the strong buzz: Mole for Williamsburg
Eating at one of Nick Cervera and Lupe Elizalde’s Mole restaurants in the LES or West Village is like a veritable history lesson in Mexican cuisine. For the past 20 years, this husband and wife team has mastered their craft in NYC. It’s about time they share the Mexican amor and sabor with the boroughs. Brooklyn is so ready.
If you’re looking for take-out Mexican, look elsewhere. This is not your basic salsa, guac and margarita joint (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Elizalde is not one to compromise on the flavors of her youth. Specialty ingredients, like the mole made by her mother, are shipped directly from Mexico City. The salsa sampler ($8) offers 5 signature dips, including a molecajete salsa made with roasted tomatoes and jalapenos. The ceviche ($12), marinated in salsa bruja (witch’s brew), is like a vacation for the palate. Even the quesadillas (starting at $9) excite with shredded oxtail and Oaxacan cheese.
For dinner, pass on standbys like burritos and fajitas and stick with regional specialties, like Barbacoa, an ancient Aztec recipe of lamb wrapped in cactus leaf and braised over coals. Or try Cochinita Pibil ($21), a Yucatan dish of shredded pork marinated in axiote paste and cooked in banana leaves.
Flan, tres leches and Mexican chocolate cake might sound like classic desserts, but at Mole, they have an authentic twist. The house flan is made with eggs sans gelatin, like grandma used to make. The result is thick and creamy yet delicate and fluffy.
There’s just one rule worth following on this culinary tour of Mexico: take the time to get to know Cervera. Not only is he a walking encyclopedia, he brings a unique energy to the front of the house. And a collection of tequilas too. Get on his good side, and you might score a taste of one of the restaurant’s 80 blancos, anejos and reposados. Just try not to down too many prickly pear or cucumber margaritas beforehand.
Mole opened on April 3, 2011 and is located at 178 Kent Ave. in Williamsburg, 347.384.2300, www.molenyc.com.
—Andrea Branchini
