With a creative, exciting new concept that seems tailor made for Miami’s trendy, multicultural mix, Mercadito Restaurants recently opened its first South Florida location to the public at 3252 NE First Avenue in Midtown Miami. Featuring authentic and innovative signature tacos made with homemade corn tortillas, delicious guacamoles and salsas, plus a full bar and lounge with hand-crafted cocktails; the sleek and stylish Mexican eatery, with critically acclaimed locations in New York City and Chicago, Mercadito Midtown embraces the seductive flavors of traditional Southern Mexican regional cuisine with one-of-a-kind interpretations by chef/partner Patricio Sandoval. “We’ve been successful in bringing the best of our Mexican culture to the nation’s top metropolitan cities and Miami has a perfect fit,” says managing partner Alfredo Sandoval, one of three brothers who owns and operates the Mercadito family restaurant group. “For Midtown we’ve created a hip ambiance with an exciting, yet affordable, menu.”
Modeled after Mexico’s version of farmer’s markets, Mercadito, Spanish for “little market,” is designed to appeal to the fashionable, savvy gourmet. The new Midtown restaurant, which seats 95 in the dining room, encompasses striking 3-D style art murals by urban graffiti artist Erni Vales. A lively lounge area, with an additional 24 seats, boasts a convivial bar and an outdoor patio. Mercadito Midtown also features a beautifully appointed semi-private dining room “El Mural” that will accommodate up to 50 guests for parties and events. A perfect alternative for those on-the-go, the taqueria, located adjacent to the restaurant, is slated to open 3-4 weeks after the restaurant, offering casual service, take-out, or delivery.
Mercadito’s menus, using the freshest ingredients available and served in small sharing portions, embrace the sociable approach that has been a Mercadito seal. One of the main attractions at Mercadito Midtown will be an open “guacamole, salsa and ceviche bar,” where a variety of savory guacamoles ($8.50 – $12.50), mouth-watering ceviches ($10-11.50), and spicy salsas ($2.50 – $4.50), will be made in-house while guests watch.
Signature guacamoles include avocados expertly blended with interesting ingredients such as: mango – jicama, chipotle, pico de gallo; mole poblano – plantain, mole poblano, chile Serrano, pico de gallo; and manzana – apple, tomatillo, almonds, habanero. Crispy chips will accompany every order. Salsas, served with delicious corn bites, will range from chipotle to cacahuate (peanuts).
Sure to wow Miami foodies is the selection of more than ten types of mouth-watering tacos ($13.50) that come four to an order. These tasty delights will include Chef Sandoval’s pescado tacos, made with pan seared tilapia, a bold chile poblano and tomatillo-garlic mojo, named “Best Fish Taco in New York City” by New York Magazine. Also designed to please palates, Mercadito’s signature estilo baja – beer battered mahi mahi, with coleslaw, drizzled with chipotle aioli; and pastor – succulent, chile-ancho rubbed pork, grilled pineapple, and chile de arbol salsa, among 11 different salsa varieties.
Side dishes, para acompañar ($4.50 – $6.50), will include arroz verde – green rice casserole with Oaxaca and manchego cheeses, a favorite among diners at Mercadito restaurants in New York and Chicago; elote Mexicano – Mexican style corn on the cob with lime mayonnaise and chile piquin, and rajas – mild roasted strips of poblano pepper and onion with hominy corn and crema fresca.
Miami’s seafood lovers will enjoy a variety of refreshing ceviches ($11.50 – $24.50). Stand-outs include camaron – shrimp, tangerine, roasted jalapeños, in a citrus-guajillo broth; callo de hacha – bay scallops, red apple, tomatillo pico de gallo, key lime-morita broth and mint; and, dorado – lime marinated mahi mahi, avocado and tomato, in a tangy orange-chile de arbol broth.
Botanas ($10.50) are a sumptuous collection of Mexican style appetizers such as tostadas de hongos – crispy corn tortillas, topped with wild mushrooms, pinto bean hash, manchego cheese, tomatillo salsa, and flavorful epazote crema fresca, and flautas – crispy tortillas filled with chicken barbacoa, served with black bean purée, tomatillo salsa and crema fresca. Meant to be shared with dining companions, and a perfect way to kick start any meal, is the queso fundido – baked Oaxaca and manchego cheeses served with a choice of wild mushrooms, rajas (roasted poblano strips), or chorizo.
A visit to Mercadito Midtown isn’t complete without a handcrafted margarita. Mercadito’s beverage program, created by Tippling Bros. (industry veterans and leading beverage experts, Paul Tanguay and Tad Carducci), features a dizzying array of Mexican tequilas and creative takes on traditional Mexican cocktails, along with an assortment of beers. Diners can wash down bites with individually muddled fresh fruit margaritas made with 100% blue agave tequila such as the Little Market (tequila reposado, fresh pineapple, chile guajillo, cilantro), or the Smokey Pablo (cien años reposado, mango, chile morita, blueberry float), among others.
For this distinctly urban location, the Sandoval brothers tapped New York City based Seed Design Studio to create a chic, welcoming restaurant boasting sleek banquets, handmade pyramid-shaped copper lights, and white quartz table tops accented with pale wood floors. Here, contemporary urban artist Erni Vales draws his own interpretation of Mexican history, cultural diversity, and ethnic multiplicity, showcasing stunning wall-to-wall 3-D graffiti style art murals.
For more information, please call (786) 369-0430 (786) 369-0430 or visit www.mercaditorestaurants.com.