita idea. Is it wrong to order just a margarita and dessert next time?!

Next time I have a craving for Mexican food during work, I will definitely turn here for some Midtown Lunch ideas. Or if you have any suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments section. Gracias!

Viva Pancho
156 West 44th Street
b/t 6th & 7th Avenue
website
Menu Pages listing

Run for the Border

To me, Mexican restaurants in NYC fall into one of two categories: great food, or great margaritas and crappy food. So, when you come across one that fits into both categories, it's worth making note of it. I had been to Rio Grande numerous times for drinks. The two large bar areas (and large patio areas when the weather is nice) attract a huge after-work crowd that comes for one thing, and one thing only...the margaritas. Ask anyone who works in Midtown, and they're bound to have had one of these small, but lethal drinks. They are available in different flavors such as strawberry and pomegranate. But, be warned, the flavored, frozen ones are much stronger than the regular flavor because the tequila is added by hand rather than pre-mixed.

Ok, so the drinks are great, but how was the food, you ask? Well, when I finally went to Rio Grande for dinner, and not just drinks, I discovered that the food is actually very good. And dinner there last week was no different.

The tortilla chips they bring out to the table are nothing special, but what turns them into fabulous are the two salsas that are served with them. One is a more familiar pico de gallo-style salsa. The other, though...I haven't been able to figure out quite what it is (my waiter didn't even know), but it has become my favorite salsa-type dip. What one of my friends and I have coined "the green sauce" could best describe it as a tomatillo, cilantro salsa. Pure deliciousness.

I ordered a chicken quesadilla, and it was delicious. Unlike some Mexican restaurants in this city, they actually use white meat chicken. It was marinated and cooked really well, giving it a great flavor. My friend ordered the Burrito San Francisco, and really liked it as well. It was a good size, but not overstuffed, and was served with rice and beans.

Whether you are looking for a fun place to grab a drink cold drink on a hot day, or a restaurant serving quality, tasty Tex-Mex fare...Vamos al Rio Grande!

El Rio Grande
160 East 38th Street
b/t 3rd & Lexington Avenue
website
Menu Pages listing