Abril Cocina!!

We were lucky enough to be invited to a pre-opening tasting at Abril Cocina, the new restaurant that took over the Laurel's old space.
If the tasting menu is any indication, this is going to be a fabulous new addition to town. The food was fresh, inventive but not fussy, and absolutely delicious.
Can't wait to go back!

I believe it is open this evening.

cb96 said:

We were lucky enough to be invited to a pre-opening tasting at Abril Cocina, the new restaurant that took over the Laurel's old space.
If the tasting menu is any indication, this is going to be a fabulous new addition to town. The food was fresh, inventive but not fussy, and absolutely delicious.
Can't wait to go back!

Congratulations on your first post here on MOL and welcome to our forum!

Any idea on the menu? Please tell me they don't have colored tortilla chips (ala Tinga)

http://www.abrilcocina.com/menu

No prices viewable on my phone.

mrincredible said:

http://www.abrilcocina.com/menu

No prices viewable on my phone.

I could really see this going either way. I will have to give it a try.

I think the menu looks great. Can't wait to try it!

looks great. If they add one more vegetarian option it would be awesome ..pretty please...

+1 on the veggie option! Or maybe offer the shrimp without the chorizo? But the menu looks very interesting - will be glad to try it out in the next week or two.

very excited about a real tortilla that is properly warmed in a pan.

Pozole Pho sounds pretty damn good

Looks interesting, but is that the whole menu? I don't eat pork, which leaves hanger steak as the only non-taco entree option.

I don't eat pork, beef or sausage, which leaves me with tacos! But they look like interesting tacos.

Mmm menu looks great!

We ate there last night. Had the pozole pho and lobster burrito. Loved both. Great addition to the village!

I can't wait to try this place! I hear the shrimp tacos and banana pudding are awesome from my son that works there. Hopefully tomorrow!

Do you have to wait in a line/herd to get in like Arturo's? If so, will probably wait a few weeks till the newness dies down. I have a rule about not waiting in line for restaurants. Like when we used to live in Park Slope everyone would wait an hour to go to Dizzy's but Donuts was just as good and never had a wait.

menus without prices sketch me out. Do the prices seem fair?

tom_kerns said:

We ate there last night. Had the pozole pho and lobster burrito. Loved both. Great addition to the village!

So, what did you pay? Is it high priced, medium?

Ok, I'd eat every single thing on that menu. Looks delicious!!

@jerseyjack we also had the guacamole and the bill came to $55 after tax but before tip. Portions were good. In fact, took half of the pho home to enjoy for lunch the next day. I don't remember the exact prices but the lobster burrito was one the most expensive items on the menu, if that helps.

Looks like a place we would love, because we are big on ordering a bunch of appetizers and making a meal of them.

Was there tonight. The food was excellent but the service is still very much a work in progress.

I was there. Food very good. Prices very reasonable.

Oh man - everything sounds so great! Seriously can't wait to try!

Just from looking at their site and Tumblr feed, looks like they've done a great and thoughtful job renovating the space (including a mural of some Maplewood buildings), staffing the kitchen (Mario and Joh have interesting backgrounds) and building a creative menu. It's a small kitchen, no one is going to be able to put together a 3-4 page menu there and give everyone what they want.

I'm sorry The Laurel had to move on temporarily for this to happen, but it looks like a winner.

http://www.abrilcocina.com

If they can figure out the service issues which I really hope they can they will be a great addition to town. They were a huge mess last night but the food when it did come out over an hour later was excellent.

Respectfully, going to a restaurant on the first Saturday night during a soft opening, I would expect service issues.

bookbabe66 said:

If they can figure out the service issues which I really hope they can they will be a great addition to town. They were a huge mess last night but the food when it did come out over an hour later was excellent.

Seriously? By that logic Ricalton's should have been out of business before they even opened.

Oh I am totally going to give them another chance because the food was excellent and give them the benefit of the doubt cause it is just opened but they do need to work on it. I don't want people to go in expecting things to be perfect cause they are not.

But I would totally go again, cause it was honestly some of the best Mexican food I have had in a long time.