I love hot & spicy food & love to find beverages with some heat in them. Some years back I discovered the Blood Orange Jalapeno Margarita's (some heat...lots of flavor) at Stanton Social. Alexis at Poco mixes some great tasting drinks with some heat as well. However...if you want to both torture yourself & see what you got...then you need to try the Habanero Grapefruit Margarita at Barrio Chino on Broome St in the LES. In all fairness...they are tough to drink at first. The host actually questioned if my cousin & I really wanted them because most people send them back! I had one once before...yet I didn't remember them being so HOT!!! At first my lips lit up on fire...I tried putting them out with coffee w/cream while waiting for the food to come...worked about as well as it sounds. Eventually I started getting used to it & once the ice started to melt to water it down it got pretty good & I liked it (my cousin managed to finish his after adding half a glass of water to it...but he did finish it). So...if you like very spicy & want to try something different I would say give one a whirl...but do not say you were not forewarned...they are brutal upfront! Plus keep in mind they have a large selection of flavors for you & the other girls to drink instead (in this case in all fairness...you may actually want to Lady-up...seriously this drink is only for fellow- fire-breathers)
In regards to the food it's really good across the board. I had the Enchiladas Verde con Pollo & my cousin Rich & buddy Mike had the Chilaquiles Rojos con Bisteca. We shared a few sides including chorizo, spinach & mushrooms(needed something healthy) & the Copa Mexicana which was my favorite. Strips of watermelon, cucumber, & jicama with lime juice, salt & a pinch of chile. Simple...yet so delicious. While they don't have any brunch specials the food is all moderately priced & really good.
In regards to atmosphere it's a pretty cool little place with a long bar, community table & mix of tables for 2 & 4. While the food is all Mexican the place is decorated as if it is Chinese...I think it was a Chinese "on the fringe of Chinatown"deli in a past life. This is also one of those places that always gets a lot of good looking girls...all the time. As for the male population...you'll have to ask the 3 good looking girls sitting at the table across from us (or the 2 heavily tatted ladies across from them) if they felt the same about the male population...especially the table to their right...;)
