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“Toloache”

Occasion:	Cuisine:	Area:	Cost:	Rating:
Night Out	Latin/Mexican	Midtown	Moderate	Good

at many other restaurants seem like iceberg in drag.” Now, how brilliant is that? It’s delicious, sure, but that description is priceless: it makes you laugh, and you know exactly how great that arugula tastes, don’t you? That’s great writing. (Say what you will of Frank and his ability to judge the restaurant scene, but I think he’s a gifted writer.) That’s what I’m talking about. Delicious? Please.

So, while most of the food at Toloache, chef Julian Medina’s inviting Mexican bistro in Hell’s Kitchen, was delicious, I’m going to work hard in this review to take my own advice. I get lazy sometimes too. But my delicious ban is now officially in effect. Moving on.

Toloache (say toh-lo-AH-tchay) is that rare Mexican restaurant that leaves the kitsch out completely and instead feels cool and modern, with walls lined in hand-painted blue and red Mexican tile and lighting from imported wrought iron lanterns that cast a soft warm light and give the space a vaguely Moroccan feel. There are two levels of dining: the lively street level, lined with roomy cream colored banquettes and filled with pairs drinking and dining at the ceviche and guacamole bar, and the more intimate upper level, filled with heavy wooden tables for four and lit with smaller flickering lanterns.

photo credit: Jennifer Mitchell 

The restaurant is named from a flowering plant famed in Mexico for its use in love potions, and while they don’t mention any essence of Toloache in their margaritas, they are also powerful love potions. (Go with someone you love and you’ll love him more, go with someone you’ve just met, and, well, ditto.) There are four varieties served, including one made with fresh muddled blueberries and one with grapefruit, but my favorites were the regular fresh squeezed lime version, the De la Casa ($10), and one made from lots of fresh lime juice with muddled cucumber and jicama that gives the drink a rounder, slightly less tart bite ($12).

Have a round of drinks and an order of the chef’s guacamole sampler ($20 for three), while you look over the menu and make some decisions. The trio is sort of a Goldilocks experience, except in this case, all three offer wonderful but distinctly different rewards. You’ll scoop in ... [more, click below]

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Posted: October 1, 2007

Other restaurants in Midtown :
+ Lever House   + Aquavit   + RM   + Joseph's (formerly Citarella The Restaurant)   + Town   + Artisanal   + The Oyster Bar   + Geisha   + David Burke and Donatella Restaurant   + Riingo   + Amma   + Cafe Sabarsky   + The Stone Rose Lounge   + BLT Steak   + V, The Steakhouse-- Closed   + Bar Masa   + Cafe Gray   + The Bar Room at The Modern   + The Cafe at Aquavit   + The Cafe at Aquavit   + Bistro du Vent-- Closed   + Shaburi   + Xing   + The Modern   + Bar Americain   + Alto   + Park Blue   + Mainland-- Closed   + Nobu 57   + Quality Meats   + Dona-- CLOSED   + Daisy May's   + 7Square-- CLOSED   + Amalia   + Fireside   + Anthos   + Patroon   + BLT Market   + Toloache   + Mia Dona   + Park Avenue Summer   + Convivio   + The Oak Room by guest reviewer Julie Besonen   + At Vermilion by guest reviewer Elaine Weiner   + Lunching at Inakaya, by guest reviewer Kathleen Squires   + Marea, by Guest Reviewer Susan Kane Walkush   + Le Bernardin   + New York Central -- A Reason To Eat at the Grand Hyatt Again   + Pampano Botaneria by Dara Pollak   

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