It's nice to see the great recession hasn't snuffed out everyone's ambitions; take, for instance, this triple-decker restaurant and bar opening tomorrow night in the gigantic space formerly occupied by Wild Salmon. Called Zengo, the Latin-Asian fusion restaurant is the work of Mexican chef and restaurateur Richard Sandoval (Maya, Pampano) and Chef de Cuisine Akhtar Nawab (Elettaria RIP). Maestro Placido Domingo is a partner in the project, which also has locations in Denver and D.C., and the design is by big shots AvroKO. That's some serious firepower, which they're hoping will break a streak of failures at this daunting (cursed?) location.
High above the ground floor dining room (which seats 180!) hovers a comfortable sake and shochu lounge, which sure looks inviting, but be careful on those stairs as you exit! Zengo's overall design combines Latin and Asian elements, with wrought-iron screens and suspended wooden beams, natural wood tables, red leather accents and patterned upholstery. As for food, the menu mixes and matches preparations of ingredients common to both Latin and Asian cuisines; chicken Tandoori, for instance, is garnished with cilantro and mango salsas, a Latin substitute for coriander and mango chutneys. And slices of Asian radish serve as ‘tortillas’ in the Peking Duck Daikon Tacos (seen here). Most of the small plate options are in the $5-$14; large plates clock in between $16-$26. Click on the menus here for all the details.
Downstairs, the swank new lounge La Biblioteca boasts a 400-plus bottle collection of agave-based spirits. And for regulars who fall in love with a particular bottle, they'll offer "tequila lockers" where you can store your unfinished spirits until you next visit. The dimly-lit lair is filled with Persian rugs, old Mexican chairs covered in red velvet, and enveloping sofas. La Biblioteca's cocktail menu is divided into Agava, Sugarcane, Grape, and Grains. These include a Caramelized Pineapple Fizz (Del Maguey Vida Mezcal/Pineapple/Orange Bitters, $12), and a Prickly Pear Caipirinha (Cachaca/Prickly Pear/Lime/Brown Sugar, $9).
Zengo and La Biblioteca // 622 Third Avenue // 212-808-8110 // Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Dinner: Sun-Wed 5 p.m.-10 p.m. (La Biblioteca open til midnight) Dinner: Thurs-Sat 5 p.m.-11 p.m. (La Biblioteca open til 2am) Happy Hour: 7 days a week, 5 p.m.-7 p.m.
