High-end Mexican goes subterranean in SoHo.
La Esquina Restaurant is one of our
| Top 10 New York LateNight Restaurants
| Top 10 New York Mexican Restaurants
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Cuisine
Open
Dinner nightlyFeatures
- Romantic setting
- Private room(s)
- Full bar
- Open late
- Casual
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| La Esquina (the corner in Spanish) is a three-headed experience: a Formica-countered taqueria at the junction of Lafayette and Cleveland, the more upscale café around the corner on Kenmore and---most especially---the secretive subterranean restaurant, which has acquired a speakeasy patina via its complicated admissions policy. One must first enter the taqueria, go downstairs through the employees only entrance, get a phone number from the host and only then may one call for a reservation. After that is secured, you traipse through the kitchen to enter a cavernous space lit by flickering candles and decorated in a theme that could be deemed Mexi-Goth, where every area somehow manages to seem secluded. Choose to haunt the snug bar area for small plates (chorizo-and-charred onion quesadillas; lump crab meat tostadas; taquitos made with citrus-rubbed organic rotisserie chicken) and rare tequilas, or take your seat on a padded black banquette for entrées including grilled whole fish accompanied by avocado and tomatillo salsa, sirloin with poblano peppers and chimichurri sauce, or Mayan shrimp with chipotle glaze. There are also salads, steamed mussels, barbecue baby-back ribs in a chile-guava sauce and a plate of the day (if it's Tuesday, then it must be amaranth-and-cheese croquettes). |
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