First Look at Empellón Cocina, Now Firing Tacoless Mexican in the East
This week, Alex Stupak opened the second location of his suddenly expanding Empellón empire. But Empellón Cocina on First Avenue isn’t just a rehash of Empellón Taqueria in the West Village. The new spot focuses not on tacos, but on ambitious dishes such as hamachi with walnut purée, poblano chili and apples; tiny bay scallops with huitlacoche and brown-butter móle; crispy masa with shrimp and uni; and mezcal-cured ocean trout. Speaking of mezcal, the staff says Cocina also has the city’s biggest selection of tequila and mezcal. We can’t verify that, but one look at the bar does prove they have a lot of agave spirits on hand. Take a look at the full menu below, and check out the space in our slideshow.
Menu [PDF]
Empellón Cocina, 105 First Ave, nr. 6th St.; 212-780-0999
Related: Alex Stupak Wants Nothing Less Than to Change the Way New York Thinks About Mexican Food