Mexican food! If you’ve read my posts in the past, you already know what a healthy obsession I have with the cuisine. So, when I heard about a new place opening in Greenwich Village, I had to visit Horchata. 

Right off the bat, I was so drawn to the decor and aesthetic. Exposed brick, vibrant colors, wooden tables, strung lights, and little cactus plants on every table. Lots of great detail was taken into account when picking out each element, and it totally works. 

For a drink, I ordered the Jalapeño / Cucumber Margarita (tequila blanco, triple sec, cucumber, jalapeño, lime, agave). I really liked this drink. It was refreshing, a little sweet, with a nice crisp cucumber flavor, all wrapped up in the heat from the jalapeños. 

Most things on the menu are all meant for sharing, however, you could absolutely order a couple things just for yourself as a meal instead. We started with their Trio de Guacamoles (guacamole clásico, guacamole verde, and guacamole rojo served with tostadas). This is a great starter, and the guacs are each delicious in their own way. You have the classic, fresh, with great thick pieces of avocado. But, I really enjoyed the other two, which were really unique. The verde (avocado, tomatillo, apple, cucumber) is a great one for summer time, it has a subtle sweetness from the apple, and all the green ingredients blend together really nicely. The rojo (avocado, roasted tomato, chipotle, habanero chili kick) is awesome too, I really like some heat to my food, so, I was a fan of this one for sure. 

Next, we got the Ensalada de la Casa (kale, quinoa, avocado, mango, cilantro vinaigrette). This was nice, but the kale had a really interesting quality and taste to it, almost a char flavor. Not totally sure if that was the intent for the dish, but was anticipating more of a raw kale salad here. The other components were really great thought, I love a nice mango and avocado combination. 

Then, we had one of their ceviches, Tiradito de Salmón (salmon, watermelon, ancho chile, toasted sesame seeds). I really enjoyed this one, it reminded me of poke. The watermelon was definitely a great, refreshing, addition, adding a touch of sweetness. 

My favorite thing we got was probably their Brussels Sprouts Tacos (spiced pumpkin seeds, roasted poblano chile, cotija cheese, crema fresca). These a generously filled with shredded brussels sprouts and all of its accouterment. There’s a nice light crunch component from the pumpkin seeds (I love pumpkin seeds), and then a rich creaminess from the cheese and creme fraiche. Also clutch, were the corn tortillas. They were warm and soft, yet substantial and strong enough to hold the hefty ingredients without breaking.

The Shorts:
Name: Horchata
Location: 470 Sixth Avenue, NYC
The Long and Short: Would I go back? For sure. This place is super cool inside with a really nice bar setup, if you prefer to just grab tasty drinks and snacks up there. 
Would I recommend it?  Yes. Great decor, delicious food, and awesome service. Trifecta.