Mancora

[Pan]

I've passed this restaurant on the southwest corner of 6 St. and 1st Av. many times, but had yet to order any of their food until tonight. I got a half pollo a la brasa (they don't sell quarters) with platanos maduros. A small salad was also provided.

The chicken was very nicely cooked with a tasty spice rub, and the cilantro salsa verde that was provided in a small plastic container was a nice accompaniment. The platanos maduros were perhaps unusually good (partly a function of the size of the slices) and seem to have been fried with a black syrup (molasses?). The salad could have been fresher, as some lettuce leaves had little brown parts.

Preliminary verdict: Worth checking out if you're in the neighborhood. Probably not worth a special trip. But they also have a bar that, of course, serves mojitos, caipirinhas, margaritas, et al., so you could always get some drinks and try a little food. I didn't drink any alcohol tonight.

Oh, the price: $7.60 total, including tax.

[mascarpone]

How would you compare Mancora to other Peruvian restaurants in the city (Rinconcito Peruvano at 9th and 53rd or Coco Roco in Park Slope)? I would be particularly interested in your take on the authenticity of each establishement.

[Pan]

I really have no idea what would constitute authenticity in Peru, as I've never been there. I've also never been to Coco Rico. Rinconcito Peruano is a favorite of mine. The atmosphere is different at Mancora, in keeping with its East Village location (a little "cooler," with less light (but still plenty bright enough to see your food, the menu, and other people) and a small bar, as compared to the spartan cheap diner plus some Peruvian tsatskes atmosphere of Rinconcito Peruano. I really can't say more, based on only one visit.

[Pan]

I got delivery from Mancora tonight. Again, nice pollo a la brasa and good caramelized platanos maduros. The salad, I've decided, is a prop and not something to eat (I saw the edge of a withered lettuce leaf poking out of the container and didn't bother opening it). The black beans and rice was too salty, and apparently is the only kind of beans you can get with the chicken.

Have any of you tried other menu items? I walk past the place frequently, and it seems to be doing a good deal of eat-in business.

[phaelon56]

$7.60? Wow!!! That's significantly cheaper than Pio Pio on UES and it's also cheaper than the Dominican place in my old neighborhood up here in Syracuse. IN light of the fact that it's Peruvian, I'll guess that what appeared to be a rub was really the residue of the marinade that was caramelized onto the skin. I'm curious about the darl syrupy appearance on the platanos. Is it possible that it was just the caramelized sugars from the plantain itself? They're often quite ripe at the late maduros stage and lots of sugars have developed. That said, when I've seen the dark appearance it was like a glaze on the surface, not a separate liquid.

[Pan]

It's mostly a glaze but there is a little bit of sort of molassesy liquid.

Dinner tonight cost $10.90 + a tip to the delivery guy.

[Pan]

I was amazed to find out that Mancora had been reviewed in the New York Times today, in the "$25-and-under" column. I've never been very tempted to get anything but their pollo a la brasa, which is good and I'm glad to have it in my neighborhood and that's about it (I don't think it's nearly as delicious as the Dominican version at El Malecon on the Upper West Side and Washington Heights). Considering that the free salad they provide with an order is always over the hill and not worth eating, I'm surprised that the Times felt they were good enough to deserve a mostly positive review. Maybe it would be worth my while to try some of their other dishes some time and stop turning up my nose so much because of the salad.

[mjr_inthegardens]

There is also a Mancora peruvian on Smith Street r. row. It's much better than the other peruvian. I've had a good meal there and their takeout rotisserie chicken is great -- some cinnamon taste in the skin and two tasty dipping sauces.

[intraining]

there's a peruvian restaurant on metropolitan ave in queens and their cilantro soup is really good and they have a few ceviches which are also very good. must remember not to take my daughter next time as she nabs all the mussels from the soup, leaving me with the squid, clams and scallops .

recommeded if you're in the area.

[Pan]

On a whim, I had a very good eat in dinner tonight at Mancora.

I started with a special that seemed to simply be marked merely "Antojitos" ("Appetizers") but was described on the menu as beef heart. It was a take on kebabs, with pieces of heart on skewers and a distinct cumin taste. The accompaniments were part of a very good corn cob with very large, white grains; crunchy dry-roasted yellow corn grains (I really liked those); and a bit of salad.

For a main dish, I took the waitress's recommendation:

Tacu Tacu con Pescado (Red Snapper Crusted w. Sweet Potato served w. Tacu Tacu [Peruvian Rice & Beans], Fried Yucca & Salsa Criolla)

Fish on a Monday, you say? I admit that the thought crossed my mind that they have to get rid of an excess of red snapper, but no, this is a restaurant that specializes in seafood, and the fish was just fine. The salsa was basically diced tomatoes and red onions. The rice and beans were great, full of cumin. The yuca was a bit browned on the outside and had a good consistency and a nice sweet/starchy taste.

At $9 for the appetizer and $13 for the main dish plus one caipirinha, the bill amounted to $32.05 before tip -- not something for every day, but frankly, although I was very hungry, a main dish would have been sufficient (I didn't finish the rice and beans). I will be going again for sure. I now know that there are things they make better than pollo a la brasa.

[peter_nyc]

On a whim, I had a very good eat in dinner tonight at Mancora.

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I'd be curious to hear your thoughts about Coco Roco, the Peruvian joint on 5th Ave. betw. 6th and 7th Sts. I find it leaps and bounds better than Mancora.

[Pan]

On a whim, I had a very good eat in dinner tonight at Mancora.

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I'd be curious to hear your thoughts about Coco Roco, the Peruvian joint on 5th Ave. betw. 6th and 7th Sts. I find it leaps and bounds better than Mancora.

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Never been there, but it wouldn't have been on my way home in the rain tonight. I'll try to remember the recommendation for another day.

[Pan]

I went to Mancora last night with a friend. I felt the experience was not so great this time. I liked the mojito I got (my friend got a mango mojito which was too sweet for me but did taste nicely of mangos), but the food was so-so. First, the good point: I appreciated that they were willing to substitute very good roasted (and a bit candied) sweet potatoes for the roasted peppers that usually come with their Churrasco (Argentinian sirloin). (Bell peppers do a number on my stomach.) Now the criticisms: I ordered the steak medium rare and it came well-done (very slightly pink in the middle but dried out). I sent it back and it was replaced with meat that was essentially seared such that the middle was rare and the outside was done. It tasted good but the insides were really too tough and stringy. My friend got a tuna special (also grilled) that seemed a bit overdone to me, with the fish very slightly but noticeably fishy. Keeping in mind Fat Guy's currently active tutorial and Q&A about dining, I am recognized as a regular in this restaurant because I've eaten in a few times and have often gotten pollo a la brasa for takeout and had a drink at the bar while waiting. The server didn't know me but was fine; however, I was recognized by the hostess and the bartender who brought the mojito for me. I don't think that any of the problems I had were likely to be related to not knowing people at the restaurant. The tab was $55.40 plus tip ($66.00 total), by no means exhorbitant, but I wish I could depend on the uniform quality of their food a little more. It may be a while before I go back for anything but the chicken.