Maz-ican Food

In our ongoing quest for the best Mexican food in New York, Lauren and I had dinner this week at Maz Mezcal. Set back under a green and adobe red awning on 86th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues, Maz Mezcal makes you feel as though you’re walking not only into a Mexican restaurant, but into Mexico itself. Warm blues, greens, tans, and reds adorn the interior, and the scattering of plant life and Mexican-inspired art creates a cozy feel that makes you want to sip a margarita while munching on chips and salsa. Which is exactly what we did.

Having passed Maz Mezcal often and been impressed with their large outdoor seating area, Lauren and I were disappointed to discover that the outdoor patio had been reduced in size and no longer accommodated tables, a change that may or may not be temporary. Instead, the front windows opened on to the indoor dining area where we were seated. It wasn’t outside, but it was close enough, and the dim lighting and cool interior afforded us an escape from the 86th Street heat.

First up was, of course, a round of margaritas (on the rocks, with salt) and a side order of guacamole to go with our complimentary chips and salsa. The margaritas were not too sweet, not too salty, and just refreshing enough, yet the small tumblers they were served in left something to be desired – namely, more margaritas. The guacamole, however, was just the way we like it – smooth, creamy, and served in a tortilla shell that we snacked on after we had run out of chips.

Maz’s menu is rather extensive and consists of a variety of authentic Mexican fare such as enchiladas, flautas, fajitas, and tamales, as well as several pork, chicken, and fish entrées. Lauren chose the steak fajitas while I had trouble deciding between the shrimp enchiladas, the Mole Poblano, and one of the Maz Combiaciones, combinations of enchiladas, burritos, and tostadas. I went with the Enchiladas de Camarones – the shrimp enchiladas – and was glad I did.

Lauren and I were both impressed (and a bit surprised) at the speed with which our food was prepared, as it arrived tableside before we had even made a dent in our guacamole. We were also impressed by the amount of food we were given and the quality of our orders. Lauren had ample amounts of fajita filler, all of which had difficulty fitting on our table for two, while my enchiladas were substantial in themselves, not to mention the side of yellow rice and refried beans that arrived with them. With food literally overflowing from our small table, we dug in and enjoyed every bite.

Though we were a bit stuffed after dinner, we couldn’t resist taking a peek at the dessert menu and, once we did, couldn’t resist ordering the Sopapillas, puff pastries filled with whipped cream and topped with honey, cinnamon, powdered sugar, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Light and sweet, these were the perfect finish to a delicious yet filling meal.

And, for me, our meal was the perfect kick-off to my second and last vacation of the summer: a week in Long Beach Island, NJ with my family. Enjoy a margarita at Maz and I’ll see you next week!