Tag: New York

Oxomoco *

Oxomoco
128 Greenpoint Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11222
(646) 688-4180
Official Site

High-end Mexican restaurants are no longer uncommon. With the international exposure of Mexico City’s Pujol and Quintonil, particularly through their appearances on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, Mexican cuisine has become more popular than ever. The arrival of the Michelin Guide in Mexico in 2024 has further solidified Mexican cuisine’s place on the world culinary stage.

In New York City, there are now several Michelin-rated Mexican restaurants. In Brooklyn, Oxomoco is currently one of the longest-running Michelin-starred Mexican restaurants in the city, having maintained its Michelin star for seven consecutive years. The record was previously held by Casa Enrique, which held a star from 2014 to 2023.

Oxomoco opened in 2018 under chef Justin Bazdarich, who had already made a name for himself at the widely popular Speedy Romeo, a pizzeria in Brooklyn’s Clinton Hill neighborhood where he was chef and co-owner. Chef Bazdarich was also a veteran of the Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant group. He became the opening sous chef at Perry Street and went on to work at several other restaurants within the group’s portfolio.

Located in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood along Greenpoint Avenue, Oxomoco occupies a distinctive building sandwiched between neighboring structures that is hard to miss. The front of the restaurant features outdoor seating, while the spacious indoor dining room can accommodate a large number of guests. A long bar stretches the length of the restaurant, with an open kitchen at the far end and several seats directly in front of it. High ceilings and skylights brighten the room with natural light, while a cream, beige, and white color scheme gives the dining room a clean, contemporary feel. Semi-circular booths add to the comfortable layout.

Open for lunch and dinner, as well as weekend brunch, Oxomoco specializes in wood-fired Mexican cuisine. The restaurant offers an à la carte menu, with the majority of the dishes available during both lunch and dinner.

To start, the Ensalada Caesar – romaine, cotija, masa crunch was a generous portion, large enough to share between two people. The salad was extremely fresh and crunchy, and it was covered with generous shavings of cotija cheese. The cheese provided a sharp, milky saltiness, while a pleasant spiciness lingered in the background.

The Corn Aguachile – catch of the day, pico de gallo, nopales featured snapper on my visit. The raw snapper was fresh, with a bright citrusy sourness from the aguachile. The corn-based sauce had a subtle lime-like acidity, while pieces of charred corn and maize added texture. The charred corn also contributed a pleasant smoky, almost burnt flavor. Overall, this was a refreshing and light dish.

Moving on to the tostadas, the Peekytoe Crab Tostada – fennel salad, tartar sauce featured delicious crab meat. The fennel added freshness and texture, while the tartar sauce contributed subtle richness along with a touch of spice. The flavors were vibrant, with a combination of herbal and acidic notes. The Soya Marinated Tuna Tostada – avocado, salsa macha, radish is one of Oxomoco’s signature dishes and is served cold. The tuna was nicely marinated, with the sweetness of the soy sauce infused into the sumptuous fish. The avocado added creaminess to the tostada, while the salsa macha provided a beautiful touch of spiciness.

Oxomoco’s tacos come two to an order. The Suadero Tacos – beef cheeks, roasted jalapeño guacachile were extremely tasty. The beef cheeks were tender and flavorful, while a nice piece of roasted jalapeño and the creamy guacachile added a pleasant heat to the palate. The Maitake Tacos – herb ricotta, morita-ancho salsa, black trumpet chips were an excellent vegetarian option. The mushrooms were meaty and tender, while the thick salsa added depth and smokiness. The herb ricotta on which the mushrooms sat provided a wonderful herbal richness, while the mushroom chips added a satisfying crunch.

For dessert, the Hoja Santa Custard with strawberry granita was refreshing, fruity, and slightly sweet. There was an herbaceous and minty quality to the custard that paired beautifully with the strawberry granita. It was definitely a delightful dessert to finish the meal.

The food at Oxomoco was well made, with the flavors coming together evenly throughout the meal. There was some level of spiciness in almost every dish I had, but the spices were used primarily to enhance the flavors rather than overwhelm them. The heat was never excessive; instead, it complemented the other ingredients. Overall, the food was terrific and genuinely enjoyable.

