Is Manhattan finally (albeit belatedly)
about to give Chicago and L.A. a run for their money with respect to Mexican
food?

For years, New Yorkers have tried to contend – albeit weakly, with
little evidence to back them up – that our city, superlative in nearly every
other way, had a decent Mexican food scene. We pointed to the
number of Mexican immigrants who call the city home, to some of the first food
trucks (Mexican!) to roll on the city’s streets, and the variety of dried
chiles we could find in grocery stores (well, at least in Queens).

Chicagoans and Angelenos just shook their heads, knowing the
contest was no smack-down; New York couldn’t hold a candle to their “real”
Mexican food.

But residents of those cities might just want to start
dusting off their boxing gloves and prepare to defend their bona fides. Over
the past year or two, a flurry of restaurant openings and rumors about other
Mexican food endeavors in the works have caused critics, writers, and food
lovers to all wonder aloud whether Manhattan is finally developing a viable
Mexican food scene that exists beyond mediocre chains, order-by-number menus,
and hole-in-the-wall spots in the outer boroughs.

The latest news that seems to seal the deal on this
conclusion is this week’s announcement that Dario Wolos, owner of Tacombi and La Brisa, plans to open a
two-story Mexican restaurant and food market in the Flatiron district. Named Cafe El Presidente, its
multi-story building, location, and niche market focus immediately prompted
comparisons to nearby Italian food emporium, Eataly.

The concept isn’t entirely different, though the size of the
Cafe El Presidente will be a bit more modest than Mario Batali’s temple to
Italian food. At more than 40,000 square feet, Eataly is considerably larger
than Cafe El Presidente, which is reported to be 6,500 square feet. Still,
Wolos has said that the interior of his Mexican spot will be modeled similarly,
with different stations–a juice bar, café, taqueria, tortilleria, and
marketplace–offering a variety of experiences and flavors.

Wolos’ track record as a restauranteur in some of New York’s
priciest neighborhoods is likely to predict success for this new venture, which
is scheduled to open in April. Chicagoans and Angelenos can be assured that
we’ll reactivate the “Whose Mexican is better?” debate once we’ve visited.