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Sazon is located in the heart of Tribeca at 105 Reade Street.

Open for Lunch Dinner and Brunch (Monday thru Friday 11:30am to 2:00am and Saturday 4:00pm to 2:00am, Sunday Brunch 11:00am – 4:00pm) and for late night dancing on (Friday and Saturday

For more information on private parties and reservations, call 212-406-1900 or visit http://www.sazonnyc.com/

By Nancy Walman

Brand new to the Tribeca dining scene is Latin gem Sazon, a sophisticated dual-level restaurant with refined Puerto Rican comfort food. The latest concept by JR Morales and the crew from popular uptown hotspot Sofrito, Sazon fills the niche for authentic Latin food served in a hip, celebratory atmosphere that brings the passion and easy-going hospitality of the islands to downtown Manhattan.

First impressions scream volumes about the quality and style of Sazon’s offerings. Designed by Stephane Dupoux (also of Buddha Bar, the Gansevoort Beach Club, and el San Juan Hotel), the restaurant’s dramatic high ceilings are well complemented by a bold color scheme of rich magenta, vibrant oranges, and Chiquita-banana yellows that energize and invigorate the space with the exotic feeling of the tropics. The dining room’s back wall, upholstered in hand-stitched orange tufted leather, creates a luxe modern backdrop for white minimalist tables, rustic wood accents evocative of the rainforest, and jet black crystal chandeliers that add a generous dash of glamour.

Anchoring Sazon’s visual focus is the bar, a mini-oasis made from a subtly arranged mosaic of white and off-white tiles that functions as the perfect place to grab a drink before dinner or after work. Cocktails like the San Juan Martini, which blends the flavors of orange liquer and white cranberry juice with cucumber puree, are sure to evoke el Caribe in all its splendor. Also popular are El Yunque, a drink blending watermelon juice and Elderflower essence with peach liqueur.

Those familiar with Morales’ first venture, Sofrito, know that his standards are set quite high when dealing with his menu and food; if it’s not as good as—or better—than what’s available on either island (Manhattan or Puerto Rico), it’s simply not good enough. This considered, it’s no surprise that Sazon’s menu outdoes itself course after course. Executive Chef Ricardo Cardona (formerly of Mama Juana, Hudson River, and Lua) brings a wide array of Puerto Rican-inspired dishes to the table, each with sophisticated preparations, modern presentations, and just the right dose of tropical flair. The chef who was in charge on our visit, Frank Maldonado, executes Cardona’s menu with care and the kitchen is capable of some outstanding appetizers such as crisp chicken chunks (Chicharrón de Pollo) and fabulous Buñuelos de Bacalao (Salty cod fritters).

Appetizers are perhaps the most creative section of the menu, ranging from sweet Surrillitos (corn fritters) served with a savory bacalao stew to Tortitas de Huelles, Puerto Rican yuca crabcakes topped with a robust corn salsa and garlic lemon aioli. Crispy fried Alcapurias are a surprising and innovative dish made by turning grated taro root and plantain into a masa that’s pressed onto paper, filled with beef picadillo, and rolled into flattened cigars. The flavor is at once sweet, savory, and even nutty—something completely unique and unusual.

A section of the menu titled “Pa’ Emperzar” or “To Start” features twists on traditional soups and salads, such as Sazon’s Chopped Salad which comes laden with shrimp, avocado, hearts of palm, farmer’s cheese, and yuca croutons. The Ensalada Tribeca bears grilled native vegetables with Caribbean roots, field greens, and a tangy passion fruit balsamic reduction that makes a truly addicting dressing.

The real strengths, however, lie in the main courses, in which Chef Cardona goes to great lengths to simply perfect the classics rather than recreate or re-imagine them. The Sazon Paella places emphasis on fresh, quality ingredients—lobster, chorizo, clams, shrimp, and saffron all come together to creamy perfection. A popular pairing of savory and sweet, the Pollito, which literally means “little chicken,” combines boneless roast Cornish hen with a stuffing of sweet plaintain and guava sauce, cooked to mouthwatering perfection. Meanwhile, Pernil, Sazon’s signature dish, is not quite so dainty—it’s a feast on its own, consisting of three pounds of roast pork legs with pigeon pea rice and sweet plantains. If this doesn’t call to mind comida casera—homecooked Latin comfort food—nothing else will.