The drink menu has some wine offerings, but there is a much more substantial selection of mezcal, agave spirits, and tequila. Since this is a Mexican restaurant, I went with the “Cocteles” section and ordered the Classic Margarita – lime, agave, tequila. It was refreshing, perfectly balanced, and expertly crafted.

As for service, there was nothing to complain about. The staff were friendly and personable. They did not explain the dishes in great detail when they arrived, generally just telling me what each dish was, as listed on the menu. However, whenever I asked questions, they were able to explain every component in considerable detail. I visited Oxomoco twice, once for an early dinner and another time for a late lunch, and the service did not falter on either occasion.

If there is one drawback to this restaurant, it is probably the price. At $27 for a tostada and more than $30 for an order of two tacos, it is quite pricey. That said, the food was well made and tasty. For one person, the server recommended three dishes as enough to feel satisfied, but that would cost an individual at least $100 including tax and gratuity, before drinks.

After visiting Oxomoco for both lunch and dinner, I found the restaurant to be remarkably consistent. From the food to the service, the quality remained strong on both visits. It is refined Mexican cooking with the flavors to match, and its continued Michelin recognition reflects the restaurant’s consistency.

Is this the best Mexican restaurant in New York City? That is ultimately a matter of personal interpretation. However, Oxomoco is certainly an impressive place to visit.

The Modern **

The Modern
@MOMA
9 W 53rd St.
New York, NY 10019
(212) 333-1220
Official Site

Museum dining and fine dining are pairings far less common than luxury hotels, however there are still a handful of Michelin-starred restaurants located inside museums, including several that have earned the coveted three-star distinction. In New York City, the most famous example is undoubtedly The Modern, housed inside the world-renowned Museum of Modern Art, more commonly known by its recognizable acronym, MoMA.

The Modern is the crown jewel of restaurateur extraordinaire Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, the hospitality empire behind some of New York’s most iconic restaurants including Eleven Madison Park (now owned by Daniel Humm), Gramercy Tavern, Union Square Cafe, and the global burger phenomenon Shake Shack. The restaurant earned its first Michelin star in 2005 during the guide’s inaugural New York City edition under chef Gabriel Kreuther, before receiving its second star in 2015 under chef Abram Bissell. Today, executive chef Thomas Allan has successfully maintained the restaurant’s two-star status since taking over the kitchen in 2020.

Prior to becoming executive chef at The Modern, chef Allan worked at several high-profile New York City restaurants including Eleven Madison Park under Daniel Humm and Per Se before moving to Paris to train under Yannick Alléno at the then three Michelin-starred Le Meurice.

The restaurant has its own dedicated entrance separate from the museum. Upon entering, guests are first greeted by The Bar Room, which operates almost as a separate entity with a more relaxed and casual atmosphere. Beyond that lies the main dining room, which overlooks MoMA’s Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the room with natural light, brightening the otherwise understated interior. White tablecloths, black leather chairs, and horseshoe-shaped booths give the room a refined elegance, although the space is beginning to show its age and could benefit from a refresh.

The Modern offers several dining options. Lunch features a three-course prix fixe at $115, while dinner offers a five-course menu for $175. Both lunch and dinner also feature the restaurant’s full tasting menu priced at $275, which I opted for during this late lunch visit.

The meal began with two small snacks. The venison tartare horseradish cream was excellent — bright, citrusy, and balanced with just enough horseradish to provide bitterness and spice without overpowering the tartare itself. The potato crumble added a welcome crunch. Meanwhile, the tuna and celery was refreshing and clean with vibrant acidity.

Tasting Menu:

Next came The Modern’s signature dish and undoubtedly its most famous creation: Eggs on Eggs on Eggs. This course, normally a $75 supplement on the prix fixe menu, is included in the tasting menu. The dish combines egg yolk, egg custard, and generous amounts of caviar into one deeply indulgent bite. When mixed together, it becomes extraordinarily decadent and luxurious. It is one of those dishes that fully lives up to its reputation. Served alongside warm brioche toast, which acted as the perfect vessel for scooping every last bit, the restaurant thoughtfully provided an extra piece of toast that was equally delicious on its own.

