Location: 151 East 57th Street, New York, NY
Cuisine: South American
Best Dish: Fish Ribs are a thing and you need to experience them at least once. Imagine all the flavor and texture of tender baby back ribs with the healthiness of grilled fish. Fish ribs are outstanding and as far as we know this is the only place that serves them.
Price: $$$
Overall: Enter Pulperia and prepare yourself for a good meal in a lively atmosphere. The menu is mostly seafood so bring your seafood-loving friends here for a night of Reggaeton Latin Pop and sexy cocktails.
Chef Carlos Barroz and Victor Medina introduced the big apple to the bold flavors of rustic Latin Cuisine with the opening of their first La Pulperia in 2014. Since then, the brand has swelled to include two more Manhattan locations: Hell’s Kitchen and Midtown East. We visited La Pulperia’s Hell’s kitchen location last month, for a spirited Drag Brunch, read about it here. We enjoyed it so much we had to visit their Eastside location for dinner. The décor is modeled after the markets of South American with tiles from Mexico and reclaimed wood from Brazil. The menu is a unique combination of Latin flavors with European influences, including Russian potato salad and Spanish Octopus. Upon entry expect the energetic rhythm of modern Latin music and a warm greeting from the staff.
The Feast
Alaskan King Crab Legs
We started dinner on a high note with a plate of steamed king crab legs. Though served on a bed of ice the legs are relatively warm. The legs are opened up tableside to minimize the messiness. We devoured these legs with copious amounts of drawn butter. They were well seasoned and delicious.
Queso Fundido
\
The Queso Fundido arrives in a sizzling pan with pieces of toasted bread for dipping and spreading the warm gooey cheese. The Queso is everything you want in a starter, it’s warm and savory. The toasty bread is the perfect vehicle for scooping up all the rich cheese.
Pulpo (Octopus)
La Pulperia has a section of their menu called Las Tablas. This is essentially a group of grilled proteins served with an assortment of seasonal side dishes. The options include steak chicken and seafood. We chose one of our favorites; The Octopus. The Spanish Octopus was served with eggplant chambota, Russian potato salad, celery root gratin and grilled broccoli rabe. The Octopus was grilled expertly with crispy tentacles and tender flesh.
Pacu Fish Ribs
As avid seafood lovers, we were perplexed by this dish at first. Having eaten and cooked fish we’ve never noticed any ribs. We weren’t sure what to expect when we ordered this dish. We were pleasantly surprised and awestruck at the sight of these ribs. As it turns out Pacu fish of South America have bones that resemble baby back ribs when cut properly. The fish is served grilled with a thin layer of barbecue sauce and a generous helping of coconut rice.
Mango Tres Leche Cake
We ended our meal with a slice of tres leches cake. For this version chunks of mango and lychee were added. The fresh fruit helped cut some of the richness of the creamy cake.
The Cocktails
El Chilango & La Pulperia 57th
Tequila, Cointreau and tamarind nectar are the ingredients for the El Chilango. The sweetness is balanced by a spicy kick from the habanero and salt rim. La Pulperia 57th is made with House tequila, Cucumber, Shiso leaves, and yuzu. The rim is salted with plain salt and house-made pop rocks. The bartender here is a sorcerer of sorts. The drinks taste mild but trust us they are potent. These will sneak up on you. We advise moderate consumption.
When thinking of Latin cuisine rice and beans and pork are usually expected. La Pulperia goes beyond the basics with its lively menu of European influenced Latin specialties. The food is delicious and the menu has plenty of seafood options. In addition to food, La Pulperia also offers an assortment well-crafted cocktails with a collection of top-shelf spirits that would please any drinker. Drop by for a happy hour and dinner any day of the week. If you’re looking for dinner and a party, drop in on a Saturday night when a guest DJ keeps the party going until closing time.
Head over to www.pulperianyc.com, for more information.