Under the guidance of Executive Chef Francisco Blanco, IXTA Cocina Mexicana and Mezcal Bar indulges in the sophisticated corners of Mexican cuisine, striking a balance between modern and traditional. It’s an ideal date or group dinner spot.
IXTA Cocina Mexicana and Mezcal Bar
Location: 299 Bowery, New York, NY 10003
Cuisine: Modern Mexican
Vibe: Dark, Colorful, and Modern
Good For: A birthday celebration with many people or a chic date night for two.
What to order: Seafood and Mezcal
Price: $$$ (out of 4)
The Interior
Situated at a choice intersection in NYC’s burgeoning NoHo neighborhood, IXTA is a cavernous space by New York City standards, offering a full service bar with sleek backlit lighting, warm woods, and black accents. With the bar and dining room separate, the dining room is almost regal in scale, with a long series of tables and wicker chandeliers high above the length of the room, anchoring additional seating around the sides of the room, tucked into private corners. This arrangement makes excellent people watching and a sense of traditional upscale dining, where being seen was half the pleasure.
IXTA Cocina Mexicana + Mezcal Bar
Leafy plants fill the space along with textured fabrics and embossed, brass-tinged tables. Backlit shelves climb the walls, filled with regional pieces of design. A large colorful mural brought an urbane charm. I was captivated by the modern and vibrant ambiance, showcasing a fusion of contemporary and traditional Mexican elements. Guests at other tables ranged from romantic dates to friend catching up, to a birthday party of about twelve people. A varied soundtrack gave a modern energy that felt a bit club-like. We could not hearing any other conversations and did not have to shout to have a conversation amongst the table.
The Cocktails
Cocktails at IXTA Cocina Mexicana + Mezcal Bar
Priced around $17 apiece, cocktails lead with Tequila and Mezcal as their bases, along with delightful infusions of chilies, fruits, cucumbers, and more. The Mezcal selection is unrivaled, with over one hundred on offer from Blancos to Reposados. Standouts from the cocktail selection include the Mucha Pasión with Tequila Blanco, passion Fruit, cilantro, and chili salt as well as the Don Hemingway, featuring Tequila, Mezcal, maraschino, grapefruit, and Chile Morita Salt. There is also a wine list and beer list, but the Mezcal selection and agave-based cocktails are what you come here for.
The Menu
Offering lunch, brunch, a happy hour and dinner, we visited IXTA for a dinner. The dinner menu is divided into shareable appetizers, a full raw bar, entrees, and sides. Unique to IXTA is the Whole Suckling Pig which requires a 72 Hour advance Request to order. It serves 9 to 12 people and features chorizo, roasted pineapple, mojo Sauce, and Mexican feast condiments.
Dinner at IXTA
We began with the salsa trio, featuring habanero, De Arbol, and Molcajete. Each of these salsas were rich in flavor and suitably spicy– not watered down or sugary. The tostadas that accompany have a stunning crispness and corny flavor- just perfect. We join this with a Lobster Corn Fritter, featuring corn crisps, lump lobster, sesame, creme fraiche, and jalepeno. Served smoked, it was warm and flavorful but small- definitely more of a palette-orienting dish. We indulged in the charred octopus, which featured fresh octapus, nopales, almond pasilla adobo, and preserved lemon vinaigrette. With a perfect texture, this was one of my favorite dishes of the evening, with a really diverse flavor profile. We rounded out this course with guacamole. Like the salsa, the consistency and flavor was ideal with no wateriness or bitterness.
We had an interlude in the form of an item from the raw bar, the Ceviche Mixto. Featuring the catch of the day, octopus, shrimp, jalapeño, Leche De Tigre, and heirloom tostadas, this ceviche had plenty of freshness incorporated, never tasting heavy or fishy. Lemony and cold, this ceviche was excellent.
Lobster Tail at IXTA Cocina Mexicana + Mezcal Bar
Our main courses included a rack of lamb, featuring New Zealand lamb chops, avocado, salsa cruda, and a cilantro chimichurri. The preparation of the meat was tender, but the avocado was very present, which blocked some of the juiciness of the lamb.Stuffed Africa Lobster Tail, featuring oven roasted lobster tail, roasted poblano peppers, onions, leeks, crema, and crispy rice, the other hand, was perfect, showing that along with octopus and ceviche, IXTA gets the seafood right. We shared a plate of mushrooms as a side, which particularly paired nicely with the lamb.
The Service
The service at IXTA was very good and helpful, particularly when we had a request to change seating to accommodate a friend with a special need. The staff was knowledgeable and friendly. Service started a bit slowly, but we found our rhythm and appreciated the pace of the meal. We were really able to enjoy each dish and cocktail at our own pace, which isn’t a guarantee in the age of fixed time limits and blocks of reservations. This may be a more intangible aspect of Mexican culture, but it really helped us feel like we were escaping and getting a chance to relax. As a thoughtful addition, the staff brought a shot of fine tequila to finish out the meal.
In conclusion, IXTA is a modern Mexican haven that seamlessly blends tradition with innovation, delivering a memorable dining experience. With its outstanding flavors, good service, and vibrant atmosphere, IXTA stands out as a must-visit restaurant for those seeking an elevated Mexican culinary adventure in NYC.