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.
This article appears in May 13-19, 2009.
