Casa Mezcal

Mexican. Offered the chance to dine in or out, I chose out. This ended up extra bueno because around here, Orchard St. is closed off. No cars, lots of people watching and tunes being cranked from somewhere close made it a total party.

Also a cheese party. Because Casa Mezcal knows a lot about cheese. And grilling. And sometimes both at the same time.

The queso asado, (grilled cheese) salsa verde, hoja santa, pico de gallo) is in perfect sync with all its ingredients. So addictive, I considered seconds, thirds, and fourths.

If tacos are your jam, there are a half dozen options. I tried the gobernador (grilled marinated shrimp, melted cheese, chipotle aioli). The fish is “delish” and happily light years from stingy. The remaining tacos are cheese free and I’m betting just as crave worthy.

Next, it was on to the congrejo, their crab meat quesadilla (light mayo, lime zest, cheese miz, baby cilantro). The meat is sweet and piled high.

Go with the Mexi burger and you’ll get eight ounces of grilled wagyu perfection. Served on a brioche bun, the Swiss cheese, creamy chipotle sauce, and carmelized onion creation is thick and beyond juicy. Paired with the Tajin strings fries (shout out to the hint of vinegar), this is poetry on a plate.

Whatever you do , take your time. Because the food is so good. And if the music on the street is grooving, your amazing meal will be even better.