Fonda Comida Mexicana - High End Mexican with Comfort Food Flair

Fonda Comida Mexicana – High End Mexican with Comfort Food Flair

By Julianne Clancy

I have a problem: I have trouble getting truly excited over Mexican cuisine. Don’t get me wrong—it’s not that I don’t love a fantastic enchilada or some addictively gooey chilaquiles. It’s that my lofty expectations of what makes really good Mexican food are very rarely met. I blame it on living in Southern California for a few years. It takes a lot for a Mexican restaurant to wow me—but that’s exactly what Fonda Comida Mexicana did. This suave and sexy Chelsea establishment brought together the best of two worlds: the cosmopolitan flair of New York and the outrageous, aromatic spices of authentic Mexican cuisine.

From the moment we stepped inside Fonda Comida Mexicana, we knew we were in for a treat. Fonda’s atmosphere is the epitome of Manhattan simplicity: wooden tables, black shelving, soft lighting, and sleek lines. But it also gives a hint of the culture and flavor that define the food, with bright splashes of red and orange paint and paper flags hanging from the ceiling, specially crafted to proudly display the name Fonda. The design was a beautiful blend of culture and coolness, sophistication and style.

The inventive play on tradition and high-class creativity clearly continues on the menu. To me, a Mexican dinner without a margarita on the rocks is simply a sin, so we dove right in with a few of Fonda Comida Mexicana’s favorite offerings. The Cadillac, made with Maestro Dobel Reposado Tequila, Grand Marnier, Fresh Lime Juice, and Agave Nectar, was a perfect play on a classic margarita with luxury, top-shelf alcohol. Hitting the right notes of sweet and sour, with a strong but smooth flavor of tequila shining through, this was a refreshing and elegant cocktail. The Spicy Blood Orange, a fiery mix of Serrano Chile-Infused Tequila, Blood Orange Juice, and Triple Sec, was incredibly powerful and unique. The blood orange lent a floral sweetness to the drink, while the serrano made my mouth tingle. The “salt” on the rim of the glass had cayenne mixed in with it, giving a sip with the salt a whole new level of flavor and burn than a sip without.

With everything on the menu looking so appetizing, we needed some time to peruse, so we ordered some Guacamole to sate our hunger while we decided. The huge molecajete was filled to capacity with freshly prepared guac. The avocado was left a bit chunky, which gave each bite a bit of a different taste and texture depending how much avocado, cilantro, tomato, and onion ended up on that particular chip. We asked for it spicy, and the diced fresh peppers in the mix definitely kicked it up a notch. Surprisingly, what was served along side the guacamole was almost as exciting as the guac itself. The pasilla de Oaxaca salsa was irresistibly smoky, adding a depth to each bite, while the fresh pressed tortillas were delicately textured but heartily flavored. They reminded me, in an incredible way, of buckwheat pancakes—I could have eaten an entire meal of just those tortillas filled with the guacamole and pasilla do Oaxaca salsa.

We somehow managed to drag our attention away from the guacamole long enough to order some appetizers. First up were the Tostadas de Carne, Crisp Mini Tortillas topped with Black Beans, Shredded Beef, Lettuce, Radishes, Pickled Onions, and Cream. Each bite of these crunchy, smooth, chewy morsels was flawless. Each element of the tostada enhanced the others—the umami flavor of the beef blending with the acid of the onions, the richness of the cream, and the freshness of the radishes—creating an explosion of flavor on my palate.

Our other appetizer, the Zarape de Pato—Soft Corn Tortillas stuffed with Braised Duck and smothered in a Roasted Tomato-Habanero Cream Sauce—was equally addictive. The duck was tender and lush, cooked to perfection. The sauce was one-of-a-kind: a little bit smoky, with the sour sweetness of tomato and a slow heat filling my chest from the habanero. The whole dish was sprinkled with the charred skins of pasilla peppers, which added a wonderful burn to the flavor profile and made a beautiful visual contrast on the top of the bright orange sauce.

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We were already in love with the culinary adventure Fonda Comida Mexicana was taking us on, and the main event had yet to start. Our first entree, the Camarones Adobados, Seared Jumbo Shrimp served over Spicy Green Rice and Black Bean Sauce, was the quintessence of simple food done right. Jumbo shrimp can often be tough, but these were cooked exquisitely—slightly crisp on the outside and glimmering and soft on the inside. The rice was had only a slight bit of spice, which complimented the sweetness of the shrimp, and a ton of herbs, which gave the dish a lovely freshness. The black bean sauce was creamy and aromatic. Together, the three made an absolutely satisfying bite that sated every single one of my taste buds.

The winner of the night was definitely the Carne Asada con Hongos, an outrageous Grilled Skirt Steak with a Sweet Corn and Mushroom Sauce and Green Bean Escabeche. From the peppery steak, charred to an ideal, succulent medium rare, to the earthy sauce filled big chunks of roasted mushrooms and sweet corn, to the acidic and verdant escabeche which burst flavor with each crunchy green bean, this was a truly heavenly experience. It might be the single best Mexican dish I have ever had.

Even after all of that amazing food, we somehow found room to try some of the incredible desserts Fonda has to offer. The Budin de Banana, a Banana Bread Pudding served with a Guava and Cajeta Sauce, was soft and custardy, stuffed with big, succulent chunks of banana. The sauces were definitely the star of this dish—the tropical flavor of the guava kicked up the fruity acidity of the dish while the caramel flavor of the cajeta sauce gave a dark, sweet finish to each delectable bite.

We had to also give the Tres Leches Cake a try, as it is the most traditional Mexican dessert Fonda offers, but their version of the classic was anything but standard. The light as air cake was doused in a creamy sauce that was nowhere near as saccharine as most tres leches I have tried. Instead, the sauce was spicy, smooth, and flavorful—like an incredible pool of melted vanilla ice cream. Topped with fresh whipped cream and candied pecans, I could have eaten about three servings of this cake, despite how full I was.

As we sipped our Cafe Mexicanos (Coffee with Kahlua, Whipped Cream, and Cajeta Sauce), savoring the delightfully bitter and strong drink, I had to admit that Fonda Comida Mexicana was not only one of the best Mexican dining experiences I’ve had in NYC but one of the best I’ve had anywhere. Hitting the perfect balance between the chic, hip Manhattan dining scene and fresh, inventive takes on traditional Mexican food, Fonda left me incredibly happy, full, and satisfied. Whether you’re looking for a new date spot, a fun place to try with your favorite foodie friends, or if you just need to get your guacamole fix on, you can’t go wrong with a night out at Fonda Comida Mexicana.