La Slowteria
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548 Court St., Brooklyn, NY, 11231
718-858-2222
Known For
The lowdown
On a rather unassuming block near the end of Court Street, chef Hugo Orozco’s Tulum-inspired restaurant stands out for multiple reasons. The first is its bright, beachy turquoise exterior: Step inside and you’ll discover a sunny, white-walled dining room and a tranquil, covered backyard (a rarity in this outdoor-seating-deprived area). But the food is the true standout: from the made-to-order tortillas to the homemade hot sauces, everything on the menu embodies the thoughtful, Slow Food ethos implied by the name (which is a mash-up of “slow food” and the Bingo-like Mexican card game Lotería). After a brief closure in the winter of 2017, the restaurant reopened with a new menu that’s almost equally split between snack-size botanas, tacos, and taquitos. Tacos start with those marvelous tortillas, a marbled mix of blue and white corn studded with sesame seeds, and are served piled high with fillings like a mix of tender, grilled Long Island squid, roasted corn, and Serrano aïoli, or bright homemade chorizo mingled with chunks of roasted potato and Brussels sprouts. Taquitos are open-faced mini-tacos, not the rolled-and-fried bites some might expect. Go for the carnitas, which have a moist interior but delightfully crispy edges, the richness cut by pickled red onions, cilantro, and radish. There’s a thorough list of tequilas and mezcals, and the bar keeps the frothy, fresh-fruit margaritas flowing.
What you need to know
Recommended DishesSquid tacos; taquitos.
DrinksFull Bar
Noise LevelCivilized