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Want to try Brooklyn's acclaimed Mexican restaurant Ensenada but don't want to have to get on the L train? Lucky for you, chef Luis Herrera (Cosme, Blanca) is bringing Ensenada’s vibrant brand of mariscos and mezcal to downtown Manhattan with a two-night takeover at Soho's Bar Tulix (25 West Houston Street).
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On Tuesday, April 9, and Wednesday, April 10, from 5 to 9:30pm, the Ensenada crew is moving into the kitchen of John McDonald’s coastal Mexican spot with an à la carte menu of the Brooklyn restaurant’s seafood specialties.
Attendees, who can book a table for the pop-up event through Resy, can enjoy fresh aguachiles (the herbaceous verde is spiced with serrano and soothed with cucumbers and cilantro, while the negro version features habanero tatemado and salsas negras; $18 for small, $32 for large), fish tacos (tempura-fried cod piled high with chipotle aioli, pico de gallo and a bright slaw; $8) and a whole roasted branzino ($50) done up “al pastor” style and ready to share with roasted pineapple relish and pineapple butter. And for something dulce, dig into a hibiscus tart ($14) with dark chocolate cremeux and hazelnuts for dessert.
Ensenada is named for a coastal city in Mexico and it pays homage to its namesake with a menu spotlighting primo-quality fish sourced locally. “I travel to Mexico twice a year, and I’ve really learned these dishes—they offer a glimpse of Mexico’s coastal cuisine, but also of its culinary history” Herrera said in a press release. “The recipes are simple, and you really need to find the best of the best to do them justice.”
You can't have the mariscos without the mezcal, of course, so there will also be a selection of playful cocktails from Ensenada's beverage director Jorsand Diaz to wash it all down, including a mezcal-splashed margarita. The restaurant's mezcal collection expands out from the typical Oaxaca-bred bottles and highlights other regions Durango, Michoacan, and Puebla.
Space is limited at this special pop-up series so act fast!