Zarela’s Mexican Restaurant, New York City
We visited with Chef Zarela Martinez at her New York restaurant Zarela’s. The restaurant is a town house on Second Avenue and Fiftieth Street. It is painted yellow and the sign” Zarela’s” steals attention away from all the other larger businesses on both sides of this small jewel. We walked into a colorful bar-restaurant space, with banquets along the wall, opposite the bar. The atmosphere inside and out is Mexican in décor with vivid color throughout. Furnishings are comfortable and inviting in the manner of a Mexican tavern. Our party of four sat at a banquet between the bar and the kitchen, with a view of the entire first floor. We have followed the career of Chef Zarella Martinez, and her cookbooks have been in our kitchen at home for years. We were excited to finally taste Zarela’s food. We sipped on a Frozen Mango Margarita, a Pomegranate Frozen Margarita, and two of their Patron Anejo Margaritas with salt on the rims. Cocktails are between $9.25 and $14. The drinks were flavorful, and perfectly balanced with Tequila, and lasted for quite a long time. These were the best tasting Margaritas I’ve had in New York.
Zarela came in a few minutes’ later and suggested dishes she thought we would enjoy. She is an energetic vivacious person who enjoys chatting with her customers. While we enjoyed our dinner, she visited several tables and was clearly familiar with all the guests. Zarela’s is obviously a long standing restaurant.
The menu for the week was a “Gastronomic-tour of the state of Puebla”. Zarela is considered one of the nations Mexican food experts, and her books attest to this. She talked to us shortly about Mexican regions and food. Her culinary language reveals the story of her cuisine, and the importance of Ingredients and quality.
The chef sent several dished to our table. Platos Fuertes (Entrees) are between $13 to $22.00. We sampled some selections from the special menu of the week, the Caldo De Chile Poblano, a roasted Poblano pepper soup with zucchini, chayote, potatoes and corn kernels, topped with thinly sliced fried corn tortillas. The soup was slightly thick and very flavorful. The corn, potatoes and tortilla-slivers gave structure to the soup. We also enjoyed dipping warm, homemade corn and flour tortillas into the soup. Our second dish was charred Anaheim pepper stuffed with Queso Blanco and Mexican sausage. The pepper was rich and full of flavor. It sat on a slightly spicy red sauce that brought all the flavors together. From the regular menu we tasted the guacamole accompanied by homemade fried tortillas alongside a dipping red salsa and a green salsa that I found myself drinking straight from the cup. Zarela explained that her recipes were available on her website, which she designed as an educational site in Mexican cooking. She became animated when talking about the differences in the cuisine of small areas within the one Mexican district of Verazruz, because they border different states and regions where different ingredients were available. Her intensity when speaking about Mexican cuisine made me realize that her life is all about her cooking and her restaurant which has become a showcase for her creations. She would possibly say that these recipes have existed for hundreds of years and she could not take credit. The reality is that it takes someone like her to bring these recipes to life in the manner only she does.
Our next dish was the extraordinary “Cochinita Pibil”; marinated Yucatan-style pork shoulder served in a banana leaf with red onion, Habanero chile and orange relish. This was a spectacular dish with an intense aroma of herbs and spices that played on the palate. The banana leaf made the presentation attractive and mouth-watering, and gave flavor to the meat.
For desserts we sampled Flan De Veracruz with caramelized Papantia Vanilla served with fresh fruits, Creamy Cheesecake de Limon with fresh strawberry sauce, Aztec Treasure Bittersweet chocolate, and Kahlua pecan pie with homemade vanilla pecan ice cream and chocolate sauce.
I left the restaurant feeling excited about Mexican food and having met Zarela. Her restaurant is the place I would like to hang out after work sipping on the Margaritas, and sampling every dish either at the bar, or at a table. I recommend Zarela’s as the best neighborhood Mexican restaurant in town. Service was attentive and comfortable. Zarela’s also offers a complete take-out menu. The restaurant opens daily for lunch and dinner. For take-out or reservations call 212-644-6740. Zarela’s is located at 953 2nd Avenue (between 50 and 51st streets).
