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Zona Rosa

No more Zona Rosa (2/09)

Once again James dipped into his special occasion canon of Latin and/or
meaty restaurants. I always like to play guessing games about where he's
going to take me, and I never would've picked this place in a million years
if I hadn't noticed a business card and press release earlier in the month
on his desk. I assumed it had something to do with his mom since she's
always in town for Hispanic-related events and conferences, which kind of
weirded me out because his mom is a source of contention and the idea of her
influencing his Valentine's dining choice was a bit odd.

I rarely eat upscale Mexican, and it was quite nice. There was a starter
of ceviche and guacamole with a few artfully arranged chips (there was way
too much guacamole for the amount of chips). I had a duck taco appetizer,
and stuffed quail in a mole sauce with rose petals for an entre. I'm
incredibly averse to eating flowers, it borders on being a phobia, but I was
sold on the little game bird and mole aspect. Eating around the petals was
no problem.

I asked James how he chose the restaurant, and he wouldn't tell me,
which was just plain weird. He insisted it had nothing to do with his
mother, but that he'd been there before (it had only been open about one
month, and there was all that controversy about Alex Garcia, who was
supposed to be the chef, being arrested on drug charges) and then refused to
tell me who he'd been there with or why. It was totally bizarre, and cast a
weird mood to the meal. I mean, on one hand, who cares why or who he'd been
there with, but on the other hand being all mysterioso just gets on my
nerves. Oh, I fear that with each progressive Valentine's Day, the farther
you become removed from the original sentiment of the holiday.


ZonaRosa * 40 W. 56th, New York, NY

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