New Mexico Place (By Guest Reviewer Gabo Rodriguez)

You always seem to find that authentic flavor in everything you order.

It seems to me that at this rate, if this page has another Mexican restaurant review it will probably explode. Hopefully, this one isn’t the tilting point. As a young and humble resident of East “Willburg” (all gaudiness aside) finding a Mexican place to get a taco isn’t exactly the hardest thing in the world. As it’s been made exhaustively clear, there are Mexican restaurants in Brooklyn! It’s quite unusual, however, to find one that really stands out from many others. At New Mexico Place you always seem to find that authentic flavor in everything you order. Since my first visit, when I curiously stumbled into the restaurant looking for a cheap, decent place to have a meal, I became an instantaneous fan. For this article, I really wanted to test what the restaurant had to offer.

A friend and I got there fairly early, to which we were greeted, in Spanish, by who appeared to be the owner. I, being a native Spanish speaker (mind the ego), answered “una mesa para dos” (a table for two). We sat down in fairly comfortable chairs, blasted by “Norteño” music coming from a sound system and ordered two Modelos, a basket of chips (free) and some guacamole ($3.00). To our surprise, the chips were freshly fried and the guacamole had the perfect flavorings of salty and spicy joined into one; an avocado with onions and cilantro mix that balanced itself out.

For the main course we went all out, ordering almost every dish that seemed appetizing, we asked for what seemed to be a meal for 4. I ordered a chicken burrito, my friend ordered vegetarian tacos, a gordita (which we shared) and a tostada, way better choice. When they brought the food, everything seemed extremely appetizing. The burrito came with chicken, rice and beans, a crema-cheese-on-top-combo with a side of guacamole and salad all for $5.75?! (nuts!). To be honest the other dishes were the best; the vegetarian tacos ($2.25ea) came with a mix of sautéed mushrooms, some salad and crema giving it great texture and consistency, a good variation from the same old rice and beans veggie tacos. The tostada ($2.00ea) came with beans, salad and crema in a freshly fried tortilla that was not utterly amazing but it was crunchy and savory nonetheless.

Lastly, the gordita ($2.50ea) was the real revelation of the night. Having never ordered such a dish, I was skeptical on how would turn out. To our surprise it was AMAZING; it had a soft texture, also fried, with beans and salad, it was almost indescribable; similar to an empanada but a little thicker, all in all a great dish. The bill came to about $30.00, not bad for so much food. We left with full stomachs, full wallets and a good mood. What else do you need from a Mexican place? - Gabo

(Photos by Tamara Wise)

Address: 189 Graham Ave., between Meserole and Scholes (East Williamsburg, Brooklyn)

Website: Yelp

Payment: Cash, Credit

Delivery: Yes

Open Late: Open until 11pm every day

Large Group Friendly: Yes

Bar/Happy Hour: Beer and Wine Only

Relish

This was the night of all nights. This was the night we were in Williamsburg to see King Khan and the Shrines. We decided to meet up early and grab a bite, and Erin from Laurel's work suggested Relish. I had seen it before, as it's a pretty noticeable place: it looks like a really swanky... trailer.

The inside has an expensive vibe, and it kind of is, but boy is it tasty. This diner-type restaurant offers a little of everything, much like any other diner in New York. However, it is set apart by its upscale and unique blend of all kinds of different foods: French, Italian, Greek, etc., all with a bit of an American splash. They offer everything from a Grilled Cheese Sandwich (with mozzarella instead of American cheese, and some basil, fennel and marinara) to Spicy Pan Roasted Grouper with grits. Their selection keeps going with a mix of different kinds of seafood, steak, pasta, and omelets.

Ravished with hunger, I wanted everything on the menu. Laurel and I decided to split the pork tenderloin, brussel sprouts and potatoes ($21). We also ordered a side of mac and cheese with bacon in it. I was skeptical about the mac and cheese, mainly because it seemed overpriced ($12). However, when it came out, I was in noodle heaven. Creamy in the middle with a crusty top (and perhaps a little too much bacon), this mac and cheese was the perfect meal in itself, if you are a big carbo loader. Our dining companion Casey got what I really wanted (mainly because I was still starving after splitting all that food with Laurel): Half Roast Chicken with Lemon and Thyme, with a side of yukon gold mashed potatoes and asparagus. The picture below makes it look small, but trust me: it was enough food for two people.

