You want a Mexican fiesta with DJ? You’ll surely find this at Bodega Negra in the Dream Downtown in Meatpacking. The sceney room brings life to the party instantly with a bar and lounge overflowing with ladies dressed up in stilettos on Saturday night. Groups of guys remain seated in the main dining room which by the way is very dark, everyone seems good looking. Now it might be a party on the weekend with loud music, but the food is actually legit, and a place to chow down and not just celebrate life and be fancy. We had the best table in the house at the front upside of the dining room where we could look down below at the rest of the tables and also see the spinning penny globe above head along with the bumpin’ DJ.
Quesadilla
The menu is pretty well rounded with options for those wanting to stick to the lighter side with just a few apps, guac and chips, and tacos to those who want to go all out with meat filled and heavier entrees. Love that they have Tortilla Soup as that’s impossible to find in the city. The Fried Plantains are a game changer. They are thick, soft, sweet and crunchy all at the same time. The white sauce and cheese may look overwhelming, but thankfully it’s not. I could eat a whole plate of these to myself, oh wait I did. It’s a pretty big portion for a side and we kept chomping on it throughout each course because honestly you want won’t to let these leave the table.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the Quesadilla Rustica which is basically a four cheese pizza with habanero, roasted tomato and chimichurri only because it was doused in way too much sour cream. The Grilled Corn Salad tastes as fresh as summer and has jalapeño, lime vinaigrette and corn nuts. Never a fan of corn nuts (yes these), but the execution of this dish is fantastic, different and unusual with each bite when you do get that crunchy nut.
Braised Lamb Barbacoa
No questions asked, you are ordering the Braised Lamb Barbacoa with Salsa Borracha. This pot full of the most tender lamb, you’d think it was a filet, is bursting with flavor and never ending. It’s huge and with all of our other food, 4 of us couldn’t finish this bottomless pit. It’s the best and tastes like a warm lamb stew with veggies such as tomatoes, squash and greens. Oh and you can’t miss the huge lamb shank deposited directly in the center upon arrival. Go for it.
Now for dessert, you order the Don Huevo which is quite interactive. It’s essentially a disguised chocolate molten cake encased by a white chocolate egg with a MUSTACHE? Once delivered to your table, the waiter pours hot caramel sauce over it to break down and melt the white chocolate and then reveals the lovely chocolate cake. The white chocolate is a refreshing change from a typical dessert and mixed with the warm chocolate sauce and cake it’s genius. Dive in.
Don Huevo Dark Chocolate Molten Cake with Caramel Sauce