Having greatly enjoyed the food at Gardenia, we decided to try one of its sister restaurants, Ofrenda, on Seventh Avenue just above Sheridan Square. The excellent food is not the usual assortment of enchiladas and Tex-Mex standards. This is more authentic Mexican with a modern touch.

We started with a shared appetizer of queso fundido with huitlacoche. This was a huge portion, served with fresh soft corn tortillas and a piquant salsa verde, and the flavor was intricate and delicious. For the main course, I had a whole trout with epazote, jalapeno, tomato and onion, served with sides of rice with tomato and an avocado salad. Stanley had a massive pork shank with black beans and potatoes. The portions are very large and could be shared. We were stuffed and couldn’t even consider dessert. We drank margaritas, prickly pear cactus for him and cucumber for me. I would highly recommend them.

The space is a bit cramped, and it can get very loud, but it has a warm feeling that is very pleasant. Service is efficient. Prices are on the high side of moderate, but the quality and quantity justify them.

http://ofrendanyc.com/