Cariño’s Master Molera
When Bedford Avenue mainstay Bonita closed down, we were sad. But then we were happy when Bonita staffers opened up a new place, Cariño, a few blocks away on South 4th Street! At the heart of the enterprise (for us, anyway) are the mythically perfect salsas that come out to the table with every meal. Overseen by salsa savant Celsa Gonzales, who developed her artistry in Oaxaca, these house-made salsas (verde, chipotle, fresca, guajillo) all manage that rare balance between heat and flavor—emphasis on the latter. Gonzales recently unleashed her arsenal of mole sauces on the world and we still can’t wrap our heads around how good they are… But we promise to keep trying.