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Jesse Kranzler, Fidel Caballero and Sofia Ostos have been on a roll as of late. It all started when the three opened Corima in Chinatown. There, Caballero’s coursed tasting menu of buttery, sourdough tortillas and cecina or dry-cured beef tlayudas earned the restaurant a Michelin Star and, as of this week, a nomination from the James Beard Foundation. But as fine as it is—the tasting menu costs $140 per person—there is an accessible element here, as à la carte items range from $9-58. Continuing the goal to be “as accessible as possible,” according to Kranzler, the team opened Vato, a casual tortilleria and bakery for the “homies” of Park Slope. Now the trio plans to introduce more to their progressive Mexican fare with the opening of Bar Chucho.
Just a brisk five minute walk away from Corima, Bar Chucho acts as a slice of Mexico City. The name, Kranzler explains, takes after chucho, an infused drink popular in northern Mexico that consists of sotol infused with osha root aka chuchupaste. A first for the group, the bar came about from a simple desire for a casual, late-night hang.
“The idea of opening a bar came about because we wanted a place for our friends and guests to be able to hang out, eat and drink late night after work or dinner,” says Kranzler.
Beverage director Edward Hardebeck tends to the bar here, stirring up sotol based margaritas livened with granny smith and cilantro and gin sours balanced with strawberry, yuzu and a hint of umami from uni. Nodding to the team's shared love of Micheladas, there are three different kinds to be had here, from the classic with dashes of tabasco and Maggi to a fermented tomatillo with kombu. Plus, all can be made spirit-free as the bar houses non-alcoholic pilsner. Speaking of, the menu rounds out with four non-alcoholic options, including a cold brew and Guinness syrup drink to a frozen mangonada.
Naturally, Caballero tackles the food here with yuzu and chive oil guacamoles, chamoy dips and chilindrinas, a Mexican street food that uses fried wheat as a base, overlaid with potato salad and raw bluefin tuna. Caballero's tortillas from Vato also made it to the menu, filled with maitake mushrooms, cooked carnitas style. But perhaps the most covetable dish goes to the hamburgesa. Paying "homage to the flavors of carne asada,” the dry-aged burger starts with a seasoning of beef garum, an umami-rich fermentation from the Corima kitchen. It is followed with a topping of queso chihuahua, chiles toreados (aka, blistered peppers) and a swirl of bone marrow mayo.
The bar just opened its doors for the first time last night, so swing by this weekend for a taste of something new from the Corima team.
Bar Chucho is now open at 37 Market St, New York, NY 10002.