Casa Bond, set on the Bowery, is a passport to an inspiring culinary adventure serving the best regional Mexican flare by Owner Mike Khuu and led by Managing Partner Luis Villanueva and Executive Chef-Owner Rodrigo Abrajan. The kitchen focuses on traditional dishes from the Pacific Coast to the mountains of Sinaloa. The Casa Bond experience is based on Tulum’s vibrant art and burgeoning culinary scene.
Executive Chef-Owner Abrajan first achieved neighborhood acclaim with El Paso Taqueria in Harlem. He began his culinary journey in 1993 with a humble taco pushcart on the corner of Third Avenue and East 104th Street, which eventually grew into a full-service restaurant with three locations. El Paso was perennially lauded as one of the best restaurants in East Harlem by the media and locals alike.
Since Casa Bond’s opening a year ago, Chef Abrajan has added new menu items. Starter courses to share include the lobster guacamole with habanero, jícama, cilantro macho, baked heirloom tomatoes and a side of totopos. Signature ceviche dishes include shrimp ceviche in lime juice, cucumber, red onions, avocado, chile habanero and cilantro; and fluke tiradito in cucumber, fresh lime, cilantro, árbol chile fresco and sea salt. The simplicity of the ingredients allows the fresh fish’s flavor to shine. The spiciest of the ceviche is the aguachile negro, sliced prime ribeye seared to a tender medium-rare in yuzu, salsa negra, marisquera and avocado foam. This unique style of beef ceviche originates from Sinaloa and is the city’s first offering of its kind. A trio tasting of all three is available, served with a plate of plain and chia seed-baked tostadas.
Small plates include the gobernador taco, shrimp and marinated steak on a house-made flour tortilla with Chihuahua cheese, tomato and poblano; the quesadilla de costilla with negra modelo braised short-rib, Morita adobo, atop aged cheddar cheese-filled, house-made, hand-pressed tortillas; and the quesadilla verde, with spinach, jalapeño, epazote and cremini mushrooms, atop crispy, hand-pressed Oaxacan cheese-filled spinach and corn tortillas.
Entrées selection are pescado zarandeado, broiled and butterflied branzino marinated in annatto-guajillo and served with hand-pressed tortillas; duck confit mole mixteco served in the house signature mole made from 24 ingredients, including pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds ground to a paste with white chocolate, hoja santa and pine nuts, with a side of rainbow carrots and grilled asparagus.
“For two” options are available, including cochinita pibil, Yucatan-style pork shoulder, wrapped and slow-roasted in a banana leaf with achiote paste, cured lime onion, habanero and chile tetemado; mixiote de cordero, slow-braised Hidalgostyle lamb shank, with aromatic avocado leaves and a salsa verde cruda. The “for two” plates are served with a bowl of equites, Mexican street-style corn with lime and chile piquín, wild rice and a side of tortillas. Sides may also be ordered a la carte, along with options of grilled asparagus and refried beans for a balanced meal.
Finish with the pastel mixteco, a molecular dessert option filled with Oaxacanita mole chocolate and topped with white sesame seed ice cream; cinnamon-dusted and cajeta-coated churros drizzled in chocolate, or mango jalapeño sorbet.
The revamped cocktail list is a testament to the artistry of Beverage Director/Managing Partner Villanueva. He has created classic and innovative cocktails by balancing spirits and liqueurs perfectly.
The Smokey Room is made with mezcal joven, silver tequila, passionfruit purée and pomegranate juice and topped with a flamed orange peel. The Señor Bond is made with Clase Azul reposado tequila, barrel-smoked maple syrup and a mix of orange and aromatic local bitters. The Downtown is made with pineapple-infused pisco shaken with a mélange of lemon juice and grapefruit syrup and topped with Angostura bitters. The enzymes in the pineapple create a thick, frothy foam atop the cocktail. In addition to the curated cocktail list is a gold beverage cart in the dining room outfitted with 15 premium tequilas to be served tableside.
The “bonding hour,” from 5-7 p.m. Monday through Friday, offers signature cocktails priced below $13 and happy hour small bites: oysters, guacamole and select tacos and ceviches. The 5 O’Clock Margarita is priced at $40 and serves five glasses in an oversized coupe.
Interior designer Michael Arguello has designed restaurants, bars and residences in Miami, Los Angeles and New York. Casa Bond blends his luxury residential background with hospitality design to create the ambiance of an exclusive private dinner party. He employs a timeless black-and-white theme throughout the restaurant, and exotic plants create an urban tropical vibe. Diamond crystal chandeliers hang from woodbeam ceilings. The high-quality sound system and carefully curated art reflect the vibrant downtown culture of Tulum and New York City with a mix of modern and contemporary styles featuring colorful murals by local artists.
