101 new NYC restaurants

Cascabel

After spending 10 years helping to launch restaurants like SushiSamba and City Crab, David Chiong and Elizabeth Gaudreau have teamed up to open this whimsical taco joint. Cascabel is a Mexican pepper that rattles, and glass jars of peppers are placed on top the six-seat bar at this 30-seat space where the doors open to the street when the weather is warm. (An outdoor cafe is planned for next spring.) Keeping with the fun, they have given the casual spot a Luchadore theme (Mexican wrestler), and a Brooklyn artist helped the space come to life with a mural depicting two masked men in battle. Chef Todd Mitgang has crafted a mostly taco menu that uses higher quality ingredients and housemade sauces for flavors such as a Pescado made with crispy yellowfin tuna belly, with hearts of palm and green onions, and a vegetarian taco filled with fingerling potatoes, oyster mushrooms, poblano peppers, queso fresco and homemade crema. Apropo for the Upper East Side.

Cascabel
1542 Second Ave. between 80th and 81st Sts.
212-717-7800