Rayuela

Restaurant “Rayuela”

Opens On the Lower East Side in June

Stylish Spot Features a New Take on Latin American Cuisine:

Estilo Libre Latino (Freestyle Latino)

165 allen street new york city
(b/t rivington & stanton)

www.rayuelanyc.com

kitchen
sunday – thursday, 5:30pm – 11pm
friday – saturday, 5:30pm – midnight
lounge
sunday – thursday, 5:30pm – midnight
friday – saturday, 5:30pm – 2am
brunch
saturday – sunday, 10am – 5pm

212.253.8840
online reservations

Award-winning website, Punchin-dot-com, features the Walman Report and reviews of restaurants, travel, wine and theater. Rayuela, a stylish new Latin American restaurant, on the Lower East Side, is the brainchild of Executive Chef Máximo Tejada, emerging restaurateur Héctor Sanz and entrepreneur Paul Fernandez.

It introduces “Estilo Libre Latino” (Freestyle Latino) cuisine, which respects tradition yet redefines contemporary Latin American and Spanish dishes, including ceviche and tapas. It also offers a unique cocktail program envisioned by renowned mixologists Junior Merino and Antonio Lara, as well as succulent desserts by Pastry Chef Bruni Bueno.

The bi-level restaurant is comprised of a whimsical lounge area and cocktail bar on the main floor and, upstairs, an intimate dining room, ceviche bar and outdoor terrace. A live olive tree planted below a skylight spans both levels, providing a unique, natural design element.

Food is extraordinary: Ceviche marries lobster, red snapper and tuna with bits of mango, guava, star fruit and mild Poblano and chipotle peppers; a special of guacamole was ideally seasoned and studded with fresh crabmeat and shrimp. Dorada Royal is a sea bream, pan-seared and served in the skin, keeping the fish flavorful and moist. It is served with octopus, beet, quinoa, soy bean sprouts in a sea urchin white wine-lime sauce. The Paella de Coco has a wide variety of seafood including shrimp, calamari, scallops, octopus, manila clams, and langoustines served on a bed of Valencia rice and infused with lemongrass, coconut milk and ginger. Two of the best entrees are Breast of Duck, Marinated in Sugar Cane, with Duck Confit, spinach and pan seared Foie Gras and Cuban Style Roast Pork with succulent flesh and parchment skin in a grilled pineapple mojo.

While the wine list is impeccably selected and beautifully priced, don’t ignore some of the most inventive (and deliciously-potent) cocktails in town. Rayuela’s Estilo Libre Latino cocktails include the Pisco cocktail, with quince, aloe vera juice, Barsol Pisco and Damiana liqueur, as well as the Mezcal cocktail, with ginger, jicama, pineapple, Maria Mezcal and Cointreau. The restaurant also offers a list of more than 200 Latin and Spanish wines that are paired with entrées that are inspired by over a dozen Latin American countries including Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, Cuba, Colombia and Spain.

The Pisco Sour is better than the ones we had in Lima. The house’s Free Style version of a Margarita is also memorable, as is the sexy clientele and attentive service. Prices are gentle for such joy and Chef Máximo has created five new desserts and six new ice creams and sorbets that blend Latino ingredients with her personal flare, such as Crema de Requeson, Chocolate Cortazár, Banana Tres Leches, and Crujiente de Membrillo. Rayuela, 165 Allen Street, between Stanton and Rivington is a joy from start to finish and rates “A Major” on the Walman Report.

Chef Máximo Tejada

Rayuela, a stylish new Latin American restaurant, opened in June 2007 on the Lower East Side. The brainchild of Executive Chef Máximo Tejada, emerging restaurateur Héctor Sanz and entrepreneur Paul Fernandez, it will introduce Estilo Libre Latino (Freestyle Latino) cuisine, which respects tradition yet redefines contemporary Latin American and Spanish dishes including ceviche and tapas. It will also feature a unique cocktail program envisioned by renowned mixologist Junior Merino, as well as desserts by Pastry Chef Bruni Bueno.

The bi-level restaurant is comprised of a whimsical lounge area and cocktail bar on the main floor and, upstairs, an intimate dining room, ceviche bar and outdoor terrace. A live olive tree planted below a skylight spans both levels, providing a unique, natural design element. Rayuela is located at 165 Allen Street, between Stanton and Rivington Streets.

“Rayuela is Spanish for ‘hopscotch’ and is also the title of one of my favorite experimental novels by Argentine writer Julio Cortázar,” said Sanz. “We wanted to create a conceptual destination restaurant that was at once unconventional and sophisticated. We can’t wait for our guests to indulge in its playful elements, both in its design and its cuisine.”

Rayuela re-envisions Latin American classics with its first-of-its kind Estilo Libre Latino (Freestyle Latino) cuisine. While the basic structure of the traditional dishes will be maintained, the actual ingredients may be unconventional and may come from several different countries.

“I use food to envelope my guests in comfort and sensuality for a complete sensory experience,” said Chef Tejada, formerly of Lucy Latin Kitchen, Patria and OLA. “For example, ceviche will marry lobster, red snapper and tuna with bits of mango, guava, star fruit and mild Poblano and chipotle peppers; paella will ‘go green’ with cilantro and spinach; and, empanadas will use whole corn kernels instead of wheat flour.”

Rayuela’s Estilo Libre Latino cocktails include the Pisco cocktail, with quince, aloe vera juice, Barsol Pisco and Damiana liqueur, as well as the Mezcal cocktail, with ginger, jicama, pineapple, Maria Mezcal and Cointreau. The restaurant will also offer a list of more than 200 Latin and Spanish wines that will be paired with entrées that are inspired by over a dozen Latin American countries including Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, Cuba, Colombia and Spain.

Rayuela, which was designed by Jun Aizaki, incorporates subtle allusions to hopscotch: slate chalkboards to present daily specials, custom-made sofas that can be mixed and matched like puzzle pieces to accommodate different groups, and a wine list printed on a wooden rolodex where guests can search for wines by tasting note, region or varietal. Other notable design elements include a solid oak staircase built above a softly-circulating pool.

At Rayuela, guests enter a casual lounge-inspired dining room, which seats up to 75, then ascend a dramatic staircase, past the live olive tree, to the second floor where a refined mood is set by a sexy ceviche bar and outdoor 7-foot by 24-foot terrace, as well as custom-made banquettes separated by sheer curtains to ensure that every table is a VIP one. The upstairs area can also be used as an event space for weddings and private parties, accommodating up to 110 guests.

About Rayuela

Rayuela (Spanish for “hopscotch” and the title of the experimental novel by South American writer Julio Cortázar) introduces Estilo Libre Latino (Freestyle Latino) cuisine, which respects yet redefines traditional Latin American and Spanish dishes including ceviche and tapas. Located on the Lower East Side at 165 Allen Street, it is owned by Executive Chef Máximo Tejada, up-and-coming restaurateur Héctor Sanz and Paul Fernandez. Rayuela is open seven days a week for dinner, with brunch served on weekends. For reservations, please call (212) 253-8840. For more information, visit www.rayuelanyc.com.