Pete the Punisher Gives Just One Star to Mission Cantina

Pete Wells finds that a lot of the food at Mission Cantina is "curiously unsatisfying." He likes the wings, the collards with masa, the mushroom tacos, and a few other dishes, but inconsistency is a problem:

Deep-fried chicken livers on a tostada spread with puréed white beans were as creamy and sweet as whipped butter one night. On another they were hard, dry, unlovable things, and the pickled chipotles that had made the tostada so exciting the first time were applied stingily. Maybe the kitchen was running low on supplies, because the tacos were missing the white onions that usually lent them a crisp, juicy lift. Later in the meal, a rotisserie chicken, good if not earth moving, came with rice so greasy I put down my fork.

He concludes his review with a few lines about how great the masa is at Mission Cantina. The capper: "It tastes like a promise from Mr. Bowien that one day everything on the menu will soar to its level." One star.
· Riding a Chef's Twists and Turns [NYT]
· All Coverage of Mission Cantina [~ENY~]
[Photo:Krieger]

Foursquare

Mission Cantina

172 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002 (212) 254-2233 Visit Website

Mission Cantina

172 Orchard St., New York, NY