Yerba Buena

I loved this place and after reading some other reviews on Yerba Buena,

it seems that I’m not alone!

Yerba Buena puts a fresh spin on Latin American cuisine... My friend who lives in the East Village took me here for dinner and right away I was impressed. Everything on the menu sounded so good! Whenever I can't decide I'll ask the waiter or waitress about their favorites! Our waiter, who was fantastic, recommended the Moqueca. When the food arrived at our table the presentation was beautiful and our meal smelled absolutely delicious!

Moqueca is a traditional Brazilian stew.  Yerba Buena’s spin is that their Moqueca is a cross between stew and seafood paella! I loved this dish, it was packed full of delicious seafood, the green rice added a nice texture, and the broth was super flavorful and had a nice kick of spice!

 

 

Moqueca

brazilian paella + shrimp + clams + calamari + bacalao

crawfish + stewed in coconut milk + palm oil + arroz verde

My friend ordered the Lechon which was also quite decadent! The pulled pork was super tasty and just melted in your mouth! The yucca added a nice mildness to the habanero. I wondered if if the habanero would would be overpowering, but it wasn't at all! On top of the pork were a few a delicious slices of chicharron (crispy fried pork skin) which added nice texture to the dish! 

 

Lechon
suckling pig + yucca puree + habanero mojo de ajo + chicharro

We also shared a side of the plantains. They were sweet and sticky and added a nice contrast to the savory spiciness of my Moqueca and the richness of the Lechon! 



Platanos

sweet plantains + truffle crema

For dessert we shared the Churros! They came to the table piping hot and were soooo yummy!!!

Churros

dusted with Mexican cinnamon + dulce de leche

chocolate sauce

 

The service at Yerba Buena was just as fantastic as the food. Our waiter was fun and personable, the manager came to the table to check in, and we were sent a free round of drinks at the end of the meal! I'd absolutely recommend checking this place out!!