Tag: horchata

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Events

Trip.com Mar 20 -27

Trip.com is an innovative planning tool that tailors recommendations for places to stay, eat and play to your specific tastes. It also allows you to share your great experiences with people who have the same interests as you; people in your “tribes.”

Trip.com’s TripPicks This Week feature empowers you to discover and take advantage of great events, openings and exhibits throughout the city each week.

Here are some exciting events and sites to check out this week in Downtown New York, courtesy of Trip.com. Visit the Trip.com site or download the app for more upcoming events.

1. Craft Beer Fest
Metropolitan Pavilion (Flatiron)
Friday, Mar. 24-Saturday, Mar. 26 (Check site for entry times)

You’re in a for a real brewer’s treat at NYC Craft Beer Festival. Over 75 breweries from across the country will be showcasing their craft beers, meads, ciders (including limited release and seasonal selections) and spirits. Chat with industry professionals, shop an array of cool vendors, play games and purchase yummy food! Tickets start at $55.

2. Adventures in Art and Technology
459 West 14th St. (Meatpacking District)
Wednesday-Thursday from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PMm; Saturday-Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

ARTech: Adventures in Art and Technology is a new pop-up activity space that allows kids and adults to take part in “STEAM-based experiential workshops, installations, and interactive moments.” Whether it’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Art or Mathematics, these fun activity stations will foster curiosity, teach problem solving and build confidence. FREE!

3. New Retro Restaurant Bar
The Flower Shop (Lower East Side)
Sunday-Wednesday from 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM; Thursday-Saturday from 5:00 PM to 2:00 AM

Flower Shop, the new 3,000 square foot bi-level restaurant/lounge is basically a 1970s adult playground. Upstairs, feast on oysters with grapefruit and black pepper mignonette, or fried chicken with curry sauce and burnt lime. Then, head downstairs, to the party den, to play a game of pool, browse the jukebox tunes, stare aimlessly at the fish tank or sit back with with the Pirate Rose cocktail by the funky, pink fireplace.

4. Coffee Shop Spa
Chillhouse (Lower East Side)
Daily from 8am-8pm (Spa services begin at 10am)

Want the ultimate chill experience? Indulge in a toxin-free manicure or a relaxing massage, accompanied by ube-bey latte, beet-root horchata or a glass of organic wine and treats from Maman, Po-Po’s and Ra Bliss Balls. Chillhouse opens Tuesday, Mar. 21, providing us with a much needed respite from this long, ugly winter.

5. Mykki Blanco with Cakes Da Killa
Bowery Ballroom (Lower East Side)
Sunday, Mar. 26 at 9pm

Rapper, performance artist, writer and activist, Mykki Blanco is a force to be reckoned with! Unconventional, radical and flashy, her rhymes are sharp – careful not to get burned! She tours with Cakes Da Killa. $17.

6. The American Line
Skarstedt (Chelsea)
Tuesday-Friday from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM; Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM

A line speaks of borders, directions and roads. The American Line is an exhibition that “interrogates our many understandings of the line.” On displays are paintings, photographs, sculptures and installations by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Liz Larner, Sol LeWitt, Paul McCarthy, Richard Prince, Fred Sandback, Lawrence Weiner, Christopher Wool and Sue Williams. FREE!

7. Conveyer-Belt Sushi Chain in NYC
Yo! (Flatiron)
Monday-Thursday from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM; Friday-Saturday from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM; Sunday from 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM

The U.K.-based conveyer-belt sushi chain Yo! has arrived in New York! Creative takes on Japanese street food and sushi, color coded by price, are up for grabs. Try the New York City exclusive Avocado Nori Taco, the flame-seared Salmon and Ikura Sushi or the crispy Katsu Sando.

Categories
Culture Music

Highlights from the 2016 Epiphone Revolver Music Awards’ Black Carpet

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Earlier this week, the 2016 Epiphone Revolver Music Awards took place in the East Village’s Webster Hall. Notable attendees included Walking Dead star Norman Reedus, Orange Is The New Black actress Jessica Pimentel, celebrity chef Chris Santos, KISS co-founder Ace Frehley, Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine, comedian Don Jamieson and classic New York band Anthrax.

