muy bien

met up with blondie last night at mercadito in the LES (Ave B b/n E 11th and 12th). the restaurant was very cozy and seemed to be just a tiny hole in the wall type place with only six or so tables and a bar area. but then the host led us back past the bar and for a second i thought we were going to go through the kitchen, but lo and behold we were steered down a small set of stairs to a more open and lovely dining area.

the waitress was friendly- offered her suggestions and listed the specials. of note- the restaurant had a serious collection of fine tequilas (something my friend conroy would appreciate) and she pointed out that they served "mexican tapas" and that dishes were to be shared. after a few minutes of deliberation, we ordered the mango guacamole, red snapper ceviche and mahi mahi ceviche, skirt steak tacos, and the battered/deep fried fish.

perhaps the festive atmosphere of the restaurant, our laid back mood, or the quality of the food allowed us to overlook the few mishaps from the wait staff with bringing out our orders. the guacamole was excellent. although i generally like guacamole, i'm not an enthusiast so i was surprised at how much i enjoyed it. very flavorful, hints of sweetness, smoothness, and smokiness. the ceviche was only so-so, although i appreciated the presentation. it was served on chilled on ice with a side of flat clay colored crackers. the tacos were the best part of the meal. blondie and i debated which was better and finally settled on the fish. it was lightly fried and balanced well with diced vegetables.

definately a wonderful dining experience and i'll certainly go back when i want to splurge on gourmet mexican.