Dining In The Slope

Chiles & Chocolate / Moim

Restaurant spaces seem to be getting larger and larger these days, as is obvious by the explosion of huge eating establishments in places like the Meatpacking district in Manhattan. But does great food always need a big room in which to shine? By Christy Vaughan, Tempo

Chiles & Chocolate
54 7th Avenue bet Lincoln & St. John
718-230-7700

Not in the case of Chiles & Chocolate Oaxacan Kitchen, a prime example of why bigger is not always better in the restaurant world. Located in a tiny sliver of a storefront on 7th Avenue in the North Slope, the restaurant is crammed tight with only ten tables, but the food, packed full of robust flavors and powerful spices, is anything but small in taste.

Opened in January 2007 by local Park Slope business owner Roberto Lopez, Chiles & Chocolate specializes in the unique food and beverages of the southern Mexican province of Oaxaca. Intent on setting themselves apart from more typical Mexican restaurants, Chiles & Chocolate’s takeout menu clearly states that “we are not a Mexican restaurant” and although familiar selections like guacamole, quesadillas and enchiladas do appear, a twist like fried grasshoppers or fresh Oaxacan cheese bring these dishes to a whole new level.

We decided to truly stray from tried and true Mexican cuisine and opted to share the Quesadillas de Huitlacoche as an appetizer. Huitlacoche, also known sometimes as corn smut, is a fungus that grows naturally on corn ears and if served fresh produces an earthy, smoky flavor when added to dishes like soups, tamales or the quesadillas we sampled. In combination with the tang of fresh Oaxacan cheese, this substantial appetizer was delicious and unique. Also a favorite was the decadent roasted corn on the cob, which is smothered with sour cream, cheese and butter and sprinkled liberally with namesake chocolate and smoky chipotle chiles. Cactus salad and a smooth, buttery guacamole are also special appetizer options, especially if the restaurant has fried grasshoppers on hand to sprinkle on top.

Main course dishes are split into two categories: Moles Oaxaque and Platillos. Very popular in Oaxaca, mole basically translates as “sauce” and involves the combination of specific spices and bases like tomato or chocolate. A trip to Chiles & Chocolate is not complete without tasting one of their signature mole dishes. Choose either light or dark chicken meat, pork, or grilled vegetables and then one of the mole sauces listed in this section. We opted for the juicy dark meat chicken served with Mole Negro, which is billed as one of “the most complex, flavorful and traditional of the moles of Oaxaca.” A blend of chocolate, tomato, dried chile and many other secret spices, this sauce is incredibly rich and is stacked with multiple layers of flavor, some spicy, some cooling.

From the Platillos section, we chose the Tamales of the Day, luscious pockets of saucy braised pork, slightly spicy and mouthwateringly tender. Served with shredded lettuce and tomatoes, this inexpensive entrée is filling and delectable. Also available as a Platillo or “plate” are grilled shrimp rubbed with chocolate and chiles and duck breast served with a sauce made from peanuts, chipotle and chocolate. Vegetarians will enjoy the Poblano chile stuffed with Oaxacan cheese and served with a spicy tomato sauce. All of the mole entrées, when paired with grilled vegetables, are also excellent choices for vegetarians as well.

Drinks are an important part of the menu, too. There are a few types of Mexican hot chocolates available, like the Chocolate Mayordomo, a blend of Mexican chocolate served with cinnamon and almonds, and the Chiles y Chocolate, which is undoubtedly the restaurant’s own special blend of chipotle-tinged Mexican hot chocolate. As it was a warm day when we visited Chiles & Chocolate, we opted for glasses of the agua fresca of the day, a subtly sweet watermelon beverage that quenched our thirst and provided a refreshing foil for the spice and richness of the sauces. Dessert was a piece of Flan Francisco, which was honestly the best flan I have ever tried. Creamy, but not too rich, sweet, but never cloying, this was a perfect ending to a delicious meal. Other dessert options include the sweet corn masa tamale with a chocolate and raisin filling or the bananas served with slightly spicy chocolate mousse.

