FOOD: El Parador Cafe [Murray Hill -- NYC]

In New York, there are loads of Mexican restaurants that are all pretty good--Dos Caminos and Rosa's come to mind--but last night I went out with a few friends and was really impressed with El Parador Cafe on 34th between 1st and 2nd.

My friend said that this is his favorite Mexican restaurant in the city, and after going there myself, I may have to agree.   The ambiance is cozy and authentic, but not over the top and the prices are reasonable.

We started with a shrimp quesadilla to share, which was awesome.  I'm not sure what kind of cheese they put in there, but it was very good; I could have eaten one to myself.  The chips and salsa on the table was unlike anything I have had before.  The chips were pretty standard, but the salsa was so good!  It had a roasted, smoky flavor and wasn't spicy at all, which I appreciated.  Then we had corn on the cob with mayo, cotija cheese, and chile and split the taco tray four ways that came with soft tortillas to create your own tacos.  That included guacamole, salsa, chicken, chorizo, onions, cilantro, and cheese--the usual ingredients.  But the food we ordered was the perfect amount--and the drinks were very good!  Next time, I'd love to try the mussels; we saw those go by and they looked amazing.  And the fish tacos would be another thing on my list.

All in all it was a great experience and I would definitely like to go back sooner rather than later!

El Parador Cafe
325 East 34th Street
New York, NY 10016