Top this off with Elderflower cocktails and you have yourself one slightly expensive but extremely delicious meal. Definitely check this place out if you're looking for a new spin on some old favorites. Maybe you'll even find a new favorite. - Jennifer

Things I remember most about this place: it looks like a big trailer, and the mac and cheese. As for the first, the inside has a long bar across one side and booths across the other. It's dark and pretty comfy, definitely nicer than any trailer I've been to. The service was fairly attentive and efficient. The menu is classic comfort food, but a bit fancier. It's a little on the pricey side, but the portions are big and we were pleased with everything we ate, so mostly worth it.

The entrees skew towards the heavier side, with options like meats and potatoes accented with creams and sauces, mac and cheese, and so forth. I would suggest you try the mac and cheese--it was excellent, and didn't need all that bacon (for once, I'd suggest sans pork). It is super cheesy and the crust on top is yum. The pork tenderloin had nice flavor but was just a bit over done, and the brussel sprouts were nicely cooked (as in, not too cooked). It was all-in-all a very satisfying (if not a bit much on the calorie-intake) meal.

Try this place out if you're feeling too skinny, or just want to wrap yourself in the comfort of cheesy goodness. -Laurel

Address: 225 Wythe Ave at N. 3rd Street (Williamsburg, Brooklyn)

Website: http://www.relish.com/

Payment: cash, cards

Delivery: no

Open Late: Sun-Thurs til 12am, Fri and Sat til 1am

Large Group Friendly: yes

Bar/Happy Hour: yes

Motorino

I read about Motorino a few different places, and upon deciding where to go for my birthday it's the first place that came to mind. Boy am I glad it came to mind.

We called them up and found out that they do in fact take reservations for large parties (we had 12). They do a prix fixe deal for big groups, which was an initial turn off, but turned out to be a great deal. They offer a few levels, $20 per person being the lowest and what we chose, and included antipasti and pizza. You can opt for more money and also buy yourself some meat and cheese and dessert. They don't currently serve alcohol, but (score) it is BYOB.

The staff was very friendly every step of the way, confirming my reservation and happily supplying us with wine glasses and a bottle opener. The bread was placed and soon the antipasti starting pouring in, a couple of plates of everything they were offering that night. This included some kind of tasty meat, arugula salad (with pear, bacon, bleu cheese and a light dressing), brussel sprouts (roasted with what I think was bits of pancetta and shaved parm, soooo good), beet salad, roasted butternut squash, mussles, and olives. It was a bit of a feast all by itself, but then came the pizza...

They brought us a couple of several varieties in constant waves. It was almost over whelming. This included: Margherita (bright tasting sauce, good quality mozzarella, and fresh basil), Soppressata Picante (nice and lightly spicy with chili oil and a meaty kick from the spicy soppressata), Brussel Sprout & Speck (chopped sprouts and bits of meaty speck with parm), and Buffaline (mozzarella, olive oil, basil and sea salt). Every one of them was delicious. The crust is not too thick, but pillowy with a nice bit of crunch, and a little smoky from the hot oven. The toppings are top notch, and under normal circumstances one pizza would feed about one person. We had more than enough food, and considering how many different things we each sampled and how much we ate (or me, anyway, I ate an ungodly amount), it was money well spent.

Their pizzas run $9-16 and antipasti $5-15. They have lots of specials every day and also offer meats and cheeses, as well as gelato and sorbet (P.S. I've been back, and the amaretto gelato and blood orange sorbet are to die for). I also heard they are serving brunch now, which cannot be bad. I'd definitely suggest trying this place out, I'm going back ASAP. -Laurel

This place is perfect for large groups and parties. I mean, bringing your own liquor, a prix fixe price so it was the same for everyone (which is the BEST in large groups, because usually someone/everyone ends up paying more than they should because of other people don't pay as much as they should), and the food was awesome.

Unfortunately, as far as the antipasti goes, I couldn't eat a lot of it because of my Crohn's Disease, but it looked good and everyone else seemed to like it! There were some things I could eat, and they tasted great. For someone who doesn't like squash, I was really liked the way they prepared it here - it was sweet and very decadent. Not a big fan of sprouts either but I tried one (can't really have more than that anyway) and the way they prepared it was perfect. I think they may have almost converted Amy - a prominent sprout hater. The meat seemed to be a ham that was cured and very juicy and delicious. The mussels I heard weren't the best ever, but what do you expect for a pizza place?

Speaking of which - the pizza. Not too greasy, a thicker fresh crust, and tasty fresh ingredients all the way through. Normally I add salt to pizza to give it a little more flavor (and because I'm apparently obsessed with salt), but this wasn't needed. I wasn't feeling well so I wasn't going to eat any, but I ended up having three slices because after my first I couldn't stop.

