Salsa Con Fuego spices up the Bronx
BY ALEX MITCHELL
Even this January’s bitter
cold is no match for the spicy
and energetic vibes that Salsa
Con Fuego has to offer.
This wide-ranging eatery,
club and event venue hybrid
at 2297 Cedar Avenue is
the sister restaurant to well
known Puerto Rican upscale
restaurant trio Don Coqui of
Astoria, White Plains, and
Haverstraw on the Hudson
River.
However, Salsa Con Fuego
spices up its menu just a
little differently than its Don
Coqui family.
“This is more of a Latin
cuisine while Don Coqui focuses
specifi cally on Puerto
Rican fare,” said Jay Gonzalez,
one of Salsa Con Fuego’s
managers.
That delectable Latin cuisine
comes in the form of a
lime and cilantro infused
guacamole, shrimp, beef
chicken, and cheese empanadas,
shrimp scampi with garlic
sauce and plantains, along
with much, much more. And
that’s just the appetizers.
Naturally, this reporter
sampled much of the different
appetizer options, specifically
enjoying the beef empanadas
fl aky and delectable
crust, the crispy marinated
pork and of course the marinara
sauce drenched calamari.
Moving on to a main
course, the grilled skirt
steak with black bean rice is
comparable to few others and
is a favorite of Salsa Con Fuego’s
diners.
Additionally, the seafood
paella of saffron rice, lobster,
shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari,
chicken, and chorizo is
a quite a hit as well.
People do more than just
dine there, though. The place
was packed for ‘New York’s
number one comedy night’
on a bitter cold Tuesday, January
22.
The opening DJ had all of
Salsa Con Fuego’s guests in
the highest of spirits when
he asked “Is the Bronx in the
house tonight?”
“You have to come here
on a Friday night,” Gonzalez
said. “That’s when it gets really,
really crazy,” the manager
joked while pointing to
the line of frozen drink machines
behind the back bar,
noting that the venue goes
through between 60 and 70
gallons on an average Friday.
The dining area. Courtesy of Salsa Con Fuego
Those frozen drinks are
subtle, but very strong at a
whopping 140 proof.
Each of the six frozen
drinks on the line represents
a specifi c theme and fl avor.
First there’s the lime
green tipsy Martian, El
Fuerte which is a strong passion
fruit drink, the more
mellow ‘frose’ frozen rose
wine, the zesty blue magic,
blue raspberry frozen mix,
then there’s the El Toro…who
knew strawberries could be
so tasty, and the chiller, a
sweet mango mix that sill
packs a respectable punch.
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, F 24 EBRUARY 1-7, 2019 BTR
Guests that are brave
enough can mix together
three of these different fl avors.
Since the mixes are made
with all natural ingredients,
a hangover the next morning
is less than likely because the
drinks lack artifi cial sugar.
Don’t take my word for it,
go see for yourself.
Just be sure to make a reservation
by calling (718) 561-
6161.
The appetizer sampler. Courtesy of Salsa Con Fuego
DJ Alex Sensation mixes for a full crowd. Courtesy of Salsa Con Fuego