Ofrenda-My Mexican Heaven

I’m so excited to share this next neighborhood Gem with you. Ladies and Gents say hello to my new favorite Mexican joint: Ofrenda. Ofrenda is located in the West Village and serves home-style Mexican cuisine which means you won’t find any burritos drenched in sour cream on this menu. Not that there’s anything wrong with burritos drenched in sour cream, I love myself a good burrito but what Ofrenda offers is a tribute to upscale Mexican at a great price which I haven’t seen in a long time in NYC..take note cough Dos Caminos cough.

Before I start my long rant of all the reasons why I love this place, I’m going to sum it up for all my people out there why you NEED to go ASAP:


1)      Happy hour is served 4-7 PM everyday with $5 margs and sangria and is offered not only at the bar but at ANY table as well
2)      Homemade chips and guac…and free refills on chips should you have any guac left in your bowl
3)      I already said Happy Hour available everywhere correct? Right so really…

OK. Now that I’ve made myself clear we can move along. The atmosphere here is fantastic. Mexican style "day of the dead" memorabilia makes up the decor inside. It has beautiful mood lighting with candles highlighting the tables and walls. This place is perfect for a romantic, fun date or a night out with friends!

The service is to a "T" awesome. From the warm hostess, to the bartender and bus boy, to our server Jorge, everyone was so personable, nice and made you feel how you should feel while dining at a restaurant...taken care of! This was my second visit here, so imagine my surprise by the end of the evening when I realize that Jorge our server who had been great all night is actually part owner of the restaurant. That to me earns a Little Star in itself and shows me he is well trained and truly cares about his the success of his restaurant.

Alrighty, moving on now to the good stuff! I started with the Red Sangria which was delicious. My boyfriend had the traditional dos xx lager which also didn’t disappoint. Both were only $5 on happy hour.

For apps we ordered the Guac and chips which rivals some of the best I’ve ever tasted. Spicy with a pinch of salt which I love. The homemade chips are great..they are hearty and thicker than the traditional chip and feel as though they were made with love.

We also opted for the "Quesadilla A La Parrilla Con Pico De Gallo" (grilled flour tortilla with pepper jack and oaxaca cheese, black beans, avocado, Mexican cream) to start which was good as well. Honestly this was my least favorite dish being a little too traditional but by all means was still a tasty treat. The pico tasted extremely fresh.

Last time we also tried the Chorizo a la cervaza which is spanish sausage, tomatoes, beer and chiles that comes out piping hot which I thought was AMAZING and you know how I love my snausage..(yes I meant to spell it that way).

For my main dish I had the "Black Angus Hanger Steak A La Parrilla" which was a grilled hanger steak drizzled in charred tomatillo salsa, stuffed chayote (mexican squash stuffed with pepper jack, cream, scallion), and garlic mash potatoes which I subbed for the roasted ones on the menu. This entree was super delicious.  I especially love the mexican squash. The steak was a tad bit over medium which is what I asked for, but still tender and full of flavor. No A1 needed on this one. I didn’t have a bite left.

My boyfriend got the "Costillas De Borrego Rostizadas Con Chile Poblano" which is the roasted rack of lamb, served with garlic mashed potatoes, grilled shiitake mushrooms and a radish chimichurri sauce. He was practically licking the bones of the meat after he ate it. The lamb was cooked perfectly and so tender. It rivals some of the best lamb I've tasted. The Mash potatoes were also creamy and delicious. 

Both entrees were under $20 and tasted like a million bucks. From the friendly service, to the extensive  menu of yummy drinks and the freshness, quality and taste of the delicious food earns Ofrenda 4 ½ Little Stars. Don’t waste anytime heading over there and don't forget to say hello to my friend Jorge.

Happy Eating! 


oxox 


Little Star