Downtown was on-site at the pre-event Black Carpet, which was hosted inside The Sports Bar on East 11th. As touring musicians are known to dine out regularly, we asked Epiphone Revolver Music Awards attendees about their favorite New York City restaurants. The owners of Vandal and Mira Sushi ought to be very pleased.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCFAhcniCeY

Frankie Bello, Anthrax – Santos’ restaurant, Beauty & Essex.

Jesse Leach, Killswitch Engage – Cookshop, 10th Avenue and 20th [Street]. It’s farm-to-table, legit. I’ve seen them driving the truck up to the place and taking the animals and veggies off the truck. That place is amazing. Super-good food.

Ann Courtney, Mother Feather: First thing comes to the top of my head is Yakitori Taisho. But I’ve gotta give some love to Chris Santos and Vandal. Vandal is outstanding.

Mina Caputo, Life Of Agony – I don’t know, there’s so many of them. It’s so hard to choose. That’s like asking me, “What’s my favorite artist?” Maybe Cafe Orlin, right over here.

Shaun Morgan, Seether – Ballato’s, it’s down on Houston [Street]. It’s a nice little Italian place, only five or six tables. Good place.

Elias Soriano, Nonpoint – Right now, the 5 Napkin Burger. It’s probably the best burger in the city right now.

Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Art Of Anarchy – One of my favorite restaurants was a place called Resto on 29th [Street] near Lexington and Park, but unfortunately they closed down. I would love going there and getting the deviled eggs and getting their pulled pork grilled cheese sandwich. It was delicious comfort food that just made you feel good.

John LaMacchia, Candiria – I’m going to say Vandal by Chris Santos. That’s my favorite spot right now.

Carley Coma, Candiria – Vandal as well. (laughs)

Danny Grossarth, Candiria – I don’t want to double-pick. (laughs) My favorite restaurant is Mira Sushi in Flatiron.

Leon Lyazidi, Cilver: I eat really late at night and there’s a place called L’express. It’s a 24-hour three or four-star French restaurant. Republic’s also awesome.

Uliana Preotu, Cilver: Mine is definitely by far Totto Ramen. I will stay in line for that ramen soup and I will eat it all because you cannot take it home. Go to Totto Ramen.

Ben Flanagan, Black Map: Sbarro’s. I wouldn’t go anywhere but Times Square for my pizza. (laughs) There’s a pizzeria called Nick’s that one of my best friends has worked at for years that I go to every time I’m here. That’s not the most sophisticated answer, but it’s better than Sbarro, right? (laughs)

Sarabeth Linden, Tower – My favorite restaurant is Sarabeth’s Kitchen, because I was named after Sarabeth’s Kitchen.

James Danzo, Tower – My favorite restaurant is Minitalia Pizza on Fresh Pond Road, owned by Rocco Labianca. The best slice you’ll ever have.

Philippe Arman, Tower – My favorite restaurant is a tiny place called Smile To Go. It is amazing.

Dylan Kirouac, The Wild! – I’ve only been here three times, and every time I see a radio station, a venue and a hotel. But I know you’ve got some good pizza, so you’ve got to show me where the best one’s at.

Matt Helpern, Periphery: Mira Sushi. Chef Brian Tsao. We’re big foodies, that’s a great spot to go.

Dave Davidson, Revocation – I just tried this placed called The Bao down the street. I’d never been there before. It was really, really good. I’ll tell you my favorite donut spot is Dough in Bed-Stuy. That place rules.

Frankie Palmeri, Emmure – Shout out to Nagoya on Kings Highway in South Brooklyn. That’s my favorite place to go to in all of New York.

Casey DC, 9ELECTRIC – Rizzo’s Pizza in Astoria, Queens.

Connor Garritty, All Hail The Yeti – Horchata Restaurant.

Mike Protich, Red Sun Rising: I don’t know. Every time I’m here, I’ve got to do press. (laughs)

Categories
Dining

Gordo’s Cantina brings great Mexican food to Long Island City

Horchatta from Gordo's Cantina

Horchata from Gordo's Cantina
Horchata from Gordo’s Cantina

Gordo’s Cantina, a well-known festival and street food kiosk, has a new location in Long Island City selling their authentic Mexican food.

“Everything on the menu is homemade,” said JR Savage, the owner and founder of Gordo’s Cantina.