Chiles & Chocolate services a large delivery area but certain deals, like week-end brunch, the $12 lunch special and the $45 tasting menu are available in house only. While it’s a tight squeeze to fit into this place, it’s well worth it to experience food of such high quality and unique flavor combinations.

Moim
206 Garfield Place @ 7th Avenue
718-499-8092

Until recently, Park Slope was missing a very important type of Asian cuisine in our extensive restaurant line-up. Sure we have lots of Japanese, Chinese and Thai restaurants in the neighborhood, but until husband and wife team Kiho Park and Saeri Yoo Park opened Moim in June of this year, we didn’t have any Korean restaurants. Now we do, and a beautifully designed restaurant at that.

Located on the ground floor of a brownstone on Garfield, just east of 7th Avenue, Moim is a sleek and elegant space. Designed by architect Edward I. Mills, the restaurant is filled with the calming influence of stone and dark wood. Light green walls and large glass expanses create airiness and height and bamboo slats provide privacy between the front bar area and the back dining room. A lovely patio at the back of the building completes the picture.

Chef-owner Saeri Yoo Park has lots of culinary experience, having cooked in famous kitchens like Spice Market and Café Gary. At Moim, Korean for “gathering”, she has created her own version of Korean cuisine, with some traditional dishes receiving a modern makeover. Directly after we placed our orders, our friendly server arrived with three small dishes of food for us to nibble on before our appetizers arrived. One dish held subtly pickled white kimchi, not as spicy as traditional kimchi and as a result more refreshing, the next was a small bowl of fermented black beans, tangy and soft, and the third was a small portion of smoky, thinly sliced zucchini salad. These light, tapas-like offerings were the perfect way to open up our palates and ready us for the parade of food to follow.

We started with a “nibble plate” of Dong Gu Rang Ddang, moist and juicy Korean meat balls served in lettuce cups and topped with a dollop of black bean sauce. Moving into the “small plate” section of appetizers, we also sampled the Se Woo Jun, shrimp chive cakes packed full of diced seafood and served with a slightly sweet, tangy sauce. Other appetizers include the Yook Hwe, Park’s Korean take on steak tartar augmented with Asian pear and pine nuts, and the vegetarian-friendly Moo Woo Jo Rim, braised radish over a crunchy sprout salad.

From the rice and noodles section of the menu we chose to sample the excellent Dol Sot Bi Bim Bop, which is a sizzling selection of vegetables and rice served in a piping hot stone bowl. The food continues to cook while you eat, creating a nice crunchy layer of rice at the bottom of the dish at the end of the meal. Some say that this is the best part of the dish—the burned rice bits—and families sometimes congenially argue over who gets the last bite. From the “main plates” section, the Dak Gui, a large serving of Korean spiced roasted chicken was moist and delicious with a fabulously crispy skin. Served with a dark, rich sauce and braised chestnuts, carrots and potatoes, this is a perfect autumn dish.

For dessert we chose to try the litchi sorbet, which was clean, crisp and refreshing after a long meal. Other dessert options include a chocolate toasted chestnut pavé and a tangerine chocolate loaf cake.

Moim offers two prix-fixe menus, one for $20 and one for $25 and both are excellent values. The first offers a sautéed bean sprout salad served with the excellent roasted half chicken and choice of dessert and the second slightly more expensive option includes stir-fried kimchi with pork and tofu and the signature black cod dish, again followed by choice of dessert.

Moim has a short international wine list of reds and whites, but the more interesting beverage options include several types of sake and a diverse selection of refreshing “sojutinis” in flavors like cucumber, watermelon, lemon and lime. Soju is a Korean grain liquor made from rice and other types of grain including barley or wheat and sometimes even tubers like sweet potato. On tap is the Korean beer Hite, a crisp and clean light beer that is easy to drink and pairs well with food.

With its lightly pumping techno soundtrack and sleek design, Moim is a perfect place to gather for an evening of drinks and snacks or a full-fledged dinner. It’s a lovely, welcome addition to the Park Slope dining scene.