StreetLevel: Park Slope, Welcome to el Barrio
What’s a highly successful restaurateur do upon moving from Manhattan to Park Slope? In the case of Spencer Rothschild—one of the owners of the Upper West Side’s Calle Ocho, Gramercy’s BLT Prime, and Midtown’s Django—he opens Barrio, possibly the most highly anticipated new restaurant on 7th Avenue in forever. Rothschild moved to the Slope with…
What’s a highly successful restaurateur do upon moving from Manhattan to Park Slope? In the case of Spencer Rothschild—one of the owners of the Upper West Side’s Calle Ocho, Gramercy’s BLT Prime, and Midtown’s Django—he opens Barrio, possibly the most highly anticipated new restaurant on 7th Avenue in forever. Rothschild moved to the Slope with his wife, Julie, last fall, and the pair set about finding a suitable location for a restaurant. They ended up taking the space on the corner of 3rd Street and 7th Ave. formerly occupied by Tempo Presto. Julie is a photographer and designed the space’s interior, which is notable for its pink color scheme, exposed ceiling rafters, and wall art that includes a large mural. It’s the pair’s first time opening a restaurant together, and Rothschild said they “wanted to do it right.” Rothschild notes that “New York has a mostly well-deserved bad reputation for Mexican food” and his menu will involve “staying authentic” (in other words, no Tex-Mex). Barrio’s executive chef and other partner is Adrian Leon, who has overseen kitchens at Rosa Mexicano and Zona Rosa. Leon’s menu at Barrio will include dishes like Puebla pork tenderloin with a peanut mole sauce (tentatively priced at $16.75), market fish tacos ($9.75), and an open-face chicken enchilada ($14.25). The restaurant will have a full liquor license and offer specialty cocktails like mojitos and caiperinas. Barrio is set to open this coming Monday, the 21st, and it’s looking like it might be the shot in the arm that 7th Avenue’s restaurant scene—so often a bridesmaid to the one on 5th nowadays—desperately needs. GMAP
That place is pretty tacky looking. Hopefully the food is better than the design and color scheme. It looks like the same designer of that shitty salon that’s opening across the street. Sorry for the negativity.
That place is pretty tacky looking. Hopefully the food is better than the design and color scheme. It looks like the same designer of that shitty salon that’s opening across the street. Sorry for the negativity.
If the seasonings and ingredients in the dishes are right, what’s on the drinks list is irrelevant. It’d be dumb for any bar-restaurant, no matter the cuisine, not to offer a decent mojito or caperinia.
I wonder how the authentic Mexican will go over with what may be a big part of their lunch rush – the restaurant is in the “zone” within which the 4th and 5th graders at PS 321 are allowed to go for lunch.
Even though Barrio sounds more on the fancy side, I do hope they find a way to take advantage – I grew up on Mexican food and I think it would be a much healthier alternative for the kids than the usual pizza/starbucks options.
Looking forward to it and hope it succeeds but Zona Rosa and Rosa Mexicana are not what come to mind when thinking authentic Mexican. Zarelas, La Palapa are good examples in this class. Of course, plenty of quality and authenticity in Sunset Park.
wonder if the fish tacos will be any contest to San Diego’s or LA’s. Probably not.
wonder if the fish tacos will be any contest to San Diego’s or LA’s. Probably not.
Babosos pendejos. Staying authentic? Pardon me for not believing yet another white dude with no clue as to what authentic Mexican food is supposed to taste like. Mojitos are Cuban and peanut mole sauce is just plain wrong, especially at that price. Caiparinias are Brazilian. I hate all of you.
How is someone named Spencer “staying authentic” by opening a Mexican restaurant? Authentic to what? How would he be less authentic opening a Tex-Mex place?