The Perfect Margarita & Guacamole: La Vie en Rosa
May 9th, 2007 by Erica
Just when I thought the guacamole couldn’t get any better than El Rio Grande, it did. My quest to discover the best guacamole and margaritas in NYC lead me to Rosa Mexicano’s Lincoln Center location. Late for a dinner date with two of my co-workers, I breezed past the handful of outdoor tables bustling with patrons enjoying the beautiful spring weather and joined the crowd of people waiting to speak to the hostess. After a quick peek at the bar and the downstairs tables, I pulled out my lifesaver, a.k.a. my cell, and dialed my friends to find out where they were. I bypassed the crowd and headed for the stairs, which have a fountain that spans the entire wall as a backdrop. A closer look reveals that there are tiny figures of cliff divers plunging from different heights.
I spotted my friends at a back corner table (the place was packed) and dropped into my chair. After apologizing profusely for being late, my friends pointed out that they had indeed saved some guac for me, even if it was only two chips’ worth. Truly a harsh punishment for my tardiness! I flagged the waiter and ordered a pomegranate margarita and quickly downed the last bits of guac before my comrades could. You heard it here first — their Guacamole en Molcajete is incredible. I cannot tell you exactly what makes it so, but their guac surpasses any other I’ve had. Now I am amazed that they were even able to save me two chips worth! A few minutes and one avocado-induced haze later, the waiter returned with my seemingly small margarita — though later I found I shouldn’t let their size fool me. The festivities could truly begin.
A thorough perusal of the menu revealed that Rosa Mexicano serves authentic Mexican food. The impressive variety allows all kinds of foodies to find something they will enjoy. I chose Flautas de Pollo (rolled crispy chicken tacos topped with salsa pasilla de oaxaca, salsa verde and sour cream) while my fellow tasters chose the Ensalada Con AtÏn (avocado leaf-crusted seared rare tuna served on a crispy black bean tostado over jicama, mango and cabbage slaw with papaya-habanero sauce), and Tacos De Carne Asada (grilled marinated skirt steak served in a cast iron skillet with chihuahua cheese, charro beans, roasted corn esquites and salsa chile de arbol). Our collective verdict? Amazing tasting food and incredibly good (and strong) margaritas. Unfortunately, we were so full of margs, guac and spice that we couldn’t even look at the dessert menu.
So was everything with Rosa Mexicano amazing? Not so much. Though the cliff diver fountain provides momentary eye candy, the atmosphere of the rest of the restaurant wasn’t all that appealing to me. Maybe it was just that I was bitter that we were in the back corner. Despite my distaste for the décor, I truly enjoyed my first time at Rosa Mexicano. And though I may not become a regular there like I am at Rio, the guacamole alone will keep me coming back for more.