Off the beaten
path in Clinton Hill, hungry Brooklynites are getting lucky,
thanks to Anderson Ruiz and Marcelo and Maria Arias. All chefs
at heart, the trio opened Mojito three months ago to "combine
and recreate all of our family recipes," Maria Arias told
GO Brooklyn.
Named for the classic Cuban cocktail, Mojito mixes delicious
non-alcoholic shakes and mojitos in strawberry, passion fruit
and mango flavors, to name a few. (Mojito is currently a BYOB
establishment, but will open a full-service bar soon.)
The menu offers an array of empanadas such as ham and cheese
or beef and cheese for only $1.50 each. Perhaps the most unusual
is the guava and cream cheese empanada, a scrumptious combination
of sweet and salty wrapped in crispy fried dough.
Traditional plates of carne asada (black angus steak) and ropa
vieja (shredded steak with grilled vegetables) are served with
bread, soup or salad and rice and beans, while the Cuban sandwich
comes with pineapple coleslaw.
The dessert menu, although limited to four items, is sure to
please any sweet tooth. Try the cuatro leches (four milks), a
piece of pound cake soaked with three different kinds of milk
and served with whipped cream and dulce de leche (a kind of caramel
cream) on top. The postre de limon de la Tita (Tita’s lime pie)
is extra special because it is Maria’s mother’s recipe.
Although Mojito resides beneath the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway,
the sounds of Latin musicians, reminders of Cuba from cigar boxes
to posters, and the cool breeze blowing in from the open door,
are much more powerful than any outside noise. Close your eyes
and you might even feel like you’re slipping away to that tropical
island.
Like their slogan says, Marcelo and Maria Arias and Anderson
Ruiz have truly recreated "a piece of Cuba in the heart
of Brooklyn."
Mojito (275 Park Ave. at Washington Avenue, Store No. 2, in Clinton
Hill) accepts American Express, MasterCard and Visa ($15 minimum).
Entrees: $5-$12.50. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner daily.
For more information, call (718) 797-3100 or visit their Web
site at www.mojitocubancuisine.net.
HAVANA NIGHTS
