Empellon Revisited - West Village, NY

Photos by Jacob Romoser

NANTUCKET BAY SCALLOP CEVICHE WITH PISTACHIOS AND YUZU

My apologies for the long hiatus. I don't even have a good excuse, so I'm just going to jump right in to this review.

If you're a follower of the site, then you know I've visited Empellon before. While I did enjoy myself, I was excited to hear changes were made to both the menu and the ambiance of the restaurant.

Who knew rearranging tables could make such a difference? Seriously. Making more space amongst the tables kept me from eating on top of the ladies next to me, and it allowed for a more romantic date night.

We started with the Nantucket Bay Scallop Ceviche with Pistachios and Yuzu,and boy was it a treat. I can still taste the creaminess of the yuzu and the crunch of the pistachios. I never would have paired these ingredients together, but I'm glad Alex Stupak did. The dish was interesting and extremely fresh.

HEARTS OF PALM WITH SMOKED SUNCHOKE

Next up were the Hearts of Palm with Smoked Sunchoke, Lettuces, and Almendrado Dressing. I could eat this dish every day for the rest of my life. I loved the varying textures and the smokiness of the almendrado dressing. Almost like a chipotle mayo but with pieces of almond, it didn't overpower the sunchokes and hearts of palm. Jake and I took turns eating bites of each appetizer until both were completely gone. I think it's safe to say they were pretty delicious.

QUESO FUNDIDO

The Queso Fundido with Shishito Peppers was so playful. It's the perfect appetizer for a group of four. We opted for the peppers rather than red and green chorizo since we ordered pretty meaty tacos. I almost would have liked chips to dip in the queso, but the tortillas were light and a nice change of pace.

SHORTRIBS WITH SALSA ROJA

The Shortribs with Salsa Roja were a little messy but oh-so-juicy and delicious. The presentation was adorable — like a piece of bite size joy you pop in your mouth. It's just enough to get a taste of the delectable short rib without filling up. It literally was the juiciest thing I've ever eaten, and the meat went well with the texture of the rest of the bite.

BEER BRAISED TONGUE TACOS

The minute I saw Beer Braised Tongue with Potatoes and Arbol Chile Salsa (pumpkin seeds, sesame, arbol) were on the menu I knew I had to order them. I've never had tongue before, but these tacos made me an instant fan. So soft and supple, I could have eaten the tongue all by itself.

LAMB BARBACOA TACOS

I'm glad we also ordered the Lamb Barbacoa with Salsa Borracha (orange juice, mezcal, pasilla Oaxaquena) because they turned out to be Jake's favorite. I'm normally not a pickle fan, but it added a nice crunchiness that I would have otherwise missed. The acidity the pickles brought to the taco was just the perfect touch.

Thanks to its new menu and atmosphere, I will definitely be returning to Empellon again and again — and you should, too.