Why Come Here? Authentic, Michelin starred dining in NYC
There are no colorful banners (the rooms are mostly white) at Casa Enrique, nor are there Mexican wrestling masks or mariachi bands. In fact, nothing about the look of place would make you expect guacamole any more than a beet salad. Your options doesn’t include fajitas or burritos, nor are there “high concept Mexican” dishes like corn husk filled meringues.
No,the best way to describe Casa Enrique is real Mexican dining. It’s what I would like to imagine walking into a good restaurant in a mid-sized Mexican city would be like. The dining room lays out like a town home with several dining areas each with only a few tables. The flavored margaritas may be the only nod to American palates. There are some crowd pleasers like guac and tacos (both worth ordering) but it’s mainly focused on traditional Mexican entrees. Frankly it’s the type of Mexican we don’t have nearly enough of in New York.
The relaxed vibe makes this a great neighborhood spot for those in Long Island City, but it’s also easily accessible by the 7 and G trains (cue Manhattanite eye roll). But do yourself a favor and get out there to see what real Mexican dining is like. It does have a Michelin Star after all. Here’s some of what you’ll find:
Guacamole 
Simple and solid it’s hard not to start your meal with an order. Note that “hot” is pretty medium.
Crab Tostada 
One of the best tostadas in town, it’s basically a perfect crab ceviche on a crispy tostada. This is one is not optional.
Tuna Tartare Tostada 
On the other end of the spectrum, this special was the only miss of the night (from both a taste and photography perspective) The tuna was over citrus-ed and ended up tasting mostly like orange juice.
Steak Tacos Steak in tacos is routinely over-cooked, but here you get a perfect medium rare flank steak asada. It’s only topped with onion and cilantro, but that’s all it needs.
Chicken Enchiladas 
Refreshingly light for enchiladas, these come covered in a salsa verde with pulled chicken inside. I don’t love enchiladas, but these are about as good as I’ve ever had.
Mole de Paixlta I’m not the biggest fan of mole sauce, but I appreciate when it’s done properly. Enrique follows the time and ingredient intensive traditional methods to create a complex sauce that’s sweet, tangy and spicy. It doesn’t hurt that it’s served with their fresh corn tortillas.
Right Amount for 2? An app and two entrees
Casa Enrique
5-48 49th Avenue
Long Island City, NY
