I visited the Itzocan in the East Village; there’s also a bistro on the Upper East Side. The chefs, brothers from Puebla, Mexico, keep their dishes native with ingredients such as huitlacoche and guajillo while always adding an elegant twist — creating a surprising marriage of French-Mexican cuisine.

I started off with the queso fundido. A basket of homemade chips accompanied a skillet with two slices of Brie melted over a sauté of mushrooms, poblano pepper, and chorizo. The cheese was easy to scoop up with the chips, and the rest of the ingredients added different textures for a mouthful of flavor and spice.

After dessert, we sat and sipped our red sangria and enjoyed the warm ambiance. I was thrilled to have found a precious little hole with delicious food and a welcoming environment. A Friday night with no wait-list, no reservation and no complaints!