An Evening at Mundo

A couple of weeks ago, Mackenzi and I headed over to The Paper Factory Hotel to enjoy a full tasting of Mundo’s menu. We enjoyed catching up with our good friends Jon and Willy, relaxing in the beautiful restaurant space, and eating every morsel that crossed our table. If you loved the Mundo of old, you’ll love their reinvention. Don’t forget we always share our tasting experiences live on Instagram, follow us @weheartastoria. We apologize in advance if these pictures make you hungry!

Drinks: If nothing else, get dressed up and go have a drink at the bar. These drinks are delicious and potent. On top of this, the bar ambiance has a little sexiness with a lot of color and warmth.

L’al is a crisp, refreshing blend of Mezcal, grapefruit, and honey and it comes highly recommended. Also- how pretty is that dried grapefruit slice? -Mackenzi

The Pachamama is one of Mundo’s most popular drinks. Made with Cimarron Tequila Silver, Bauchants Orange Liqueur, mixed with a little basil and English cucumber. Peppercorn extract and Aleppo Pepper salt give it a nice kick.  This drink is earthy (it smells really nice!) with a spiciness tempered by sweetness.

One of the more interesting drinks we had during our tasting; the Otono is made with a sweet potato puree. Also used in the creation is Cinnamon Syrup and Maple Bitters added to Pisco Control with a little lemon juice. It’s got some frothiness and although it has a lot of autumn like ingredients, the overall taste is fresh with a little sweetness.

This is the Zen without it’s signature blossom of pineapple-I couldn’t wait for the blossom! Made with a Bulldog Gin, Aloe Vera and Lemongrass syrup, poured into a wasabi salt rimmed glass. Although the Pachamama is the most popular at Mundo, this is my personal favorite.

I second Emily’s thoughts on this drink. It’s unique and well executed. Cocktail lovers run, don’t walk, to try this one. -Mackenzi

Frothy egg white on-top of Pisco = Classic Pisco Sour.

The Sourbon is a twist on an old Whiskey Sour. Swap in Bourbon and stir in a Sweet Fig infusion and voila! Beware of the fig on top…it’s got punch.

Appetizers/Sides: Just large enough to share…or keep all to yourself.

No Mundo trip would be complete without an order (or 2, or 3) of Red Sonjas. Made with red lentils, bulgur, scallion, parsley and other spices. Add a little fresh squeezed lemon juice on top, wrap with lettuce and enjoy. Classic Mundo. 

My girlfriend and I always end up having to order double of these little guys, they’re just that good. Vegans, delight- they’re totally meat & dairy free, too. If you call ahead, they’ll even make you gluten free ones! -Mackenzi

Egyptian Artichoke or “Nile’s Flower” an Artichoke stuffed with carrots and other vegetables with a side of dill-fava mousse. The mousse was oddly enough one of my favorite parts of this dish. It added this nice sweet flavor to the artichoke.

Ah, the carrot dip- sounds meh, tastes AH-MAZING. Caramelized carrots meet a creamy yogurt base and- bam! Magic! WHA tip- there’s never enough pita to go around. Ask for more right up front. -Mackenzi

Yucca Fries with Rocoto Aioli. A nice alternative to french fries. Crispy and thicker than a normal potato fry but just as tasty. These were gone so fast we didn’t have time to Instagram them.

Cajun-Spiced Andean corn was a favorite at our table. The outside had a snappy texture with a soft inside. A great vegetarian side dish!

Main Courses: Now we’re getting serious.

This Peruvian Ceviche made with fluke, on top of corn, sweet potatoes, and served with a shot of Leche de Tigre (Tiger’s Milk). The Leche de Tigre gives you energy and is rumored to be an aphrodisiac. You can drink it like a shot, pour it over the dish, or dip a forkful of the Ceviche in there. I suggest shooting it! Check out my Instagram video where I do just that.

These Ottoman Dumplings are amazing. I thought the Ceviche was my favorite dish but then I had these. We tried the Spinach but you can also get them with Beef. The sauce is a garlic-yogurt sauce with paprika, mint, and sumac.

These are totally a vegetarian comfort food delight! I’ll be totally honest that I’ve never tried these before, but man, oh, man do I regret that. The buttery paprika totally makes this dish sing. -Mackenzi

Octopus Carpaccio made with a baby arugula with wasabi caviar. The wasabi gives this dish a nice heat and kick, however the octopus is the main attraction. The texture is a little buttery with a spongy chew-not rubbery! The salad underneath is quite tasty since the caviar and dressing get all mixed up in the arugula.

Desserts: Just when we couldn’t eat another bite; the Mundo team shared some of their favorite sweet treats.

It might not be the most beautiful dessert but this semolina Helva with ice cream inside is another Mundo favorite. The texture of the outside is crumbly and warm which contrasts with the cold ice cream center.

I love this dish. It’s not overly sweet and has the most unique texture & flavor. I highly recommend splitting this and their decadent chocolate number (not pictured, a shame!) with friends next time you stop in. -Mackenzi

This ricotta ice cream, topped with Marcona almonds, had a thick creamy texture that reminded me of frozen custard. The nuts had a sweet caramel taste and the ice cream, since it’s made with ricotta, is less sweet and a little more tangy, which increases the sweetness of the nuts.

Full disclosure, I was almost too full to enjoy these Dulce de Leche Alfajores (cookies). A sweet layer of caramelly toasted goodness inside two buttery shortbread pieces. The Alfajores are made with cornstarch which gives it a cracker like taste and texture. It’s different but familiar.

A big thanks to the Mundo team for treating us to good food and great company. It’s great to have them back in the neighborhood! (37-06 36th Street, Long Island City) (718) 706-8636