The new kid on the Hell’s Kitchen block has arrived, and it has arrived in style. Agua Dulce has all of the components to become a new pre- and post-theatre giant as well as snagging a significant number of patrons for brunch and late-night meals. The first aspect that draws you in is the outdoor seating, which is whimsical and airy with park-style benches. The tower bar, complete with ladder, is the second spectacle and no less unique or inviting. Will the bartender actually climb the bar to grab the libation of your choosing? “Maybe if you were to order a really nice single malt,” says operating partner Fernando Riquelme with a smile.
The cuisine is Pan-Latin with Asian influences, but doesn’t step into the blurry and intimidating realm of “fusion.” In fact, the cuisine needs no classification; it’s straightforward, and the menu can be adapted for a chef’s tasting menu and, according to Fernando, they may incorporate one fairly soon.
Chef Ulrich Sterling has commented that he will be “cooking specific dishes long, low and slow, utilizing a cooking method, in water, to maximize the intensity and variety of flavors.” The Smoked Tea Braised Short Rib is an example of this method, cooked at low heat for nearly 12 hours. It was the standout dish of the meal with what seems like pounds of bombastically braised beef on a bone that you may believe belonged to a brontosaurus. (Translation: It’s really big and really good.) The slow-cooked meat develops a char-free exterior supplanted with a caramelized layer of marinade that is concocted primarily from Malta (a very common Latin malt drink) and smoked tea. This gives it a nice variance of consistency from the outside shell to the meat near the bone; the latter is so tender that it will literally melt in your mouth while the former is sweet, sticky, and a bit chewy. It’s served with soy-charred string beans that are fairly bitter and crunchy, offsetting the soft sweetness of the Short Rib -- all accompanied by a cool, tzatziki-like sauce that, when used sparingly, cleanses the palate and breaks up the myriad flavors nicely. The price point is also phenomenal at $22.
The dessert menu is still in its infancy and will likely be expanded to four or five dishes (it currently consists of two, plus the option of a cookie and ice cream plate), but it doesn’t disappoint. I recommend the rich chocolate cake covered with spicy chocolate sauce -- if you’ve got a long sweet tooth, get the ice cream plate to accompany it, as it does not currently come with ice cream.
And as with most momentous gastronomic experiences, you’ll feel as if you were transported to another place, and your steps out onto Ninth Avenue will be light (even if you ate the entire short rib) because you will have had a true Manhattan experience: a place, a meal, and a cuisine that you can only find in one place on Earth -- for now anyway.
802 Ninth Ave. (53rd-54th Sts.), 212-262-1299; aguadulceny.com
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