Look out, East Coast Grill’s Hell Night: You have new tongue-scorching competition. Zocalo hosts a $38 “Dancing With the Devil” dinner tomorrow evening that features “the world’s hottest foods and drink.” The dinner is based around a slightly scary Mexican folk story about a disobedient young girl who sneaks off to dance the night away, despite her parents’ wishes. A handsome man sweeps her off her feet, one thing leads to another, and she notices that her dance partner actually has cloven hoofs. At this point, she realizes that she’s dancing with Satan himself. (This happens to us all the time on Saturday nights.)
Zocalo’s “Dancing With the Devil” night is a bit less tragic. The meal features chiles from Mexico and beyond. Here’s the menu:
TRES TACOS
Tinga de Puerco - shredded pork with roasted tomatoes and chipotle chiles
Chilorio de Res - Shredded beef with guajillo chile, vinegar and spices
Chile Poblano con chile Serrano - creamy poblano peppers with chile serrano
Or
CEVICHE DE ATÚN
Marinated tuna with salsa habanero
CHILE EN NOGADA
Roasted chile poblano stuffed with beef picadillo on almond puree
topped with pomegranate seeds and parsley
Or
FILET DE RES CON SHIITAKE EN SALSA DE CHILE MORITA Y PEQUIN
Beef tenderloin filet with shiitake mushrooms in
chile morita-pequin and tomatillo sauce
Or
SALMON CON SALSA DE PAPAYA Y TEQUILA
Salmon with papaya-tequila salsa and a mystery chile sauce
PANECILLO DE CHOCOLATE
Rich chocolate bread pudding with ancho chiles.
Served with vanilla bean ice cream
or
TEQUILLA-LIME SORBETES
Sorbet with spicy chile jalapeño
Super-spicy cocktail pairings are also available, and you can slather each dish with their “devil sauce” if you’re a masochist.
Some versions of the folk tale end with the hapless young lass getting a permanent burn in the shape of a handprint. Other endings have her disappear in a whiff of smoke. Regardless, we know how this night will end for us: with plenty of antacids. Call the restaurant to reserve.
