Empellon Cocina

DELICIOUS DEBUTS

Last night Twitter informed us of Empellon Cocina's new brunch menu starting this weekend. Empellon Cocina, located in the East Village, opened in February and is the second authentic Mexican eatery from Alex Stupack. Empellon Cocina will offer a full brunch menu along with morning cocktails, and aguas-frecscas for those who might have stumbled in straight from the club. The menu will also include delicious breakfast and midday entrees such as buttermilk-masa pancakes with smoked maple syrup and mole poblano butter and slow-poached eggs with toasted challah bread and green chorizo gravy. The brunch menu, just as their dinner menu, will not offer any tacos whatsoever. Of course this is alarming to some diners but with things like melted Tetilla cheese with lobster, tomato frito, and kol who needs a breakfast taco?

RESTAURANT 101

Alex Stupack has done it again, this time on a more upscale level. Empellon Cocina, in the East Village is the high end version of Empellon Taqueria that is right across town. In a city as diverse as New York City, with cuisines from all over the world, there is always one we cannot get right.

According to most people from the West Coast, they can't find a good Mexican joint in NYC to save their lives. It is time to stop looking, not only is Empellon Cocina true to the cuisine of Mexico, it is absolutely delicious.

The space is beautiful, dimly lit and has a very trendy vibe running through the walls. Once you look past all the hip fixtures, you realize the true-to-Mexico interior design that exists within the restaurant. Mexican artwork is hanging up and Mayan hieroglyphics are painted on the walls of the bathrooms.