The Chilled lobster, shiso and green radish followed. The lobster itself was cooked beautifully — firm yet tender — while the paper-thin radish slices added a subtle peppery spice. The shiso vinaigrette brought brightness and citrusy freshness that tied the dish together elegantly. The bread course consisted of Pumpkin seed sourdough and cultured butter. Freshly baked, the bread had a perfectly crackling crust while maintaining a warm and airy interior.

The Grilled madai with crosnes and shishito peppers showcased precise execution. The fish featured beautifully crisp skin with light charred notes while remaining moist and delicate underneath. The accompanying sauce carried a pleasant acidity that complemented the fish. Peas added freshness while the potato and garlic elements grounded the dish.

Another standout was the Seared scallops, white asparagus and beluga lentils. The scallops were prepared wonderfully with a delicate sweetness and mild oceanic brininess. The roasted lentils added earthiness while the parmesan foam and clam brown butter sauce contributed another layer of richness and complexity.

For the main course, I was served Australian wagyu beef,salsify, pickled red cabbage. The wagyu arrived perfectly medium rare with a beautiful rosy center. It was intensely flavorful and exceptionally juicy. The juniper and bacon sauce brought deep savory richness while the pickled cabbage provided enough acidity to balance the fat of the beef. The salsify, with its subtle earthiness, was an excellent accompaniment.

The Hibiscus, coconut, and tarragon palate cleanser was simple yet refreshing. Its chilled temperature and floral brightness acted as a soothing transition into dessert. Dessert was Dark chocolate cremeux, black cherries and almond. The silky chocolate custard paired beautifully with the tartness of the cherries and the crunch of chocolate crumble. Almond ice cream added nuttiness and balance. Afterwards, several petits fours including apricot with orange blossom, guava mandarin, and strawberry bites ended the meal on a high note.

This tasting menu was superb from beginning to end. The cooking was meticulous, technically sound, and consistently polished throughout the entire meal. Some diners may argue that the cuisine plays things safe, however I viewed it instead as disciplined and refined. Each course was thoughtfully composed with flavors that remained approachable without sacrificing sophistication. Ingredient quality was evident throughout the progression.

The sommelier recommended a rosé to begin the meal before transitioning into a Pinot Noir for the latter half of the tasting. Both French wines paired seamlessly with the dishes they accompanied.

Hospitality has always been one of the defining strengths of any Danny Meyer restaurant, and The Modern fully embodies that reputation. From the moment I walked in, the staff were warm, welcoming, and genuinely personable. The servers were polished, knowledgeable, and confidently explained each course while answering questions thoroughly. Despite arriving for a late lunch, there was never any sense of being rushed. The service remained attentive while still feeling relaxed and natural.

Two Michelin-starred restaurants in New York City are never inexpensive, yet The Modern remains relatively wallet-friendly compared to many of its peers. The prix fixe menus, particularly during lunch, are still accessible by fine dining standards. Including several glasses of wine, tax, and tip, my tasting menu came to just under $500 for one person. While certainly expensive, it remains more reasonable than many other two-star establishments in the city where dinner alone can easily surpass $300 before beverages.

Ever since opening, The Modern has consistently remained among New York City’s elite restaurants for more than two decades — a remarkable achievement in one of the most fiercely competitive dining scenes in the world. Over the years, many chefs who passed through its kitchen have gone on to successful careers of their own, further cementing the restaurant’s legacy and influence.

The Modern continues to thrive, and after this visit, I do not see that momentum slowing anytime soon. Its future remains incredibly bright, and the restaurant appears poised to remain a New York dining institution for many more decades to come.

Estela *

Estela
47 E Houston St 1st floor
New York, NY 10012
(212) 219-7693
Official Site

Bistronomy is a term coined in the early 2000s by French food critic Sébastien Demorand—a fusion of “bistro” and “gastronomy,” describing high-quality, creative cooking served in a more relaxed, casual setting. In essence, it delivers fine dining caliber food without the formalities traditionally attached to it. In New York City, one of the most notable examples of this movement is the one-Michelin-starred Estela in NoHo.

