Sembrado (CLOSED)

Mexico City native Danny Mena (Hecho en Dumbo) goes solo with this mescal-fueled East Village taqueria, decked out with Mexican plateware and vintage Spanish-languagemovie posters. The 42-seat restaurant specializes in traditional tacos al carbon, hand-pressed corn tortillas stuffed with grilled meat, such as pork-belly chorizo, salt-cured steak and free-range chicken breast. The checklist menu also features tacos al pastor, slow-cooked on a trompo rotisserie on display in the open kitchen. Meals are capped by desserts crafted by Fany Gerson of La Newyorkina, including sundaes topped with puffed amaranth, Mexican chocolate bits or sweet tomatillo sauce, as well as an exclusive mango-chamoy paleta. Post up to the ten-seat bar for cervezas (Negro Modelo, Pacifico), house-made horchata, and one- or two-ounce pours of mescal. There are 30 bottles of the earthy, agave-based spirit on offer, including selections from Mezcales de Leyenda, of which Mena is a partner.