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Sazon Brings Salsa And Puerto Rican Flavor To Tribeca
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 16, 2009
Modified Jul 16, 2009
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By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 16, 2009
Modified Jul 16, 2009
Share
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Step inside Sazon, the new Latin Caribbean restaurant and lounge from the team behind Sofrito, a popular mid-price Puerto Rican spot in midtown east. The bi-level place opened quietly last month in the Reade Street space formerly occupied by Fresh Tribeca; the swank and sexy interior design features bright tropical colors, black lacquered chandeliers, a tufted leather back wall, and a coveted private booth secluded behind thick drapes. The elegant yet relaxed vibe extends to the downstairs lounge—tagged wall-to-wall by street artist James De La Vega—where a second bar facilitates weekend salsa dancing parties.
Upstairs, Chef Ricardo Cardona, previously of Sofrito, serves a Puerto Rican-inspired menu that branches out throughout the Caribbean. An appetizer of dainty coconut arepas with crab meat escabeche ($12) are delicious and deceptively filling; four gigantic grilled shrimp with Puerto Rican rum glaze ($9) come served on skewers and could almost be a enough for a light dinner, but then there wouldn't be room for Sazon’s signature dish: Pernil ($19), consisting of three pounds of roast pork legs with pigeon pea rice and sweet plantains (pictured).
Other options include the big, creamy Sazon Paella ($23) with lobster, chorizo, clams, shrimp, and saffron; and the Whole Red Snapper that can be ordered with seafood stuffed inside the hollowed out fish skeleton—that one costs $28, but could easily feed two diners who don't mind staring down the Snapper's unblinking, reproachful eye. The cocktail list has a Latin inflection as well, and drinks range in price from $9 to $14. (The San Juan Martini, $11, consists of Bulldog Gin, Orange Liquor, White Cranberry juice, Muddled in cucumber.) Check out Cardona's expansive menu in full on Sazon's website. (And don't miss the desserts, especially the Tembleque: Coconut Eggless Custard with Cinnamon. Yum!)
Sazon // 105 Reade Street // (212) 406-1900 // Open for lunch, dinner, late night dancing, and Sunday brunch (Monday through Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. Saturday 4:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., Sunday Brunch 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.)
Tagged
dancing
food
lounge
manhattan
new
Puerto Rican
restaurant
sazon
tribeca
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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