The brick and mortar café is situated alongside the 59th Street Bridge. The old-fashioned cafe has a hip and homey feel to it, perfect for family and friends to dine.

Gobernador Taco from Gordo's Cantina
Gobernador Taco from Gordo’s Cantina

Downtown got to taste some tasty items on the menu, including Taco Gobernador, a dish served with grilled tortillas, shrimp, poblano peppers and menonita cheese. If you’re ever in the area, an item to try is the Pollo Burrito, served with flour tortillas, refried bean spread, chihuahua cheese and grilled marinated chicken.

If you’re looking for something sweet to complete your meal, Gordo’s offers classic Mexican Churros with cajeta and chocolate sauce.

From open face quesadillas to Chorizo Tacos, whatever you’re craving, Gordo’s Cantina will serve something up to satisfy.

Enchiladas Suizas from Gordo's Cantina
Enchiladas Suizas from Gordo’s Cantina

Mariah Brown is a lifestyle writer and events enthusiast. She currently resides in Brooklyn, New York. Mariah Brown can be followed on Twitter via @mariahbrownnyc.

Categories
Dining

Get the Fiesta Started with these Cinco de Mayo NYC Picks

cinco de mayo
Tacos at Cafe el Presidente Photo: Courtesy of Paul Wagtouicz, Timeout.com
cinco de mayo
Tacos at Cafe el Presidente
Photo: Courtesy of Paul Wagtouicz, Timeout.com

With Cinco de Mayo just around the corner, it’s time to start searching for some of the best Mexican restaurants and deals going on. Luckily for you, we’ve compiled a list of great places (and deals!) that you should check out downtown!

cinco de mayo
Photo: Courtesy of tacombi.com

Tacombi|Cafe el Presidente

30 W 24th St, New York, NY 10010

Located in the Flatiron district, Cafe el Presidente is truly a discovery with its Mexico City-style decor and freshly made dishes that evoke authentic Mexican culture.  Everything is made from scratch with sustainably sourced ingredients, including the corn and flour tortillas that are made fresh all day long from the on-site tortilleria.

The highlight of Cafe el Presidente is their tacos. The menu allows you to mix and match the different varieties, and they are all served on their homemade tortillas. The tacos are a bit small, but each one is bursting with flavor. We were able to try almost all the tacos served on the menu. My favorites were the maiz y poblano, which was the grilled corn and poblano chile topped with cheese, and the nopal de matehuala, which was actually cactus, but looked and tasted just like string beans! I was also able to try the quesadilla maiz azul, which was absolutely delicious and left me wanting more.

The cocktails were also equally delicious. We were able to try their classic margarita, piña colada, and another called the “Zapata,” which was El Dorado rum mixed with hints of hibiscus and elderflower. It was definitely an unexpected, but delicious, fruity combination.

Cafe el Presidente is a must-try for anyone looking for some great Mexican food in the downtown area. Be sure to check them out just in time for Cinco de Mayo!!

cinco de mayo
Photo: Courtesy of horchata.com

Horchata New York

470 Sixth Avenue, New York City (between 11th and 12th Street)

Tucked away in Greenwich Village by Union Square, is another Mexican gem that you should definitely try out for Cinco de Mayo. Not only is the food delicious, but they will also be offering special deals for May 5 only!

Starting at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5, guests can enjoy a variety of 5 for $5 items, including:

Five menu items for $5 (each)

  • Tacos (1) Coles de Bruselas, Pescado, Bistec, Cochinta Pibil
  • Nachos
  • Classic Guacamole
  • Corn
  • Flan
Five drink items for $5 (each)
  • Tequila Corralejo tequila shot
  • Frozen margarita (1 seasonal flavor)
  • Sangria
  • Tecate and shot
  • Classic margarita

Additional specials also include $25 margarita pitchers and a bucket of six Coronas, also for $25. The frozen margaritas are delicious. We were able to try the frozen strawberry margarita, as well as the blood orange and jalapeño cucumber margaritas on the rocks.

The food was as equally delicious, as we were able to sample the guacamole trio, which included the classic, butternut squash, and enchilado varieties. It was served with fresh-made tortilla chips, and it was the perfect starter to kick things off. We also sampled the flautas, which were crispy to perfection and bursting with flavor, and enchiladas dobladas. To finish things off, we sampled the tres leches de crepes for dessert, and it was fantastic. It was essentially a slice of cake, layered with crepes and served with Mexican vanilla ice cream and tres leches sauce.

