I am going to take a page (Ostend Queen) from our Michelin brothers in France and declare that a restaurant that will open in about three to four weeks will be a huge success, deserving of 444 sectrillian stars. What makes me so confident? Well, I like the guy in charge of the place and believe he will run a good restaurant.
I don’t think I am giving away a huge trade secret when I divulge that most of the food you have eaten in New York’s finer restaurants was prepared by people that have emigrated here from places like Mexico. Zooma is the genius that has gotten the food from the kitchen at Otto to the bar and the tables since it opened, and Zooma is Mexican. Every now and then, Zooma would come up to me and say, “Gringo, they made a good Mexican tonight, nice and spicy. You will like it.” I don’t know how you get the privilege of having the late-night family meal at Otto without working there—which I did for a short time—but when the guys in that kitchen are cooking their own food (as special as the work they do with the Otto menu is), it is something amazing.
I believe I go to Otto more now, as a customer, than I ever did as an employee, and although I lost my family-meal privileges, when the good hot peppers roll into the green market, Zooma always sets a couple aside for me hoping he will find the one so hot that I can’t eat it. The boys in the back hated that the gringo was eating hotter peppers than them, which—of course—encouraged me to new heights of hot.
The storefront on 8th St. between 5th Ave and 6th Ave. that currently has the Von Singh’s sign up will open in a couple of weeks as Pio Maya. Zooma will be the guy in the front, and his brother will be cooking real Mexican in the kitchen. I am assured Zooma’s brother is a great cook, and if the dishes are even the smallest bit inferior to those dishes Zooma encouraged me to eat from the Otto larder, I will let them know. Zooma also swears he has his brother working on a special salsa that should cripple me, so if you are a hot guy, run in there and get the special salsa, the one made to hurt Augie. I know I can’t wait.
any word on when Pio Maya will open? i liked Von Signh's well enough and was sorry to see them gone so soon. the block needs some more good food locations and a taqueria will be welcome.
also: at 11 W 8th, eva's (word has it) is expanding into the adjacent former shoe store in the same building.
Posted by: mikey | November 14, 2005 at 11:06 AM