Hacienda – 12.20.08

(guest eater Sam, not an employee)

La Hacienda (aka Mojitos)
116th St. between 2nd and 3rd Ave., New York City

Word of mouth is the best way to find the real places to eat.   Sam knows Leo who is Mexican and highly recommends Hacienda.  Given vague directions, we venture out to Spanish Harlem craving some authentic grub.  Of course, the directions Leo gave were wrong and with Sam’s Spanish severely lacking, we enlisted the help of a local who pointed us in the direction of Hacienda.  Lights off, gates closed, and orange Dept. of Health stickers greeted us.  Not good.  We helplessly turned to the good samaritan who said Mojitos (3 doors down) was just as good.  But lo! Soylent green is people and Hacienda is Mojitos.  The owner changed locations (hopefully not to dodge the DoH).

Green and Red Salsa

Carnitas

Jalapeno Nachos

Bistec Burrito

The interior was newly renovated and indeed it looks as if they just moved in; hmm…I wonder from where?   The free chips and salsa es muy bueno.  The red salsa was fresh and tasty but the green salsa was FANTASTIC.  Tangy with fresh herbs and almost mayonnaisey.  It may sound ick but just trust me on this one.  Sam was disappointed with his pork carnitas ($10) as they were “too authentic” tasting.  What more can you ask for?  Skip the nachos ($7), we ordered those out of pure hunger.  The steak burrito ($10) was cooked well with plenty of that grilled flava.  The rice filling was perfectly flavored, as many “mexican” joints usually get this wrong.  They also nailed the red sauce on the plate: not too overpowering but just enough to complement the burrito.  It tastes like they may use lard in the cooking which, depending who you ask, is a good or bad thing.  As a diehard burrito eater, I recommend.  Menu also offered more adventurous (meaning authentic) items for those looking for the real deal i.e. tongue or cuitlacoche…

7 out of 10 chili peppers

Good
Authentic Mexican flavas
REALLY good (and free) chips and salsa
Has a bar with Mexican beer on tap  and good place for groups

Bad
The nachos, do not order
Maybe they were short-staffed but food took forever to come out

Ugly
What DoH violations did Hacienda have?

-bru

Bon Chon Chicken – 12.18.08

Bon Chon Chicken
346 Broad Ave.
Leonia, NJ
201-944-4112

Considered by many to be the best KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) in the tri-state area, Bon Chon has gained legendary status among young Korean Americans.  While the infamous Bon Chon Chicken (BCC) on 5th Ave. in Manhattan is just as much hip lounge as fried chicken joint, BCC in Leonia is a local eatery set in a rapidly expanding suburban main street.  Why all the fuss over fried chicken you ask?  BCC offers a new take that is cooked, packaged and sold much differently than the Colonel’s recipe.

Large order of wings (20pcs.)

Large order of drumsticks (10pcs.)

French Fries

Radish side dish (looks bland but really is’nt)

Closeup of the twice  fried goodness (the chicken leg, not Janice)

Take warning; like many other KFC joints, BCC takes some time to prepare.  Each order is made fresh so call ahead to save some time.  The chicken comes in two varieties, regular or spicy.  Regular consists of a soy-garlic coating that is first fried, allowed to cool, and then fried again for that extra crispiness.  The result is a flavorful, juicy, and crispy piece of bird.  The spices in the coating are not at all  sublte and with all the greasy fried-ness, some cleansing of the palate is definitely required.  Here is where one realizes the neccessity of the ever humble radish.  Its salty, vinegary, sweetness cuts through the lingering taste of chicken like hot butter through a cold knife.  Definitely have a soda nearby if the radish is not enough.

Nearing the end of the meal, even I was succumbing to the effects of that lethal cocktail of grease and soy-garlic.  It was becoming too much and I had to stop not because of fullness but of flavor overload.  The fries helped somewhat, but they are nothing special.  Just well-cooked steak fries.  Don’t miss out on Bon Chon, it lies somewhere between a fad and a trend so give BCC a shot as the standard of fried chicken Korean style.

The faces of a Bon Chon eater
1. Hunger + Anticipation = Hungerpation
2. Devouring with abandon
3. Bon Chon overload

Overall 7.5 out of 10

Good
Soy-garlicky fried chicken legs and wings
Don’t forget the RADISH!

Bad
Long wait time.
Pricey.   Large wings or Large Legs each costs about $20.  ($1 per wing or $2 per leg)

Ugly
The taste may become overpowering for some, especially when you eat more than 10 pieces.

-bruce