Rosa Mexicano - It's all about the 'Mole....

Everybody loves Mexican food. It caters to all tastes and can please at all levels of sophistication. My favorite Mexican institution is Chipotle - something about their rice. And one of my favorite brunch places is Dos Caminos and, believe it or not, they have the BEST french toast in the city !!!! So we decided to try a fancy Mexican dinner the other day and picked Rosa Mexicano. It turned out a great choice!

The restaurant has multiple locations in the city and they are distinctive with their pink neon signs; we went to the Midtown East one. It was a Sunday night and there were fewer patrons but I would recommend getting a reservation. I have seen the place getting jam packed especially on Fridays and Saturdays. The ambiance was nice - cozy and well-lit but not particularly Mexican.

We started with the inevitable bowl of guacamole and, for the record, Rosa Mexicano has the best guacamole. Made to order (spicy was our choice) and served with warm tortillas and tortilla chips, it was the perfect thing to munch on while mulling over the menu. To go with that, we had the frozen pomegranate margarita and chocolate martini. If you are a chocolate lover, the latter is THE drink for you !

We moved on to the Empanadas de Jaiba which were four small empanadas filled with crab meat and herbs and served with mango salsa and a spicy tomatillo salsa. The mangoes paired very well with the crab empanadas.

For our entrees, we had the Mixiote de Cordero (lamb shank marinated in spices, wrapped in parchment paper and steamed), Filete con Hongos (filet mignon served with mushroom-tequila cream sauce) and Enchiladas de Mole Poblano (chicken tortillas with mole sauce). They were all great - flavorful, cooked to perfection and plated appetizingly!

The lamb shank was my personal favorite. It was presented in the parchment paper that was unwrapped and folded back artistically at our table. The meat was so well-marinated and tender that it fell off the bones and every bite was a burst of flavors. And the gravy was perfect with the spanish rice. As to the steak, it was perfectly medium rare, the meat was great cut and the tequila reduction mushroom sauce was delicious!

On the Mole..... the sauce that makes or breaks a Mexican restaurant!! I am not the best judge of the sauce, not having had it before. So I'll tell my husband's tale - he has had it many times, including in Texas (the bar of standard!!!). Anyway, to lay the background, the man is extra picky when it comes to Mexican food. His excuse is the phenomenal quality which he enjoyed in Texas. And, his verdict is - "Impressive". What more need I say! :)

To top off the meal we had the Tres Leches de la Casa, a meringue covered milk cake with lime natilla and mango salsa. It was a light and refreshing end to a great meal!

Mexican cuisine is much commoditized in this country. But, it's a happy note that places like Rosa Mexicano serve up a sophisticated fare which combines simple ingredients and a great tradition for a very good experience that I would to love to revisit soon! The portions are good sized and there is a bit of pleasant surprise in each dish that keeps the diner coming back.

Rosa Mexicano Guacamole

Here is the recipe for the famous guac from chef Santibañez

1 T finely chopped white onion

1 T chopped cilantro

3 ripe but firm avocados

3 T diced tomatoes

salt as needed

For the chili paste

1 T finely chopped white onion

3 tp chopped jalapeno (less for milder heat)

1 T chopped cilantro

1 tp salt

Grind the chili paste ingredients in the molcajate (the bowl) to a fine paste. Scoop out the avocado flesh into the bowl. Fold the paste into the avocado pieces, mashing them into the bite size you like. Add the tomato, cilantro, onion and fold into the mixture. Add salt as necessary. Serve immediately.

Note: Guacamole has to be immediately consumed. Cut avocados do not last in the refrigerator.