Margarita, Guacamole Happy Birthday!

In celebration of Cinco de Mayo and my 26th birthday, my friends took me to Zarela’s. And a happy birthday it was after a few margaritas, muy buena comida, and more Crumbs cupcakes than I could ever ask for!

If you’ve ever been to Zarela’s you already know that they have the best margarita’s in NYC. And why you might ask… because they are deadly! One margarita is truly enough to put you on the floor, though because it was my birthday, lets just say I had more than one. But Zarela’s offers much more than a top notch margarita. Zarela’s is a wonderland for Mexican food connosseiurs and diners alike. I couldn’t have been more impressed.

It seemed like everyone I knew had already been to Zarela’s and couldn’t stop raving about it. I admittedly had high expectations after hearing such phenomenal things from the margaritas to the food and ambiance. And now I can tell you, Zarela’s does not disappoint.

I was bombarded with eager drinkers upon entering Zarela’s on Cinco de Mayo Eve and was honestly nervous that we wouldn’t have the table I’d requested or that we’d wait hours to be seated. To my suprise, after pushing through the crowd, there was my table, the best in the house (right next to the bar, ruckus and all). Joey, our waiter, patiently waited for all my guests to arrive before taking our order and was extremely patient despite my immediate drink request change. My margarita went from plain to spicy in 5 minutes flat. Thanks Joey!!

The dinner flowed perfectly from appetizers to entrees, just like our margaritas. We started with the Chilaquiles, as recommended by my friend Justin and though I was a bit skeptical of the combination of ingredients, it was fantastic! The flavors blended together beautifully and I just couldn’t get enough.

CHILAQUILES, Crisp corn tortilla strips, shredded sautéed chicken, sour cream and white cheese baked in a casserole with either a tangy tomatillo or ranchera sauce.

And the main courses that followed were even more enticing. Between the ten of us, I think we ordered almost everything on the menu which included:

Tacos de Pescado, Red Snapper tacos

Ensalada Tropical, Field greens, orange slices, slivered jícama, red onions and cotija cheese tossed with citrus vingarette

Atún en Pipián, Tuna steak seared rare, served with tomatillo, sesame seeds and roasted poblano sauce

Pescado en Salsa Verde, Pan-seared whole trout in a fragrant hoja santa-jalapeño sauce

Fajitas, Grilled marinated skirt steak, served with salsa, guacamole and flour tortillas

Torta de Arroz, Bread made with rice flour, corn, poblanos and cheese. Per slice

I assure that the food tasted as good as it looks in these pictures. And though everything was delicious my favorite dishes were the ones I ordered (of course!): the steak fajitas and the red snapper tacos. And luckily for me, dinner didn’t end there. Soon after we’d finished off our meal there came an assortment of miniature Crumbs cupcakes and two enourmous slices of Billy’s carrot and vanilla with chocolate frosting cakes. What more could a birthday girl ask for?

Devoured Crumbs Cupcakes

So, if you’re in the mood for a festive mexican meal and some mighty strong drinks, head to Zarela’s! Just be prepared for a hangover the morning after!