Empellon — Restaurant in New York

To me, going out for dinner is an “experience “ and I commend those that do it and do it well. Empellon does it very well! Service 10/10; Food 7/10; dessert 20/10; Drinks: 6/10 Starting with the service, greeted immediately upon arrival. It was slow Saturday night in NYC due to freezing rain and light snow throughout the day. Nonetheless the waiters and greeters were the perfect amount of attentive and helpful. They didn’t interrupt conversation between me and my wife but were there when we looked up. For example we got done with dessert and I was just thinking about the check, the waiter appeared.

Food - this is small menu. Which I’ve come to appreciate as a chronic over thinker who’s pallet has grown over the years. We went with the fish tacos - absolutely get these. 10/10 dish. Light, fresh, tempura and cabbage gave it perfect amount of crunch, little kick. We also got skirt steak and Brussels sprouts. The Brussels sprouts in my opinion were good but a little salty. The skirt steak had incredible flavor and was real well cooked to medium rare. Only think with skirt steak it’s that it is a tougher steak to chew but comes with the territory.

Drinks - I got the por que no margarita and it was very good and I’d recommend. Then I got the pomegranate margarita and it was ok. Pomegranate margs never as good as you think they will be. My wife got a sweet drink she liked it.

Dessert is the star. Corn ice cream taco is better than I thought it would be. It’s damn good. Chocolate ice cream sandwich is always good. They bought out something on the house that’s a special they do, it was coconut sorbet wrapped is flaky chocolate coating with rum caramel center this is the star. It’s not on the menu pray they...

So I walk pass this spot daily via my work commute, and I must say walking by in the summer shortly after they opened seemed to be the "it" spot (after a proper mental note to check them out..... I just never got around to it).

Well fast forward to brief convo with a fellow foodie and professional (ie cocktail connoisseur), this was adjusted on the list of tries......Stellar decision!!!!! From the walk-in to seating..... I was sold!!! Our server don't recall her name (young black woman) was amazing in all of her suggestions from cocktails to entrees.

Dessert

TEQUILA BARREL ICE CREAM with Añejo Tequila Caramel

Cocktails

THE DEVIL'S MARGIN Avua Cachaça, Ginger Beer, LeJay Cassis, Campari

COCONUT CHAI Montmartre Chai, Coconut Water, Lime, Black Cardamom

CLASSIC Margarita Pueblo Viejo Blanco, Lime Juice, Smoked Salt

Tacos/Salad

PASTRAMI with Mustard Seed Salsa

OCTOPUS with Celery and Salsa Verde

FISH TEMPURA with Lime Mayonnaise

CLEMENTINE SALAD with Queso Fresco

Main Dishes

SKIRT STEAK with Persian Onion Salad

CRISP PORK BELLY with Chicharrón and Herbs

SHORT RIB CONFIT with Picadillo Garnish

Sides

SHISHITO PEPPERS with Puree of Rajas

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS with Avola Almendrado

The texture of the shishitos were off for me, but the brussels, my steak, octopus tacos, salad and dessert...

As I have said before, the high grade mexican restaurant is dying. All across the american food landscape low cost, large portion, uninspired Mexican food is taking over. Empellon is one of those rare exceptions using inspiration and quality execution to keep mexican food elevated. The service is quite good and unique, I love that the wait staff lines up on the wall eager to swoop in whenever anyone's head pops up to look around. Truth be told I didn't quite underatand the tacos pictured in my review, they really just seemed like tacos to me. The thing is guacamole with seven salsas is a dish that could easily carry any restaurant in the palm of it's hand. Guacamole with seven salsas is easily the greatest guacamole offering I have ever received, and easily in the top 10 mexican things I have ever consumed. Each salsa is unique and stands out with its own flavor profile. Burning hot, acidic, crisp, smoky, sweet, etc. Not a single salsa feels like any other, and the minimalistic guacamole gives your palatate a baseline to reset or an accent that compliments any one of the seven salsas provided. If I walked into a shack and waited 30 minutes and received guacamole with seven salsas I'd still call that a five star restaurant. In short go here and get this dish, you'll be...