Cosme

Mexican chef-partner Enrique Olvera knocked the ball out of the park with Pujol, his Mexico City eatery, which garnered universal accolades. His first American restaurant takes that magic into a minimalist, elegantly modern space in the Flatiron District. Robust flavors explode from what at first seem like familiar ingredients: duck carnitas, maiz, lobster, sliced raw fish paired with delicious house-made tortillas. These provide the foundation for small plates for sharing. The room can get packed and absolutely buzzy with a fashionable crowd, for whike the focus is squarely on the food, there is also a variety of exceptionally well-paired cocktails to go along with the small plates. Mezcal provides the basis for many of the signature drinks, as the creative drinks list provides true inventive freshness and further breadth. Service is highly efficient and extremely helpful in describing a nascent cuisine, which, excitingly, gives a diner wonderful opportunities to truly appreciate something new and highly distinctive.