Rayuela

[foodhunter]

Has anyone tried Rayuela? A lot of what I've read mentions the cocktail program (managed by Junior Merino from The Modern) as much as the food. I've considered stopping in once or twice since they've opened, maybe to try and beat the crowds before the restaurant gets 'discovered'.

But I hesitated when I learned the chef was from Lucy Latin Kitchen, a restaurant I wasn't too fond of from my last visit.

[Nathan]

Has anyone tried Rayuela?  A lot of what I've read mentions the cocktail program (managed by Junior Merino from The Modern) as much as the food.  I've considered stopping in once or twice since they've opened, maybe to try and beat the crowds before the restaurant gets 'discovered'. 

But I hesitated when I learned the chef was from Lucy Latin Kitchen, a restaurant I wasn't too fond of from my last visit.

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I'm planning on stopping in on Thursday for cocktails...I share your lack of enthusiasm for Lucy's.

[donbert]

Has anyone tried Rayuela?  A lot of what I've read mentions the cocktail program (managed by Junior Merino from The Modern) as much as the food.  I've considered stopping in once or twice since they've opened, maybe to try and beat the crowds before the restaurant gets 'discovered'. 

But I hesitated when I learned the chef was from Lucy Latin Kitchen, a restaurant I wasn't too fond of from my last visit.

←

I stopped by the soft opening last week and got to try a few of the drinks. Junior has an amazing knack for using fruits in his drinks and was putting his skills to good use. I tend to order bitter spirit forward drinks but Junior's drinks are perfect for the summer and the space. Sadly I didn't get to try any of the food that was being passed around.

[foodhunter]

Nice pictures. By the way, are those Riedel Vinum Extreme cocktail glasses they're using? They seem larger than what I've seen at other places, though it might be the zoom.

[Nathan]

both the menu and cocktail list are here:

http://www.rayuelanyc.com/menu.htm

[Nathan]

drank (and ate) here last night with Sneakeater.

as my current hangover can attest, I pretty much sampled the entire cocktail menu. as usual with Junior, the combinations are always interesting (Berovchka in the rye drink?)...some cocktails were too sweet..the rye one unfortunately...others were perfectly balanced, the gin and the mezcal especially. Junior's out of town and I didn't go off the menu to test the bartender.

the decor is quite nice...definitely a solid date place in terms of ambience.

the food was pretty good as far as nouveau Latino goes (not really my thing). split a duck app that was slightly overcooked but the accompanying sauce was tasty enough. my lamb barbacoa was good.

I enjoyed the food more than at Lucy's...that's for sure.

but cocktails and ambience are what will make this place...so long as the food stays solid it will do well I think.

[weinoo]

We dropped in last night to try a few cocktails as well - no food, but the menu looks really delicious; the truth will be in the tasting however.

Great space, big and certainly a place that has what it takes to become fairly popular rather quickly.

That said, the two cocktails we tried were both too sweet and unbalanced for my taste. Mine was a Pina Partida mixing pineapple, cucumber, lemon in a mashup with Partida tequila (only 1.5 oz!) and agave nectar - good drink if you want to taste NO tequila... I'd say use a cheaper tequila and up it to 2.5 oz. and then you'll have a nice cocktail.

My wife had the Mezcal, which while a better balanced drink to my taste, was still a little on the sweet side.

As she said, a lot of the drinks probably go really well with the cuisine.

We then headed to another bar on 6th Street...'nuff said.