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“Cabrito”

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

wds gathered two-deep at the bar for pitchers of margaritas poured into glasses with salted rims perched with quartered limes. Craig was already drinking a cold pint when I arrived, and we were seated at a table toward the back, which was supposedly quieter than the mosh pit by the front door. Not so much. But there we sat, practically on top of the couple next to us, and screamed at each other over another surprisingly good meal in a Mexican noise chamber.

Schuttenberg’s hamachi starter is not necessarily “Mexican,” but it’s very good. Lightly seared sashimi-style slices of fish are plated on a puddle of caper mayo and then topped with toasted almonds and green olives and chile de arbol powder that gives the fish a little kick ($14). Tacos are served individually so you can make your own taco feast for dinner or just have one for an appetizer. We opted for the latter, and had a taco al carbon ($6). Tender slices of seared skirt steak marinated in chiles and garlic are piled in the center of a warm corn tortilla, and topped with some crema, cilantro, radish, and lime. Simple, and perfect.

We’d have ordered more tacos but we were trying to save some room for two main courses (and the portions are generous)—the red chili beef short rib ($18) and the carne enchilada huaraches ($14). The short rib is braised to falling from the bone softness and served with four tortillas for a make your own taco situation. I liked the idea of this dish, and certainly that beef was good and messy, but I think the kitchen should provide a bit more than a big shank of beef  to fill those tortillas—a few accompaniments, a little rice, perhaps some pickled vegetables to cut the fat and give the beef a contrasting texture to work with, even just a few wedges of lime and some radishes would have been the little something extra that would’ve put the dish over the top. The same cannot be said of the huaraches, which needed nothing more than was offered. They’re accessorized to the hilt and looks like a huge salad when they arrive, topped with lettuce, cilantro, radishes and crema. Under the mass of foliage you’ll uncover a generous heap of chili-steeped pulled pork (no hot sauce needed here either, as this pork is saturated with beautiful chili-driven heat) resting on a huarache—a masa pancake that’s thicker than a tortilla, and shaped like a wide oval as opposed to a circle. While it’s te ... [more, click below]

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Posted: June 15, 2008

Other restaurants in West Village :
+ Jefferson-- Closed   + La Palapa Rockola   + Sumile   + Babbo   + Tasca   + AOC Bedford   + Home   + The Spotted Pig   + Barbuto   + Numero 26   + Mas   + August   + Alta   + Cru   + Blue Mill Tavern-- Closed   + Employees Only   + Lassi   + Metropol--Closed   + Turks and Frogs   + Bellavitae   + Yumcha-- CLOSED   + Gusto: SEE EARLIER REVIEW; THIS CHEF HAS LEFT GUSTO   + Perry Street   + Home   + Ditch Plains   + The Little Owl   + Cafe Condesa   + Cafe Cluny   + Gusto   + The Waverly Inn   + Morandi   + P*ONG   + Perilla   + Soto   + Market Table   + Centro Vinoteca   + Barfry   + Dell'Anima   + Bar Blanc   + Smith's   + Commerce   + Elettaria   + Bar Q   + Cabrito   + 10 Downing   + Minetta Tavern   + Braeburn   + Scuderia, by guest reviewer Kathleen Squires   + Bar Blanc Bistro by Guest Reviewer Kathleen Squires   + Joseph Leonard   + Bar Henry, by Guest Reviewer Kathleen Squires   + Kin Shop   + Monument Lane   + Wong   + Bin on Bleecker, by Dara Pollak   + Ristorante Rafele   + Cole's Greenwich Village by Guest Reviewer Claire Jaffe   

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