Pan-American Review: Not your Padre's Cuban

A new Latin-American contender has entered the LES side's ring with a new twist. Pan-American adds & fuses Norte Americano flavor to it's Central & South American fare. I love Latin American food & I'm a big fan of Yuca, Rayuela, Poco & Yuerba Buena to name some favorites...but interestingly enough while Chino-Latino has been around for a while this is the first time that I've really seen Americana thrown into the mix (with the exception of serving American french fries w/Cubans everywhere else in town). A great example is their take on the Cuban sandwich. Along with roast pork, swiss & pickles they add Kentucky Bourbon ham & Mortadella to the mix & serve it cut into 4 triangles of thick toast. It came with some of the better yuca fries that I've had & comes with a really tasty homemade ketchup with some Latino flavor. Some other interesting twists include using buttermilk fried chicken in their Arroz con Pollo, a mint-horseradish-mojito sauce for their take on shrimp cocktail & monkfish w/jalapeno vinaigrette in their taco's.

The decor is pretty cool & with it's dark aqua walls, green glass bottles, long curving bar, & white seating had a SoBe Miami vibe in a good way. The staff was great & really friendly. I was lucky enough to be there during a photo shoot they were doing on their drink menu & my waitress/bartendress gave me the "models" to sample. One called a Monkey's Tail(Pisco & Kahlua) was an upscale adult version of a B-52 & the Espumante Mojito (updated w/Pyrat Rum & splash of Champagne) were both delicious & expertly made.

Pan-American is a welcome edition to the restaurant row of Mott Street located at 202 Mott btwn Spring & Kenmare & is open for Lunch, Dinner, Brunch & Drinks.

Diamonds are NOT forever...

Stop me if you've heard this one before... Boy meets girl. Boy & girl date...they fall in love...11 years later they decide to marry (if you're Irish or Italian & from Queens I know you think this sounds normal...but keep reading)...boy asks girl's Father for girl's hand in marriage (girls mentions boy should discuss ring with Future Father in Law) boy gets blessing (doesn't mention anything about ring...hey who discusses ring?!?) Boy goes out and drops $30K+ on off the charts ring (No the boy in question is not a Prince of a certain Kingdom of the United) girl loves it! Tells her parents. Her father has "little" talk with his future son -in -law...seems he is "slightly upset" over not being consulted over the ring. Demands...demands that $30K+ engagement ring is...drum roll please...DESTROYED!!! Not returned...re-cut...no family ring involved here...decimated. Why...to teach boy a lesson that he will remember about the importance of respect & following instructions (best of my knowledge the Psycho-Daddy-In-Law is not Sauron, a Russian Oligarch or Saudi Sheik...actually a practitioner of medicine). Girl agrees with daddy and understands Daddy's wishes. Mom to best of knowledge ignorant or silent on subject. Boy is in bit of conundrum as to what to do...but seems to be leaning towards wishes of future PSYCHO-In -Law.

To protect the guilty & insane I will simply say that this was a story relayed to me while sober by someone(s) equally sober that happen to be acquainted with the boy in the story. Why someone would suggest something so mind-bogglingly insane or why someone else would possibly agree is beyond me. Love may be blind...but just how off the rails is it? As for the conclusion to the story...

• Does boy destroy ring...& get new one?!?
• Does boy elope with girl?!?
• Does boy hire hit-man to take out psycho-in-law?!?
• Does boy run for the hills...
• Does boy return ring...donate $$$$$$$ to good cause & find new girl & potential in-laws?!?

Stay tuned same Bat-Shit day...same Bat-Shit time...more Bat-Shit action!!!