New York City is playing catch up with the rest of the country in celebrating Cinco de Mayo.
In the big apple, Cinco De Mayo celebrations include food, folkloric dance, parades and mariachi music to honor Mexican heritage and pride. What better day to celebrate Mexican culinary renaissance than Cinco de Mayo? Whether you're looking for an exotic spicy dish or looking for an open bar of flavored margaritas, here are the 5 best places in New York to eat, drink and celebrate the traditional Cinco de Mayo on Sunday.
Fonda
Fonda will be celebrating Cinco De Mayo with drink specials and festivities throughout the day.
Chef Roberto Santibañez applies more than two decades of devotion to the cuisine of his native country, bringing on Cinco de Mayo the kind of contemporary, urban Mexican food you'd find in Mexico City to a relaxed atmosphere in the Lower East Side.
Need to get your spicy appetite on? Fonda is serving the "5 Chili for the 5 de Mayo" Sauce. I recommend the "Enchiladas de mole negro oaxaqueño" those soft corn tortillas filled with steak topped with a stone ground Oaxacan Black Mole, chopped onions, cream, queso fresco, cilantro and sesame seeds. Don't leave the place without trying the "Ceviche Acapulco Style", a smooth and unique Cinco de Mayo seafood-cocktail pleasure.
Toloache
Want to get a head start? Toloache is a contemporary Mexican bistro located in the heart of New York's Theatre District. Toloache is named after a flowering plant known in Mexico for its use in love potions.
Chef Julian Medina has been creating a refined menu for this 5 de Mayo Celebration. They will be serving a variety of entrees including a delicious "Chile Relleno" a Roasted poblano pepper filled with seafood, quinoa moros and chile de arbol-tomato sauce. An for the table we also recommend the "Flautas Ahogadas", a delicious Pork carnitas rolled taquitos with habanero-tomato caldillo, crema and fresh queso.
Pulperia
There's a lot of creativity coming out of the bar, but the kitchen really shines! Chef Carlos Barroz will be serving a special Cinco de Mayo menu at "La Pulperia", a three-course dinner, with options like our favorite "Enchillada de pollo" a shredded chicken rolled in soft corn tortilla with poblano creme sauce, rice and beans. But if you are in the mood for your ultimate-taco, don't leave the place without trying the "Tacos de Langosta" tacos filed with lobster, grilled pineapple, avocado cream, and chipotle mayo. Top it all with live mariachis, live botanas, and margaritas-special all Sunday.
Casa Mezcal
Casa Mezcal offers a combination of contemporary and native foods of Mexico this Cinco de Mayo. Chef Ignacio Carballido includes a variety of traditional Mexican dishes in this Sunday menu including our favorites "Tamales" . Also on the table you must have the "Mole de pollo Oaxaqueño", a chicken served with an exotic chocolate mole sauce (Secret family recipe), served with rice and beans.For drinks I recommend "Los Amantes"which is the brand of mezcal that the owners make themselves in Oaxaca, and for cocktails my favorites are "Llano en Llamas" if you like spicy and "Macario" for a refreshing cocktail with some cilantro.
Sueños
This year Cinco de Mayo is a real special day at "Sueños", Chef Sue Torres will be launching it's first-ever weekend brunch menu on Sunday. We recommend spicy options like coconut-habanero shrimp tacos. Sueños that means "dreams" in spanish,will also be serving special dishes like tacos al pastor, tamales and grilled corn on the cobb from the Puebla region of Mexico. At this colorful underground restaurant in Chelsea, you're likely to find specialties such as grilled vegetables and goat cheese enchiladas, avocado leaf crusted tuna, and a tequila-flamed shrimp stack!
Take note, the 5 for the Cinco:
Fonda
40 Ave B btw 3St & 4St,
212-677-4096
www.fondarestaurant.com
Toloache
251 West 50th Street, New York, NY
212-581-1818
www.toloachenyc.com
La Pulperia
371 W 46th St New York, NY
212-956-3056
www.lapulerianyc.com
Casa Mezcal
86 Orchard St, New York, NY
212-777-2600
www.casamezcalny.com
Sueños
311 West 17St New York, NY
212-243-1333
www.suenosnyc.com