El Cedro — Restaurant in New York

What is a torta, and what is a stew? This is the operative question one asks at El Cedro. Our friend had the Armenia Torta: that was a torta, and he highly enjoyed it. We had the lamb torta: that was a stew. A stew is not a torta. It’s important to note the distinction!

Flavor? Above average. But something was missing which stops it from being a perfect five. Is it the relative lack of salt? Is it the flavors being too one-note? That’s for you to decide.

Bread: Tasty, toasted, but slightly stale. This works in a stew. As a sandwich, does it?

The Branzino appetizer was the highlight of the night. Delicate, perfectly cooked and matched with a subtle sauce.

The service? Pretty good.

The pricing? Relatively reasonable for NYC in 2024.

All in all: 7.3/10. Solid meal. Would come back to try the tacos. It’s hard to run a...

Spotted the beautiful sign from across the street on their opening weekend and came back later with my husband for a late lunch. I’m so glad we did.

The tacos, tostados, and handmade tortillas were excellent—better than most in the area—and a reason to return all in their own (definitely try both the tortilla and pita options). What really made our lunch memorable, though, was the way we were welcomed in. Everyone we encountered was thoughtful, kind, and so interesting to meet. We also got a glimpse of the back patio (coming soon and will clearly be delightful).

And, in case in matters to you (it does to me), a word about the atmosphere: it’s perfect. The interior is simultaneously airy and homey, warm with pops of color from the sconces and tiles.

Oh, also: if you are offered rice pudding, do not sleep on the...

Food is 6/10. Check your bill. There was an undisclosed service charge (we were party of 5 and ordered about $30/person) plus tip. When asked, the proprietor (?) explained they add this to larger parties (I have never seen this for 5) but didn’t explain that it was an oversight nor apologize. He said they also add a service charge for large parties BYOB, but not sure why that is relevant in our case, my wife brought 1 can of beer. He voided the original check and reissued one without the service charge. Had he offered a free Meze or something on our next visit, we likely would have come back, but lacking such, and middling food, a return is unlikely. Btw, in NYC, restaurants are required to clearly communicate when Service Charges are in place and for what purpose. This...