November 21, 2008 6:44 pm

Latin Street Food Gone Gourmet

A few days ago I received an email from my friend. "I'm no foodie, but you should definitely check out this restaurant, Macondo, in the Lower East Side." I was intrigued and decided to have dinner there two nights later. Chef Máximo Tejada, Executive Chef and partner of Rayuela, and restaurateur Héctor Sanz created a menu at Macondo inspired by comida de calle, Latin street food, with signature dishes from Venezuela, Spain, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, and the Caribbean.

I knew I was right at home from the beginning of my meal when my octopus starter was served in a martini glass. My sentiment is that the more you can use a martini glass the better! I loved the presentation, and was puzzled by the dish itself, which contained a dark liquid. Was it squid ink? I had no idea, but regardless Macondo was off to a good start.

Next, I had hamachi with arepa (latin flat bread) and mango. This dish had an interesting combination of sweet and spicy tastes, which some people absolutely love. However, I must have been born without the gene for eating spicy food despite my ethnicity, because I started sweating as soon as I took a bite. May I have some more water with my Sangria please?

My next dish, duck with a fig balsamic and arepa, which sat a little lower on my temperature gauge, turned out to be my favorite one of the evening. I had the pleasure of trying their paella, a dish that I had studied for a summer while travelling through Spain. My experience with paella when dining out has been that most times it is too salty, but Macondo prepared the dish perfectly with a delicate balance of both seafood and creaminess. I finished dinner off with a Crema Catalana dessert, a mix of vanilla custard and burnt sugar, which almost reminded me of a cross between crème brûelée and flan.

When eating Latin food comes to mind, I often feel like I'm eating at home in a warm kitchen. However, the décor at Macondo, while modern (which I love), lacked the warmth I associate with Latin food and culture due to the openness of the restaurant and semi-empty brick walls. The dining tables were communal style, so be prepared to eat with a group on date night! I almost felt as if I was sitting in an airplane, as the chairs had adjustable armrests attached to their sides. On a positive note, I must say that the service was excellent. The waiter was knowledgeable, smart, and outwardly passionate about the menu; he added the bit of warmth to Macondo that the décor seemed to be missing.

Although my friend says he's not a "foodie", his recommendation for Macondo was spot on. Just head down to Houston: No passport or ticket required to taste this Latin street food!

Divya Gugnani

Macondo
157 East Houston Street
New York, NY
212.473.9900

— Written by Divya Gugnani

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