ABC Cocina: New York City
When my friend and I got back to New York City after the Women’s March, we went “out on the town”. That may be a bit dramatic; we went to have a late night dinner. But it is a trendy restaurant, so I think that still counts. We headed to ABC Cocina, a tapas style restaurant in the Flatiron district. I thought tapas would be good since we really wanted cocktails and we could share a few plates.
We hit the bar first since we had to wait for our table to be ready. We decided that we had a lot to celebrate. Twenty years ago, we were roommates at San Diego State University and today we Marched on Washington with hundreds of thousands of like minded individuals to show solidarity. We both decided we would start with a glass of sparkling wine. The only time it really matters that you are getting the first glass of anything is when it’s champagne or sparkling wine. It was nice to see the bottle being opened by the bartender. And what a generous pour. Cheers!
After reviewing the menu, my friend and I agreed on four items. One was the roasted beet and citrus salad with celery, cilantro, and chilies. This was the first time I’ve had a beet salad with a Latin twist and I loved it. I thought all the ingredients with its vibrant colors melded together nicely. I look forward to trying to replicate this at home.
I believe that the crispy brussels sprouts we ordered were deep fried. Although it came with a blue cheese aioli to dip, I really didn’t need it. The crisp salty vegetables were on point.
On the menu at ABC Cocina, was roasted honeynut squash with goat cheese and pepitas. I had never heard of honeynut squash. It is sweeter than the standard butternut squash which I enjoyed.
Around this time, I got my cocktail. The bartenders had a special drink called “Made to Measure,” which our waiter recommended. The concoction of rum, activated charcoal, passion fruit, vanilla, black pepper, and lemon not only looked awesome, it was delicious. This cocktail will remain unforgettable.
Our fourth dish was charred octopus with smoked paprika, creme fraiche, and guajillo vinaigrette. To this day, I haven’t met an octopus I didn’t like.
For dessert, we agreed on the salted caramel flan. I love the sweet and savory combination so it was pure genius to add a little extra touch of salt to this amazing dessert.
On a prior visit to New York, I dined at ABC Kitchen, this time around it was ABC Cocina. Next trip to New York will be a visit to ABC V, the vegetarian inspired restaurant that is soon to be open.
