We met up for drinks and dinner with our friends Winnie & MJ and Laura & Jeff this past Thursday night. We started out at The Pony Bar (45th & 10th Ave) for a couple of beers. Luckily we were able to snag a part of a larger table and some extra stools, but know that this beer bar is small and gets packed after work. MJ and I went with a Green Flash Trippel, while Jill had a Victory Wild Devil, Winnie an Ithaca Apricot Wheat and Laura a Wachusett Blueberry Ale. The good thing about The Pony Bar (aside from the all-American craft beer selection) is that all the beers are $5 all the time ($4 b/t 4:20-5:20pm for Happy Hour); the bad thing about The Pony Bar is that all the beers I tend to like (IPAs and Belgians) are labeled with a red “8″ meaning you’re getting served in a miniscule 8oz glass (and if you want it in a normal 14oz glass, it’s $10).Winnie had done some legwork and come up with a list of restaurant ideas in the Hell’s Kitchen and Midtown West area, including Bann, Toloache and others. We decided some margaritas, guac and Mexican food sounded good and called up Toloache (W. 50th b/t 8th & Broadway), and were happy to hear they could have a table ready for us in about 30 minutes. I had heard some pretty good things over the past couple of years about what Chef Julian Medina was doing at Toloache, but given its less than desirable location in a nebulous area near the theatre district, Times Square and Hell’s Kitchen, we had yet to visit. We ordered a round of margaritas and the trio guacamole tasting. It was readily apparent that our server was very friendly and well-informed about the menu. I told him I was looking for a marg with a kick and he recommended Jill and I go with the De la Calle margarita (muddled cucumber, jicama, bits of jalapeno, basil and fresh lime). It was the hit margarita of the night and my new favorite marg in the city, though Laura’s margarita with muddled blueberries was quite good as well. For the serious tequila aficionado, Toloache also has one of the most extensive tequila lists around. We were equally impressed with the diverse tastes of the guac trio, which were served alongside a roasted tomato chipotle salsa. 

It goes to show that even places that don’t do the slightly gimmicky tableside guac preparation can still churn out some damn good guac. The trio included a cool, mild variation, a medium guacamole with strawberries, and a spicy tomato-based version.We particularly liked the one with the strawberries. Next, we ordered up a couple of apps for the table. Ever since our dinner at Per Se and our epic White Truffle Tasting Dinner at Babbo, I have been a sucker for anything that comes with truffles. I have even been using this Truffle Honey Mustard at home to make sandwiches and a black truffle oil that I put in my eggs. So I was pretty psyched to see the black truffle quesadillas w/ huitlacoche salsa on the menu, which we ordered in addition to a Mexican cheese fondue with huitlacoche mushrooms.

There are a couple of times during a meal where you get a chance to tell exactly what kind of restaurant you’re dining in. When we were brought the wrong quesadilla order, our server told us he’d bring out the truffle ones and just to enjoy the ones on the table. Classy move. The cheese fondue was delicious with a characteristic huitlacoche-y flavor of corn and earthy mushroom. The black truffle quesadillas were unreal. We’re not talking a spray or two of a black truffle oil, these guys were laced with generous shavings of black truffle. For our entrees, Jeff and MJ ordered the the brick oven-roasted shredded suckling pig, Winnie the lobster tacos, Jill and Laura the Veracruz-style paella w/ shrimp, chorizo, clams and octopus, and I got the braised short ribs. We also ordered a side of avocado fries for the table to taste. The shredded suckling pig was pulled evenly and very tender with a smoky flavor imparted by the guajillo peppers and a habanero-sour orange salsa.

My chile ancho glazed braised short ribs were intensely flavorful and moist. Winnie’s lobster tacos were tender and flavorful. And Laura and Jill’s paella was also delicious, if a bit different than your typical paella served in a bit more soupy broth. At this point we were all plenty satiated and opted to skip out on dessert. But we couldn’t turn down the complimentary round of blanco tequila shots that our server brought out to the table after we settled the bill. Such a nice touch and perfect ending to a great dinner out with friends at Toloache.

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