You will not want to miss Horchata’s food and special Cinco de Mayo deals, so be sure to pop in and grab a bite to eat!

cinco de mayo
Photo: Courtesy of wnewyorkdowntown.com

The W Hotel- Downtown

123 Washington Street, New York, NY 10006

The W Hotel located right across the street from One World Trade Center, will also be having Cinco de Mayo specials from 6-9 p.m. on May 5.

Guests can enjoy a night of tequila cocktails, drink specials, snacks, and prizes. Deals will be as follows: $5 Coronas, $10 margaritas, and house made chips and guacamole all night. If you are up for it, try the signature cocktail of the night, the Desert Heart, which will exclusively be served Tuesday night only. When guests order this specialty cocktail, they will receive a mini piñata with special prizes, including complimentary stays at the W Bogota and the W Mexico City.

If you’re interested in making your own Desert Heart, check out the recipe here:

In a shaker: Combine

  • 1 1/2 ounces White Tequila
  • 1/2 ounce Mezcal
  • 1/4 ounce Triple Sec
  • 1/4 ounce Passion Fruit Syrup
  • 1 ounce Grapefruit Juice
  • 1/4 ounce Falernum

Add ice and shake 20x. Strain and serve over crushed ice.

Be sure to check out these Mexican restaurants and their deals for one day only, you won’t want to miss it!

 

-by: Jackie Hart

Categories
Dining

Horchata: Spice Up Your Evening Downtown

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The much loved BLT Burger on 6th Avenue has made a smooth (and delicious) transition through the deep south and all the way to Mexico. Horchata has taken the burger, flipped it on its head (no pun intended) and has matured in the tender 3 weeks of opening up to become an intimate, yet youthful, hang out in Midtown. Oh, and the food is good too!

Mexico has been devotedly entwined into every part of Horchata, from the ornaments perched on the shelves above the diner’s heads, to the authentically upholstered benches. Colors pop from the plates to the walls. The restaurant is a long way off traditional and, frankly, it wouldn’t work in any other way. The atmosphere and the thrill of the taste seemed to ride on a humorous undercurrent that lifted the restaurant into a playful territory that even the most salmon soul would relish. Happy hour was booming, drinks and laughter were flowing. The accumulation of the contented crowd and the clinking of our cutlery harmonized to form a palliative soundtrack to the sit down meal.

The names of the dishes have a cheeky enticement to them, creating unique stories in of themselves. Check out the menu here. We found ourselves analyzing the menu, thinking of connections between the words before we even began to choose, making the all-important menu decision even harder. The waiters seemed to absorb the humor of the menu, mirrored in the energetic service and can-do attitude. Nothing seemed out of reached, no dish seemed unknown to our waitress, who could confidently talk about each plate we were served in astounding detail, to the point that there were no nasty surprises once it came to the all-important tasting.

Our portion sizes were ideal, not enough to overwhelm, just enough for you to walk away without craving a snack. The Brussels Sprouts Taco was suggested to us because it had proved to be one of the most popular dishes the restaurant since opening 3 weeks ago. It wasn’t hard to see why! The flavors in the taco were perfectly balanced. The poblano chilli gave the taco a pleasant punch, but didn’t set our mouths on fire. So not the best choice for the dare-devils or meat-lovers of New York. The nachos were tasty, especially when complemented by the atún “Chino / Latino” ceviche, made with soy, serrano chile, and kaffir lime leaf.  However, the ceviche proved to be too salty to be eaten on its own, or in large amounts, as a ceviche typically should. That said, the Tinga De Pollo Quesedilla left us without any qualms and left us delectably fulfilled.

Portions are small enough so diners can enjoy dessert too. We sampled the aptly named Horchata Flan. Like many of the other dishes the restaurant has to offer, their signature flan is embellished with a twist; a scattering of strong cheddar on the top.  We like their ambition, but this twist was a bit too cheesy for us (in both senses of the word!) If the cheddar had remained with its savory counterparts, the flan would’ve been just perfecto! 

Hungry? Craving a taste of Mexico? Head down to Horchata on 140 6th Avenue to add a little spice to your evening!

-Rachael Sprague

-Photography by Blair Kwon