Also, since the place is BYOB, you will save a lot of money, and if you think the waiters did a superb job (as we did), you could give them your leftover wine (as we did). They'll love you for life. - Jennifer

Address: 319 Graham Ave. (at Devoe Street, Williamsburg), Near the Graham Ave. L Stop

Website: http://www.motorinopizza.com/

Payment: Cash, Credit Cards

Delivery: Yep, to a pretty large area, too.

Open Late: Open everyday until 12am

Large Group Friendly: Yep!

Bar/Happy Hour: No, but it's BYOB

La Superior (with Guest Reviewer Davis)

La Superior is apparently a new addition to Williamsburg, and a few of us decided to stop by and try it after bowling at Gutter on Saturday night.

The wait was short and we got in and out rather quickly, even though it seemed like quite a few people were in there. Everyone that works there is rather attentive, but Davis ordered a Jarrito midway through the meal and didn't get it until he re-asked at the end of the meal. BUT they gave it to him free of charge, which was super nice. And, I tried making friends with Danny who worked there, but I was apparently being annoying as shit, so it didn't work.

Either way the food was AMAZING, although be warned: the portions are a little small. And we all ordered something different, so Laurel and I decided to invite everyone else to give their opinions as well! -Jennifer

Conchita de Pollo Taco, Carne Asada Taco, Rajas Taco ($2.50/piece)

Jennifer: I ordered the Conchita de Pollo taco, and it was absolutely delicious. The chicken was tender and tasted slow cooked, and was very spicy, but not to where I couldn't stand it. I actually ended up mixing it with my Rajas Quesadilla (pictured/reviewed below) and the combination was delicious. I snagged a bite of Laurel's Carne Asada Taco, and the beef was perfectly spiced and oh-so-tender and juicy. (And yet again, anytime steak costs the same as all the other meats, I'm definitely game.)

Laurel: I ordered the other two little tacos. The Carne Asada Taco was, well.. it was good enough that I ordered another one before we left. The steak was as Jennifer described, and topped with some pico that was fresh tasting with a bit of a kick. The Rajas was roasted poblano peppers with onions and Mexican cream. It was delicious, definitely good for a vegetarian, but not as good as the steak for a meat eater like me.

Sopa Tarasca ($6)

L: I didn't try this. But I remember Amanda saying that is was really good, but it was really spicy. Then again, I remember her also dumping all of the peppers they gave on the side in at once. So try it if you want some soup, but be sparing with the peppers.

Sampler of Salsas ($4)

L: This colorful collection of 6 fresh salsas (3 green, 3 red) and some pico will only set you back $4. I loved this, since you got to try all different types and variances on flavor and hotness. I generally liked the spicier ones, but I enjoyed tasting all of them. The chips are also freshly fried and crispy, and they brought us more upon request when we ran out. Great for sharing.

Rajas Quesadilla - Street Style ($3.50)

J: This might have been my favorite thing that I ordered. Laurel and I chose this style (her in taco form, mine in quesadilla) for the same reason. In the description it says: de-li-cious. It contained roasted pepper strips and diced onions, and was flavored/topped with mexican cream, a sort of sour cream substitute that was welcomed by my taste buds. The quesadilla was crispy - fried rather than cooked in a pan (Street Style as it says on the menu). This just intensified the flavor and tastiness of the quesadilla as a whole.

L: I got a small bite of this one, and I liked the Rajas better in quesadilla form. It was definitely tasty, and one of the best values on the menu. It was nice combination of crispy and creamy.

Flautas de Pollo ($5.50)

Davis: The chicken flautas came with topped with one of their salsa verdes - after that huge sampler of salsa I wasn't sure which was which anymore, but all of them were great. Flautas tend to get overly oily or so crispy they fall apart, but these were pretty much perfect. I'm writing this a week later, and I kind of need another order right now. Also, the Tamarind jarritos was the perfect sweet to go with the spicy. I don't know why that soda hasn't caught on yet with all of the health-conscious nuts... Sure it's a soda, but it's dirt cheap and made with pure cane sugar. Delicioso.

Panuchos de Cochinita ($8)

Casey: Panuchos de Cochinita = Excellent. It was a little spicy, but didn't hit you until afterwards.

(L: Thanks Casey, but this review does not earn you byline status.)

(J: Agreed)



Address: 295 Berry Street at S. 2nd St. (Williamsburg)

Website: http://www.lasuperiornyc.com/

Payment: cash only

Large Group Friendly: Somewhat, we fit 5 people and there was definitely room for more.

Delivery: yes

Open Late: 2 am on the weekends

Bar/Happy Hour: Nope, but it is BYOB

Fiore

I discovered Fiore through one of my favorite sites, Serious Eats, via one of my favorite critics, Ed Levine. Upon drooling at the tasty looking pictures and reading about their reasonable prices, I was sold. So far, I've been here twice.

