Mad Dog & Beans

Over the break, I went on an adventure to find some of NYC's best mexican. Besides, I'm a sucker for a good margarita. I decided to take my dad away from work and include him on my quest. This limited my location to the downtown area but after some Yelp research, I settled on MadDog & Beans, Mexican Cantina. MadDog & Beans is located on pearl street and stone street. Stone street is one of New York's oldest cobblestone streets. I have to say, this place was so busy at 1pm on a friday; I was shocked! We ended up waiting twenty five minutes, but it is certainly worth the wait. The place was filled with people at tables and even sitting (and standing) at the bar.

I was so intrigued with MadDog & Beans; I knew I had to look up the background. They have a very colorful and interesting story. Mad Dog was a man who was accused of a brutal murder so was forced to flee to Mexico. He began living peacefully in a town, where the people did not care about his past. There he found a friend (& drinking partner) in a local chef. A man nicknamed Beans. Together they formed not only a friendship but an extremely successful restaurant. Whether this is true or not, it sets a nice background to this restaurant. The inside is decorated in all wood and the lighting is dark. The walls are adorned with black & white photos of mexico and various objects; such as guns and crosses. This creates an intimate yet fun atmosphere.

Moving on to the most important part of going to dinner; the food was also exceptional mexican for the right price. I judge all mexican restaurants by their Guacamole and chips, so we started with an appetizer portion. When it came to the table, it was served in a mortar and pestle which is made of lava rock and decorated with paint. It had fresh, real chunks of avocado and the perfect amount of spanish onion, with a small hint of lime juice. It was very simple, but delicious. The chips were light and crispy. It was the perfect appetizer to go with my corona light while we anxiously awaited our meals.

I decided on the De Raja quesadilla, which was filled with poblano peppers. Since attending Johnson and Wales, my dad usually ordered the chicken tacos. He is notorious for not reading the menu and so as usual we were pleasantly surprised when he got his huge portion including four tacos and a side of rice and beans. There was no complaints from the both of us and we enjoyed the silence that comes from eating a good meal, when everyone is enjoying what they ordered and are entranced by the food.

I fully intend on returning to MadDog & Beans to continue and explore their entire menu some more. It has so many options, from fajitas to Red Snapper. So next time your in NYC and looking for pretty excellent mexican, or even a fun place to get a drink.