The Premium Life

Manhattan is known as the restaurant capital of America– with approximately 20 thousand eating establishments on this 23.7 square mile island, it is hard to argue that. However, in the authentic Mexican cuisine category New York City does not measure up to other cities like LA and Miami.  After venturing to Mercadito and Mercadito Cantina last week I might have to modify my statement.

I have been fortunate to sample Chef Patricio Sandoval’s cooking on several occasions and it is truly a delight. What is exceptional about Sandoval’s style is that he stays true to the authenticity of the dishes while adding some flair to the presentation.

He prides himself on serving only the freshest and finest ingredients to his patrons even if that means searching for goat to make the Barbacoa stew the way it should be prepared. The concept Mercadito, meaning “Little market”  was inspired by his experiences shopping at these local markets with his mother in his native Mexico.

We visited both Mercadito and Mercadito Catina in one evening; they are a block away  from each other. Our game plan was to sample the guacamole and tacos at Cantina, the more casual venue and then move on to some appetizers and entries at Mercadito restaurant.

They offer 6 variations of guacamole, we chose a sampling of three: Chipotle, Mole and Sandia. The Chipotle had a smoky flavoring from the pickled chiptle with unqiue hints of pineapple and mint. The Mole was smooth with plantain mixed in and the third was very interesting served with watermelon and Hoja santa a herb in the mint family. The guacamole was served with both blue and yellow warm tortilla chips.

The tacos were  fresh and each uniquely presented (two tacos per serving). My absolute favorites were The Pescado, tilapia pan fried on one side served with chile poblano and tomatillo-garlic mayo and The Carnitas, michocan style braised Berkshire pork served with cacuate salsa. At lunch and after 10pm Mercadito cantina offers “All You Can Eat Tacos” for 21 bucks!

We headed over to Mercadito to delve into more mouth watering splendors. I rarely  order off the specially cocktail menu because often the drinks are too sweet and made with artificial mixes… Definitely not the case at Mercadito: Besides the traditional margarita I enjoyed the Mercado served with teqilla blanco, pineapple, fresh lime, and chile piquin and the Pepino served with tequila, cucumber, lime, and chile de arbol. The drinks were made to order and were extremely refreshing.

Because we couldn’t stop sampling the tacos at Cantina and got full, we tested out the top loyal’s favorites at Mercadito. The ceviches are very popular—we tried the The Dorado Ceviche which was finely chopped mahi mahi, avocado, tomato, and orange-chile de arbol broth.

I highly recommend the Ostiones Horneados, the baked oysters with manchego cheese, bits of chorizo, chipotle aioli and epazote crema fresca. The combination of the crispy batter on the warm moist oyster married so well with the creamy richness of the cheese and aioli.

Chicken is usually the last thing on the menu that I order at a restaurant but I was interested in trying Chef Sandoval’s whole adobo chicken. He cuts and grills it so it lays flat on the plate. The skin was crisp and highly flavored and the meat was tender and juicy…It was served with Three corn pico de gallo which was outstanding. The hominy, white and yellow corn was marinated in a onion, tomato and cilantro garlic sauce. ( I could eat it every day).

Mercadito has a wide variety of tequilas (Blanco, Reposado, and Anejo) The tequilas are divided by Highland (produced from agave grown in clay soil benefiting from a long growing season, these are intensely aromatic with a sweet and herbaceous notes) & Lowland (produced from agave grown in volcanic soil, these are typically drier than their highland counterparts) which I thought was quite interested and educational.

The restaurants exude a festive Acapulco cantina vibe designed with tatty walls and wicker placemats, and bamboo ceiling. The cantina has more of a simple décor, of glazed wood and spot lighting so emphasize the bold flavors in the food.

The Mercadito restaurants’ success is enabling the team to expand to Chicago and Miami. To sample their food on the west side check out the Mercadito Grove in the west village.

For reservations or more details please visit, www.mercaditorestaurants.com. And to help plan your next experience please reach out to the Premium team at www.premiumlg.com. Eat well!

Outside of the “foodie aficionado world” many are not familiar with The James Beard Foundation… the JBF award is equivalent to the Oscars in culinary genius.

 JBF offers diverse programs including workshops, classes, conferences, readings, and other educational experiences that help people learn about and engage with food. The highlight, in my eyes, is the specialty dining experiences, featuring top chefs from all over the world showcasing their technique and culinary talents.

 I was fortunate to be invited to a lunch last week at the James Beard Foundation, which is actually established in Mr. Beard’s former townhouse tucked away in the west village.

 Chef Patricio Sandoval, of Mercadito  was being honored for his culinary triumph in the Latino flavors and asked to host the lunch to celebrate the Spirit of Cinco de Mayo.

 After arriving in front of the multi colored brick quaint townhouse on a charming tree lined cobble stone  street, I was escorted to the back garden greeted with a variety of Latino passed appetizers:

 Crispy cornbread bites with four dipping salsas, three variations of guacamole on homemade corn tortilla chips and, Crispy masa with wild mushrooms and Huitlacoche

 The talented mixologists, The Tippling Bros., were innovatively shaking up their version of a margarita:

 The Paper Daisy Cocktail,  infusioned sake served with  fresh lime, Agave nectar, and orange flower essence served over ice with habenaro salted glass. It was the ultimate afternoon refresher!

 Proceeding the cocktail hour we moved into the dining room where there was assigned seating. I was lucky to be placed with an eclectic group of individuals and great conversationalists!

 The four course lunch was paired with excellent Spanish wines.

 The meal ranged from a Goat soup served with onions, cilantro, chilies and lime (which is a real delicacy in Mexico), A Trio of Tacos:  fish, beer-battered shrimp and wild mushroom to a Pork shank with peanut mole.

 The meal was completed with a trio of Goat’s milk caramel, Rice, and Tamarind Flanes.

 Throughout the meal we received non- invasive education about the wine selections and unique cocktails. At the closing of the lunch Chef Patricio and his staff came out of the kitchen to introduce themselves.

 The whole dining experience was a true delight. What is so special about the JBF is that it gives patrons the access to experience a variety of chefs from diverse culinary backgrounds and specialties in an intimate setting with the chef, (not the sous chef) preparing your meal! One of the ultimate New York Culinary gems…

 The James Beard Foundation is open to the public, members receive discounted prices. Reservations are required. Please visit the site for additional information. http://www.jamesbeard.org/