BRONX WEEKLY F www.BXTimes.com ebruary 3, 2019 12
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, specifi cally
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.
Those frozen drinks are
The dining area. Courtesy of Salsa Con Fuego
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.
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
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