TASTE TEST: Nuevo Latino at Zengo

I'm on a Bon Chon strike. I've seriously been gorging myself on Korean fried chicken for like 8 months, soooooooo I comprised a list of restaurants I plan to force myself to try. The first of what hopefully will be many was Zengo. I get all of my restaurant recommendations from my Thrillist newsletter, because they always introduce me to places with interesting menus...and because I'm too lazy to look anywhere else.

They mentioned that Zengo had Nuevo Latino cuisine, a mix of Latin American and Asian delicacies. I figured since I love both of those types of foods, I'd probably love them together.

When Ali and I first arrived one Saturday night around 9pm, we were told it would be a 20 minute wait. It was actually an hour-long wait and probably would've been longer if we hadn't complained to the bartender. We were then given booth seating meant for at least five people, so that made up for the neglect. Prior to being seated we got drinks at the upstairs bar. I'd recommend going up there. If you love architecture and interior design, you'll be in awe of the above-view of the hanging wooden beams and spiral chandelier. It's like a permanent art installation.

Once we were seated near the windows, I saw the intricate designs of the window gates. The decor seemed very Asian-inspired.

After realizing that the bar bill doesn't carryover onto the meal bill, I skimmed the menu for food I normally eat (pork, beef, and pasta). I never eat chicken or fish outside, because I already eat chicken at home every night and I'm afraid of food poisoning when it comes to seafood. I also try to stray away from $20 salads (because they're not very filling or flavorful), burgers (because nobody can top Five Guys), sandwiches (because nobody can top Subways or Chopt), and anything with spicy sauces (because downing five glasses of water is sort of a killjoy).

So after skipping over Churrasco (since I've never really liked it), lamb (because I can't remember if I like it and I didn't want to find out for $31), tofu (because yuck), and all the seafood, I settled on Braised Beef Short Ribs ($28).

And I'm so glad I did. It was de-licious! However, I read the words ribs and thought, That's totally edible. I decided to skip reading the meal description so that I wouldn't talk myself out of it. Had I read it though I would've known that it contained oaxaca cheese potato puree, shiitake (a Japanese mushroom), huitlacoche (an edible corn fungus), and dragon sauce. Dragon sauce. As in spicy. The tender beef and smooth mashed potatoes just melted on my tongue, cradling it in pillowy waves...and then assaulting it like a fire-breathing dragon. It's delicious, like I said, but probably far more enjoyable if you like spicy food.

Ali ordered the Achiote-Masala Grilled Chicken ($21) with black bean dal and mango salsa. I thought it was kind of bland, but she really enjoyed it. All in all, I'd recommend this restaurant if you love an array of Latin and Asian food. I probably won't eat there again because $28 is pretty pricey for a meal that's too hot for me to finish, but they have several other interesting-sounding offerings: Torched Wagyu Beef, Volcano (seared salmon, red crab, sesame-chipotle aioli), Mango Eel Roll, Thai Coconut Chicken Soup, Tuna Tataki (involved grilled watermelon), and even a Build Your Own Bento Box option. It sounds like one of those restaurants you only hear about on the Food Network. So if you have every series from the channel TiVOed, get off your couch and get to Zengo.

622 3rd Ave. | at 40th St | New York, NY

TASTE TEST: Korean Fried Chicken at BonChon

I haven't sat down and had a long talk with my buddy Kristine in a very long time. So I made her trek all the way from Jersey City to meet me for something I've never tried before: Korean fried chicken. Originally, we were supposed to meet up at Dok Suni's in the East Village, but I didn't feel up for the travel—I know, I'm a douchebag; she traveled plenty far for me—so we scrambled for somewhere closer to eat. She told me that if my heart was set on trying Korea's version of fried chicken, I could meet her at BonChon Chicken. Sounded good to me.

As usual, I immediately perused the menu for what was edible. The chicken menu was broken up into wings and drums and combos of wings and drums, and then there were sauce options. I, being the wuss that I am, chose the non-spicy garlic soy sauce and 3 drums. I thought they might be appetizer small, but when the meal arrived, they were adult-sized. Still a little wary of the taste, I took a timid bite.

Crunch!
Sweet!
Juicy!
Mmmm.

I can still taste it. It's like Chinese fried chicken, but ten times better. It's like they fried the chicken twice, and rubbed honey and duck sauce all over it. Where has this been all my life?

I'm a chubby girl, but my chubby friend Ty decided to get a lap gastric band and her doc said she wouldn't be allowed to eat fried foods for several months. That meal, among many others, are why I exercise whenever I can and eat healthy when I eat-in. Because there's no amount of medical warnings that would stop me from consuming that again...unless at least three experts proved it was poisonous. lol

98 Chambers St.

TASTE TEST: Mofongo at La Casa de Mofongo

My Haitian friend Stace loves mofongo. My Miami-visiting friend Morayo has always wanted to try mofongo. I have never (and I mean, ever) wanted to try anything that sounded like mofongo. It childishly reminds me of the Spanish word mojon, which means shit. This did not entice me. But they've been begging me to take them to a place with great mofongo for weeks, since I'm Dominican and I should know where that is. So I went to the great Dominican oracle (Google Maps) and I searched the words "mofongo + ny," and there it was...La Casa de Mofongo, the promised land of all things mofongo.

This is the part where I tell you it was a religious experience and I am now a mofongo-ite. And I spread it on my toast in the morning, and I carry it around in my bag to freshen my breath, and I've frozen a block of it in my fridge in case of emergency. Alas, that is not the case. I have the palate of a newborn. If it aint salty or sweet, it's gross.

For those of you who don't know what mofongo is--essentially 99.9% of you--it's mashed plantains. I know what you're thinking. That sounds friggin delicious. No. No it isn't. Fried plantains are delicious. Plantain mush tastes like mush. Pureed plantains with shredded beef (a.k.a. ropa vieja, which literally translated means "old clothes" and still sounds better) is delicious. Mashed plantains are not. Not even when you mix in a meat (pork, beef, chicken, etc.) and then mold the mixture into a hard, 4-inch tall, cylinder shape, as La Casa de Mofongo does.

The only person who enjoyed it and vows to return is Stace. I, on the other hand, will stick to my old clothes, because if a place that specializes in a dish can't make it taste good, I doubt it ever will...to a newborn at least.

La Casa de Mofongo, 1444 St. Nicholas Ave