Desserts at Sazon are pretty as a picture not to be missed. Among them are street food favorites like Churros served with hot chocolate sauce and traditional treats like guava empanadas, stuffed with jam-like guava paste and cheese. Perhaps the most irresistible is the Tembleque—a hard-to-find regional specialty, it is essentially an eggless coconut flan with extra punches of flavor from cinnamon, diced strawberries, and pineapple. It’s a melt-in-your-mouth tropical paradise, and unlike anything else and a lovely cheese cake. Don’t slight the best café con leche imaginable. The is a nice, inexpensive wine list.

The party at Sazon keeps going beyond dessert—a lounge downstairs provides entertainment later into the evening with live music and private parties. The space, with its own separate bar and a more laid-back, relaxed feel, is set to be tagged by local artist James De La Vega, whose graffiti-inspired pieces and illustrated inspirational quotes have earned him the title of New York’s “Sidewalk Philosopher.”

The scene is loud, hot and inexpensive. Service is fancy (they put your napkin on your lap) and  the food is serious. A real yet unique downtown restaurant experience!

Sazón
Appetizers
Camarones con Rum 9
Grilled Shrimp with Puerto Rican Rum Glaze

Arepas de Vieques 12
Coconut arepas with crab meat escabeche

Caprese Borinqueña 8
White farmer’s cheese, avocado and tomato with coriander vinaigrette

Clams Latino 13
Baked Little Neck Clams, Bacon and Sofrito Butter

EMPANADAS 2 ea.
Camarones –Shrimp
Pollo – Chicken
Carne – Beef
Vegétales – Vegetable

Mini PIONONOS 6
Sweet plantains stuffed with beef picadillo

TOSTONES MONTADITOS 12
Fried Green Plantains topped with

Bistec – Skirt Steak
Camarones – Shrimp
Pulpo – Octopus
Bacalao — Salty Cod Fish

Surrillitos 5
Corn Fritters with Bacalao Stew

Alcapurrias 6
Cripsy or Steamed Tarot root stuffed with Beef Picadillo

Buñuelos de Bacalao 6
Salty cod fritters

Tortita de huelles 10
Puerto Rican yuca crabcakes with salsa criolla and garlic lemon alioli

Carne Frita 8
Crispy, fried marinated pork chunks

Chicharrón de Camarón 8
Crispy, fried marinated shrimp

Chicharrón de Pollo 8
Crispy, fried marinated chicken chunks

Calamar Frita 14
Crispy Fried Calamari

Almejas en Caldo de Cilantro y Chorizo 15
Clams in Cilantro and Chorizo Broth

Mejillones en Caldo de Cilantro y Chorizo 15
Mussles in Cilantro and Chorizo Broth

Click Below For The Entrees.

http://www.sazonnyc.com/maincourse-menu.html

A Texas-Inspired East Village Hangout

When they made Hayne Suthon, they broke the mold. A rare combination of savvy entrepreneur and party girl, the former tax attorney brought the spirit of her native New Orleans to New York’s downtown in the 1980s. Recently featured in the New York Post as one of New York City’s 10 Hottest Cougars (a successful worldly woman who is extremely attractive to decidedly sexy younger men), she has a head for business, a spirit for fun, and a supreme knack for creating a rollicking good time wherever she goes.

Hayne got the party started in 1986 with Cave Canem, a Roman-themed restaurant in a restored bathhouse—one of the first places to combine drinking, eating and partying in a single locale. In 1993, she opened Lucky Cheng’s, the world famous Asian restaurant where drag queens not only serve the food, but also offer up nightly cabarets. Like all her concepts, it’s a place where it’s impossible not to have fun. Ms. Suthon is a master at catering to large parties, groups of eight or more, a rarity in the cramped confines of most New York restaurants and bars.