Opened in 2013 by Uruguayan-born chef Ignacio Mattos, Estela quickly became a critical darling, earning a two-star review from The New York Times and securing its Michelin star in 2019, which it has maintained ever since. Before striking out on his own, Chef Mattos trained at Chez Panisse under Alice Waters and worked with Argentine celebrity chef Francis Mallmann. He later moved to New York, spending time at Il Buco before opening the acclaimed Isa in Williamsburg. With Estela’s success, Mattos went on to launch Mattos Hospitality, which also operates Altro Paradiso.

Estela sits along Houston Street, tucked above a bar known for its inexpensive happy hour specials. Upon entering, a marble bar immediately comes into view, setting the tone before the space opens into a compact, lively dining room that can get quite loud. Tables are tightly packed in a mix of formats, paired with hard wooden chairs, while the worn wooden floors creak with nearly every step—adding to the restaurant’s unpolished, downtown charm.

Open for dinner seven days a week and lunch on weekends, the restaurant offers an à la carte menu with a solid range of options. For two diners, our server recommended ordering five to six dishes—a suggestion we gladly followed. We began with a Sourdough miche with butter and olives served warm. Priced at $7 and not complimentary, it delivered a deeply crusty exterior with a satisfying chew, while the olives provided a simple, briny counterpoint.

The Oysters with yuzu kosho mignonette, at $5 each, were exceptionally fresh. They carried a clean marine brininess, lifted by bright citrus notes and a gentle heat that lingered pleasantly. The Beef tartare with elderberries and sunchoke followed, offering a balance of freshness and depth. The elderberries introduced subtle sweetness and acidity, while the sunchokes added a mild earthiness that grounded the richness of the beef.

A standout was the Mackerel with smoked torpedo onion and caviar. The fish itself was firm yet tender, with a luscious oiliness. The smoked onion contributed a soft sweetness and gentle smokiness, and when combined with the caviar, the dish became an intense, satisfying burst of flavor.

The Fried arroz negro, squid, and romesco—one of the restaurant’s signature dishes—was Estela’s take on the Valencian classic. The rice had a crisp texture while remaining approachable, delivering a deep, oceanic intensity that made it one of the most memorable plates of the evening. The Ricotta dumplings with mushrooms and pecorino sardo offered a softer, more comforting contrast: pillowy, cheese-laden dumplings bathed in a delicate leek broth, layered with thinly sliced mushrooms and sharp pecorino.

The Crescent duck with stuffed cabbage and date was beautifully executed. The duck was cooked to a perfect rosy pink, tender and succulent, with concentrated flavor. The accompanying stuffed cabbage, filled with duck, reinforced the richness, while the dates added a welcome touch of sweetness to round out the dish.

For dessert, we sampled two offerings. The Chocolate cake with sesame ganache and cream was deeply decadent—rich, dense, and thoroughly indulgent.In contrast, the Poached pear with pistachio and sobayon leaned lighter, with natural fruit sweetness complemented by a silky custard-like sabayon and a nutty pistachio finish.

Dining as a pair allowed us to experience a broad cross-section of the menu. The cooking at Estela is deceptively simple in appearance but layered in technique and thought. Each dish feels restrained yet complex, with a clear focus on flavor. Overall, the meal was cohesive, creative, and thoroughly enjoyable.

Service matched the tone of the restaurant—casual yet polished. Our server was warm, personable, and attentive, offering clear explanations of each dish with genuine enthusiasm.

For dinner for two, including two glasses of wine each, the total came to just over $400 with tax and gratuity. While certainly on the pricier side, the quantity and quality of the eight dishes we shared left us fully satisfied.

Bistronomy, at its best, offers the luxury of exceptional cooking without the weight of occasion. There are nights when one craves food of fine dining caliber without the ceremony, and Estela delivers precisely that. It’s a reminder of why New York City remains one of the best places in the world to dine.