Zengo: Latin-Asian Fusion in Midtown
Every day, thousands slave away at work in the busy section of Manhattan that we call Midtown. In Midtown, many eating establishments tend towards corporate eateries and over-priced steak houses, and let's face it: these options can become routine. So if you find yourself reliving yesterday time and time again, do yourself a favor and visit Richard Sandoval's new restaurant, Zengo. Whether you're looking for an quick lunch or a fantastic dinner, Zengo delivers.
Originally based in Denver, Sandoval's success has allowed him to bring his vision to larger metropolitan areas such as Washington D.C. and New York. Detractors may characterize these new locations as a tyrannic attempt to expand his growing empire of restaurants scattered across America. What do I call it? Spreading the love.
The interior is stunning: a chic mix of dark wood, cast iron, black leather, and high ceilings. It has that warm, inviting atmosphere that pushes the boundaries and breaks from midtown decor convention.
Similarly, the food breaks from the norm. All too often we see chefs taking miscalculated risks when combining flavors from different regions. Sandoval, however, does it masterfully. The food is intended to be shared, and in an effort to send our taste buds for a whirl, we ordered 3 appetizers and one entrée. To start, there were the Thai shrimp lettuce wraps. Hints of cilantro and chorizo gave the traditional Asian dish a Latin flavor that went wonderfully in the confines of my cool, crisp lettuce. Next, a wonderful charred tuna wonton taco, served with sushi rice, mango salsa and guacamole. Lastly, and regrettably my least favorite, were the Thai chicken empanadas. While I love the idea, the texture of the empanada just did not combine well with the contents within.
But as far as my most memorable dish, it had to be the entrée. It has been a long, long time since I've fallen in love with a fish dish. But Sandoval's chipotle-miso glazed black cod had me wishing I had ordered a double serving. The wonderful harmony of this Asia-meets-Mexico glaze had me questioning how these two ingredients could work so well together. But at the end of the day, who cares? I say, "Go, Richard Sandoval, go!" Invade midtown with your innovative dishes, because after all, the food speaks for itself.
— Written by Alex Abrahamson
Photo credit: Zengo Restaurant
< PREVIOUS ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE >
Share This >
Login to comment
Almost done
Please create a username. This username will be displayed when you post comments or review for only our content