Located in the space that until recently housed her ode to Hawaii, Waikiki Wally’s, her latest innovation, Marfa NYC is inspired by a West Texas artists’ community. To give the feeling of West Texas, noted chef Harun Shah (Raga, Death & Company) offers patrons a selection of Texas-inspired Tapas, all of which you can eat with your fingers.

The selection of small bites ranges from traditional, hearty dry rub barbecued baby back ribs that drip with Marfa’s special barbecue sauce to mini corndogs, a daintier and more adult-like version of the kid-friendly classic. You’ll also find piquant chipotle chicken wings small in size, but packing a powerhouse of flavor and fish tacos accompanied by homemade guacamole, various salsas, and a citrus-laden slaw that adds freshness and zing. “Shells on” spicy shrimp are a special treat, large and lusciously sweet on the inside, yet charged with a perfectly tempered finger-licking heat on the outside. Diners can order a la carte or select a Texas tapas platter designed for groups to share. Marfa appetizer platters are priced per person and range from El Cheapo (featuring four different appetizers) for $9 per person to the Big Texas Platter (featuring eight appetizers and a shot of house-infused flavored tequila!), which, at $18 per person, is quite the deal.

Heartier appetites and bigger budgets can opt for Big Bend Bites, larger entrees such as soul warming chicken pot pie, creamy and delicious comfort food with a flaky homemade crust (also available in a vegetarian version) or a warm bowl of Texas beef or vegetarian chili. There’s also a selection of Southern-fried specialties: mouthwatering crispy fried chicken, chicken fried steak, or fried catfish, each with a perfectly crispy coating that gives way to a tender and juicy cut. All the entrees are served with sumptuous side dishes such as sweet and savory baked beans and crunchy cabbage slaw, smooth, delectable yet homey mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach in generous portions. Mac and cheese, perfectly sauced with a silky blend of cheeses, breadcrumbs, and a punch of paprika, is a Roadside item (side dish) that you won’t want to miss.

For groups of eight or more, Marfa also offers a barbecue menu, a complete package for $27 per person. The Texas-sized meal includes a choice of two sides and three appetizers from the menu and an entrée of expertly prepared barbequed ribs, shrimp, pulled pork and saucy barbecued chicken. Other group menus can be ordered on request, including vegetarian or seafood menus or other group packages that can be designed to include open bar, pitchers of margaritas and Texas tapas.

Hip, urbane, but decidedly West Texas, the vast, rustic loft-like space hosts rotating art exhibits, inaugurated with paintings by Marfa stalwart, Boyd Elder, designer of Eagles album covers (the original artwork for one hangs on the wall at Marfa).

But perhaps the most artful feature of the food and beverage menu is the incredible cocktail list designed by Marshall Altier, a leading mixologist, well versed in both classic and modern cocktails. Marshall has been mentored by the innovative Eben Freeman at Tailor and brings his unique concoctions to the upscale Italian restaurant Insieme. The cocktail menu consists of reasonably priced drinks with out of this world house infused flavored tequilas that are all perfect paired with Marfa’s food.

Try the house Marfarita with grapefruit and Serrano chili infused tequila for an extra special kick and a perfect balance of flavors, or the transporting Lavender Daisy with lavender infused tequila, honey, fresh lime and peach bitters, it’s a sublime combination of champagne or the smokey combination of mezcal and bourbon in the Mezcal Old Pal Martini. Barflies can also opt for low budget beers such as Pabst Blue Ribbon, Lone Star, Tecate and Corona. For the real skinflint, there’s the El Cheapo Special, a PBR with a shot of cheap liquor as a chaser.

Whether you come with a date or with a large group of friends, nibble on Texan tapas or go all out for the Big Bend bites, one thing is certain, with Hayne Suthon behind the enterprise, a good time will be had by all.

Marfa is located in the East Village at 101 East 2^nd Street, and is open for dinner Monday-Friday from 6-11PM and on weekends from 6-11:30, with the bar staying open late.