It was only a matter of time before someone snatched up the old Snicker's/Krazy Mac's spot at the corner of West 58th and Detroit. First-time restaurateur Rosita Kutkut will open La Boca — Spanish for "the mouth" — in early June. She took over the space soon after Krazy Mac's closed in late November. Chef Adam Schmith, formerly of Melange, describes the menu as "contemporary comfort cuisine with a Latin inspiration." "We will grab the flavors and spices of Argentina, Venezuela and Chile, and twist them into a variety of contemporary dishes," explains Schmith. The all-day menu will feature affordable starters, flatbreads, sandwiches and small plates. Most of the items will be priced between $5 and $12. Diners can look forward to a flatbread topped with chorizo, onion and portabella mushroom. A chimichurri-marinated steak sandwich is served with yucca chips. House-made empanadas will be stuffed with ground lamb and kalamata olives. Lamb chops will be rubbed with a fragrant adobo spice mixture. The space has undergone significant modifications, including new wood flooring throughout and a fresh paint job. "We really tried to lighten it up in here," notes Schmith. "Those black ceilings made the place feel like a closet." La Boca will seat about 75 indoors, plus an additional 60 on the back patio.
To be honest, walking into Mexico Lindo (4250 Pearl Rd., 216.351.3435) did not inspire much in the way of culinary confidence. One staffer sat at the bar hugging a pint of Ben & Jerry's, while the other watched a blaring television. Oh, and no diners were in the dining room. The good news is that by the time we had left, the dining room was half full. The reason: freshly prepared Mexican food. Four handmade taquitos ($4.99) are filled with ground beef, fried and topped with lettuce and cheese. Six-inch corn tostada shells ($4.99) are layered with refried beans, ground beef, lettuce, tomato and cheese. A tart tomatillo sauce tops two chicken-stuffed enchiladas ($8.99), which are served with great beans and rice. The restaurant is located in the former Theo's spot in Old Brooklyn.
On June 7, chef Ben Bebenroth of Spice of Life Catering (216.432.9090, spiceoflifecaters.com) will kick off another season of his deservedly popular Plated Landscape dinners. In addition to the dreamy rural settings — including mushroom, goat and vegetable farms — this year's lineup includes a few close-to-home urban settings. The eight dinners will run through mid-October — and they always sell out.