The first time I took my friend Erin and her fiance during their visit to NYC. We ordered a bottle of wine and the fried calamari to start. The wine was reasonablly priced and well presented. The calamari ($6) was excellent-- it was easily a big enough appetizer for four people (cheap!) and included fried thin strips of zucchini and some marinara for dipping. It was light and crispy and addictive.

For my main dish I ordered the Cavatelli Broccoli E Salsiccia ($9), AKA cavatelli pasta with broccoli rabe and sauage. It was a perfect portion with al dente pasta, chunks of savory sausage, shaved parmesean, and crisp-tender, lightly bitter broccoli rabe. I enjoyed the simplicity of it, the pronounced flavors--you could taste each ingredient, and the execution, as everything was cooked perfectly.

During my second visit I had the Penne Carbonara, which was not as successful as my previous choices, but tasty nonetheless and well executed. I admire the thoughtfulness of the menu here, and it feels and tastes more expensive than it is. The atmosphere is pleasant and the service is very good. Try it! -Laurel

My first trip to Fiore was after a trip to a bar somewhere in Williamsburg to participate in The Onion Society for the Preservation of Alcohol Meeting #39 (sponsored by Jameson). Needless to say, by the time we went to the restaurant, I was stumbling - just a tad. Totally in the mood for something greasy, I decided against my normal toasted ravioli or some sort of pesto sauce or gnocchi (my favorite!) and went straight for the lasagna.

I'm not sure if it was the alcohol or that it really did just taste this way, but the lasagna resembled Stouffer's to me. However, I loved the beef inside - it was just right and completely juicy. Other than the food, I really dug the ambience...it was very romantic, especially with Laurel looking at me across the way. It was also crowded, but not until later into the night, oddly enough. I'm definitely interested in eating there again to try something different. - Jennifer

Address: 284 Grand St near Roebling (Williamsburg, Brooklyn)

Website: http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/fiore/

Payment: Cash Only

Take Out: No

Delivery: No

Open Late: Midnight on weekends

Bar/Happy Hour: Full bar and wine list

egg

Egg is a small spot in Williamsburg that specializes in breakfast and lunch and some of it in the southern style. We decided to go here for a book club meeting and to snag us some biscuits.
The interior is long and narrow with a decent amount of seating (there are a couple of tables outside). We got there at about 10 and didn’t have to wait long, but rumor has it this place gets quite the line closer to lunchtime on the weekend, so plan accordingly.

Breakfast is served until 3 on weekdays and 2 on weekends, with dinner offered on weekends only. The menu includes biscuits and gravy, pancakes, and egg dishes for breakfast; mostly sandwiches for lunch. I, being the loyal southerner I am (well, when it comes to food, anyway), ordered the biscuits and sausage gravy.

The biscuits and gravy were good—the biscuits were very rustic, although possibly a little too rustic, as they were a bit burnt on the bottom. The gravy was peppery, which is how I like it, but may be too much pepper for some. The service was fine and the prices are standard mid-range amounts. This isn’t the best I’ve had, but I would visit again and eat some grits and country ham. -Laurel

We got here perhaps a little too early on Saturday morning...our intentions were to beat the lunch rush, but getting up early on a Saturday and dragging myself down to Williamsburg is not always ideal for me. Either way - I'm glad we made it.

I'm always in the mood for Biscuits and Gravy. In fact, I showed someone this blog recently and they said everything we ate was covered in gravy. I would say that's not true but I started thinking about how much I love things covered in gravy and I realized he was right. Not only that, but this was also our second book club meeting, and our last one was at Essex, where, oddly enough, we ate biscuits and gravy.

Something really amazing about Egg - they just bought their own farm where they are trying their hand at raising their own produce and may soon raise some animals. I'm really into self-sustaining places, so it's absolutely amazing what they're trying to do.

Either way, Egg is really small, but really cute at the same time. Like Laurel said, the gravy was peppery, which I don't like, and the biscuits were burnt, but it was filling and still quite tasty. Also, Davis was amazed by the French press coffee, so I suppose he gives this place a thumbs up (even though he's allergic to the title - NERD!). I dig Egg, and I suggest it. And even though it sucks, it's worth it to get up early on a Saturday, they were pretty busy when we left! - Jennifer

Address: 135 N 5th St (between Bedford and Berry Ave. in Williamsburg, Brooklyn)

Website: http://www.pigandegg.com/

Payment: Cash

Take Out: Yes

Open Late: Yes

Large Group Friendly: No

Bar/Happy Hour: No