Re: Pedro's Spanish American Restaurant

Pedro's Spanish American Restaurant
Posted by Keith in New York » Restaurants on 22/Apr/2008

This past weekend, we're wandering around Dumbo — that neighborhood that takes place between and beneath the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges and seems comprised almost entirely of organic food marts and upscale designer baby clothes boutiques...

I was in the mood for a hot dog and beer, which is only a healthy meal when compared to my previous idea of a meal of ultra-rich chocolate. But there were surprisingly few hot dog vendors about the place, and in stark contrast to my own neighborhood, no guys wandering around offering to sell you a Corona for a buck fifty. However, while walking up Jay Street, I suddenly caught a whiff of…is that…is that taco? Yes it is. And suddenly all I wanted was tacos and beer. Luckily, Pedro's Spanish American Restaurant and Bar was waiting on the corner of Jay and Front Street (73 Jay St., between Front and Water) to give me exactly what I wanted.

Read the rest of: "Pedro's Spanish American Restaurant":

http://www.sitebits.com/2008/pedros-spanish-american-restaurant.html

Ha! I know exactly which place you're talking about... I used to go out to these loft parties in DUMBO and every time I passed by Pedro's (it's closed at night, of course) I wondered what kind of food it was serving. Never bothered to come during daytime, though...

I wonder if it'll survive, though. Visually, it reminds me of one of my favorite Cuban places in the city (Brisas Del Caribe) that somehow managed to exist in SoHo (Broome and Broadway, NW corner) for decades with their 1950's decor and 1980's prices. Brisas del Caribe finally folded a couple of years ago... People who were squatting in SoHo in the 70's remember it fondly and so do I (not being one of them). One pleasant memory, for example: thanks to my improbably artsy friend Chris G (*), I figured out how to gain the waitresses' trust - one only needed to know what to order (off the menu, of course: the trust-generating item was "MOFONGO" - one of the heartiest dishes I've ever tried and one whose recipe you're probably better off not knowing)

(*) To Keith- you know who I am talking about...

A rather unusual place, and one I normally wouldn't be in...if it's good, I'll make an exception though.