ABC Cocina- Me Encanta

It is no secret that I love Jean Georges, and when I heard that he was opening a Mexican cousin to ABC Kitchen, I was in a tailspin of anticipation. Sister and I happened to walk by a Friends and Family night before it officially opened, and we stood salivating, with our little noses pressed to the windows trying to get some yumminess through osmosis. Predictably, ABC Cocina became one of the hardest reservations to get, and we were unsuccesful, even after offering them our first born on Twitter. ( I am still happy to have that little bargaining chip in my possession). All this changed when we were lucky enough to get a lunch reservation last week ( we freaking ate at noon and had to beg them to increase our party to three people), but at last, we were off to see the wizard!

I will get to the full description shortly, but I just have to mention the hosts- these two boys were maybe 30 inches around if they stood next to each other and in outfits consisting of some very tight pants; quite the striking set of smallness and chicness to greet you. The space is fantastic- very similar to ABC Kitchen, but a little less earthy than all that reclaimed stuff, and more whimsical. The crystal chandeliers and wall hangings are very cool, totally my style. I was obsessed with the space, but a little disappointed in the bathrooms- they seemed like a total after-thought with not much more than a coat of paint. There are supposedly areas reserved for walk in tables, but our elfin hosts were less than helpful in letting us know the deal- apparently the bar and some ledges and maybe the communal table but not really. Service was the only misstep at ABC Kitchen- our main courses took forever and there was no one remotely near our table that we could ask. But hopefully the servers will get more efficient, and hopefully we will get a reservation to be able to judge their progress.

Now, on to the food. We had just come from a wedding dress fitting for sister, but I had been to Barry’s Bootcamp that morning and was starving. We immediately ordered the Spring Pea guacamole when we sat down, and blessedly that came quickly. Clearly this is a dish that every table orders, and it is sensational. Spicy, with chunks of avocado, some whole peas, some crunch and some spice, it is a really unique way to serve guacamole without seeming too fussy or trying to reinvent the wheel. I was dying to try the bottled hot sauce on the table, and that was delicious as well and my lips settled into a nice state of fire.

Next we had the raw shaved fluke with chili dressing, crunchy rice and herbs, which was light and refereshing and also a perfect balance of citrus, spice and textures. We also ordered the corn with cojita cheese and spices, and I knew that JG would not make me eat this on the cob, and yes, it was served in a bowl, off the cob, a perfect update to a now standard Mexican dish. Since it is the height of summer, the corn was sweet, and when paired with the salty cheese and spices, I was tempted to shovel this dish in by the spoonful.

As soon as I looked at the menu I was drawn to the jumbo cuban sandwich, but with a wedding in two weeks I used some restraint, but thankfully Mom took one for the team. It was the best cuban sandwich ever. Mom lives in Miami and she was blown away. The bread, the meat, cheese, everything was just spot on- and the sandwich was huge, much bigger than the two hosts. I opted for the huevos rancheros- one of my favorite dishes- and I was clearly not disappointed. This incarnation was pretty straight forward- two sunny side up eggs on a warm tortilla, covered in a spicy red salsa sauce. No cheese, no nonense, it was pretty light and thoroughly enjoyable, I would definitely order it again. Sister had the fish tacos- i was too wrapped up in my dish and bites of the Cuban to try them, ( I really don’t care for fish tacos in general), but she she finished them so I am guessing they were delicious.

We left full and happy, but also sad because we don’t know when we will be able to return. This is a can’t miss spot, if you can get in…