My cousins have told me about this place for months. They had gone there on Thursdays to see a Puerto Rican band that plays hard-core ?jibaro? music. Well, I finally went and it was amazing! The place is owned by local Latinos that went a long way to nurture all the greatness of ?El Barrio,? a.k.a. Spanish Harlem. My boyfriend appreciated the rustic decor (exposed brick, lots of dark wood and corrugated metal), which he described as ?working class? even before learning that it was intentionally designed that way. The lively crowd reminded me of family gatherings. It took a while for the waiter to notice us once we found a corner to sit down. The place was crowded, however, even though the featured band, Tato Torres y Yerbabuena, had not even set up yet. Once we got the menu I wanted to try EVERYTHING! Seeing things like Mofongo de Chorizo ($10) or something called a Jorge Platter (churrasco and grilled chicken with cheese sauce, $13) made my discipline work overtime. We started with a pitcher of sangria that was to die for ($30, $15 during Happy Hour). We then shared an order Do?a Maria?s Alcapurrias (yuca meat-filled fritters, $9) and Spicy Calamari ($11.50). Finally the band set up and began to play. It was electrifying. The music was like a magic spell calling you to come closer and shake your bones. Just as I was about to excuse myself to ?go to the bathroom? (take a closer peak at the band), the food finally came. My boyfriend ordered a monstrosity called a Barrio Burger ($9.50 w/ cheese). This was something out of the Flintstones, it was huge! When I grabbed a bite I couldn?t believe how delicious it was. I settled with a Chicken Wrap with Avocado ($7.50) which fooled me into thinking I was behaving, although I couldn?t really forget the tasty alcapurrias. Overall, we had a great time, even with the long wait for service and cold draft from the front doors. This is definitely a new destination and I look forward to seeing what their other nights are like.
Pros: great ambience, incredible food
Cons: long wait for service at times, drafty doors/ windows
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