El Atoradero

[AaronS]

the gowanus outpost has changed its name and about half of the signage to tacos de madre or something similar. the menu is the same as it used to be except they no longer offer nachos or one of the meat options, and the burritos come with cheese on top of them now. the blue corn tortillas and chips are still good, as is the chorizo taco. their beer selection is slightly better than last summer too.

[Steve R.]

Wound up eating an early dinner at the bar in their Prospect Hts. place on Memorial Day. Just about all the usual staff were off, the place was quiet & we had a great time drinking jalepino infused margaritas and eating cecina tacos, freshly made guacamole and a couple of other good things. Met the new chef, who had been there when it opened and left when he didn't get along with Chef/Co-owner Chavez. They're working on expanding the menu and some stuff is already available. Nachos were listed but we didn't get them. Served with the guacamole, the homemade blue corn chips are a little thicker than I'd like, but have a fresh taste. All was good, drinks were strong.

[voyager]

I keep reading about CECINA which I don't know about. Is this it? http://www.mexican-authentic-recipes.com/beef-cecina.html

or something different?

 

It is not part of the California/Mexican culture AFAIK. Never seen it in any NorCal venues.

 

Thanks.

[Sneakeater]

Yeah, it's salted beef.

 

Most Mexican restaurants in the New York area seem to be Pueblan.

[Steve R.]

Yes, supposedly salted then sun dried. Frankly, I wouldn’t bet on the process used by Mexican places that advertise Cecina, including this one. However, I do know what good pieces of dried beef taste like & I use that as my yardstick. These tacos were good. And the beef was dried and salty. Close enough.

[Orik]

Yeah, it's salted beef.

 

Most Mexican restaurants in the New York area seem to be Pueblan.

 

That time when we ordered cecina, thinking it'll be like in Spain, poc chuc, thinking it'll be nice and soft from being marinated, and carne ahumado, thinking Katz's and got a million slices of dry meat...

[Daniel]

Almost went last night. I had a pretty average time st Freeks Mill

[Wilfrid]

Well, it can also be dried pork. "Cecina" just means dried.

[Orik]

Could be venison too but 99% of the time it's beef these days. Part of the rapid gentrificacion of Mexican cuisine in Mexico.

[Steve R.]

the gowanus outpost has changed its name and about half of the signage to tacos de madre or something similar. the menu is the same as it used to be except they no longer offer nachos or one of the meat options, and the burritos come with cheese on top of them now. the blue corn tortillas and chips are still good, as is the chorizo taco. their beer selection is slightly better than last summer too.

 

 

Wound up eating an early dinner at the bar in their Prospect Hts. place on Memorial Day. Just about all the usual staff were off, the place was quiet & we had a great time drinking jalepino infused margaritas and eating cecina tacos, freshly made guacamole and a couple of other good things. Met the new chef, who had been there when it opened and left when he didn't get along with Chef/Co-owner Chavez. They're working on expanding the menu and some stuff is already available. Nachos were listed but we didn't get them. Served with the guacamole, the homemade blue corn chips are a little thicker than I'd like, but have a fresh taste. All was good, drinks were strong.

 

I love ongoing Bklyn restaurant sagas.

 

So, in the past couple of months, after Lina Chavez "left" (again) & the Prospect Hts. location changed its name from El Atoradero to Madre Cocina & Mescales and closed its Gowanus outpost, Chef Chavez picked up the lease in the Gowanus space and opened her El Atoradero there, with her original tacos, etc. This means that we have her old partners & their new chef in Prospect Hts with a new name (the place I posted about twice above) & she's in their defunct outpost space (which AaronS posted about above) with her old name.

And now Eater reports that one of the partners (Noah Arenstein) is stating that Chavez is still part owner of Madre C&M.

I need a margarita.

[Steve R.]

And, while I'm on this Mexican food topic, am I the only one to not know that Hecho en Dumbo closed? I only went to their Manhattan place once in the 10 years since they moved there from Bklyn (where I went several times), but I remember liking the food. I was recently checking some places to try in Bushwick and came across La Loncheria. Looked interesting so I went on their web site and found that Danny Mena (chef and co-owner of Hecho en Dumbo) is there. Probably worth a visit. Anyone already been there?

[Wilfrid]

Isn't there still a Hecho en Dumbo in Vegas?

[Sneakeater]

Sue Torres is now the chef here.

 

And Phil Ward is doing the cocktails.

[joethefoodie]

Sue Torres is now the chef here.

 

And Phil Ward is doing the cocktails.

That's an interesting concept.

 

Is Phil also behind the bar at all?

[Sneakeater]

They call him "head bartender".