Put down the greasy quesadilla, Connie, and step away from the late-night curbside taco shack. Though sating a Mexican craving in Manhattan has long been limited to scouring the streets for the nearest Chipotle, there’s a Latin American minx who’s new to town and here to stay.
From acclaimed chef Enrique Olvera, (he of famed Mexico City kitchen Pujol, San Pellegrino’s #20-ranked World’s Best Restaurant) comes contemporary eatery Cosme, which trades the trad enchilada for elevated takes on the beloved cuisine – as you’d imagine it’s more packed than Fassbender’s pants.
Think you know a tostada? Try topping it with the holy trinity of uni, avocado, and bone marrow salsa. What about good ol’ carnitas? Well, here it’s a playful DIY taco dish with fatty duck, radishes, and salsa verde served in a still-sizzling cast-iron skillet. All the seasonal produce comes locally from the Hudson River Valley, while quintessential Mexican ingredients like peppers, corns, and chillies are sourced from south of the border.
Remember, this ain’t your average, trackpant-friendly hole-in-the-wall. Instead it’s an earthy, minimalist 3,500 sq ft space with dim lighting and wooden tables, the better to keep the focus squarely on the food – and drink. The cocktail list spans more than 70 global pours, plus quirkily-monikered, Oaxacan-inspired concoctions like the Bonita Applebum with Lairds Bonded Apple Brandy, Avua Cachaça Amburana, smoked apple juice, canela, and lime. We’ll say salud to that!
Cosme, 35 E 21st St, New York. +1 212 913 9659, cosmenyc.com
