Claro
Claro, one of the best outdoor dining spots in NYC, appears to be the hangout for all the cool kids at first glance. Everything in the bar, from the imported blue-and-white tiles and rustic clay plates to the extensive mezcal menu and wood-fired comal (griddle), where you can watch the chefs toast masa tortillas made with in-house ground heirloom corn, is authentic.
The meal starts with insects. You won't be consuming spooks of the Fear Factor variety, but grasshoppers do appear in a colorful spring salad of fresh vegetables. The chapulines don't add much flavor when made into a tangy dressing, but they give you a chance to boast to your friends about your culinary exploits with the well-known Oaxacan ingredient.
The chef is great with his tongue—beef tongue, that is—when it comes to the hot stuff. The soft lengua de res tacos maintain their authenticity while acquiring a Brooklynized sheen, much like the other items on the menu, and are topped with meticulously diced raw onion and a vibrant salsa. The unexpected tostada combination of octopus and bacon produces mirroring textures that blend harmoniously on a crunchy tortilla, despite being almost too spicy to enjoy thanks to the pickled chilies.
The heat carries over to the dessert, where a warm mole cake (pick this one over the goat-milk chocolate and caramel confection) infuses dense, molten chocolate with a sweet spice. The meal concludes satisfactorily, but your mouth will be like the woman in the mural: on fire.
- Timings: Mon to Fri - 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM & 5:30 PM to 9:15 PM, Sat to Sun - 11:30 AM to 4:00 PM & 5:30 PM to 9:15 PM
- Google rating: 4.6/5.0
- Phone: (347) 721-3126
- Website: http://www.clarobk.com
- Address: 284 3rd Ave Brooklyn, NY 11215
