Empellón Taqueria

230 W. 4th St.

New York , NY , United States http://empellon.com/taqueria/

(212) 367-0999

Alex Stupak cut his teeth as a pastry chef at landmark avant-garde restaurants WD-50 in New York City and Alinea in Chicago, but he’s shifted directions and traded the hydrocolloids and xanthan gum for the more time-honored Mexican techniques at Empellón. Yet he doesn’t shy away from pushing limits—after all, empellón translates to “push” in Spanish. Among Stupak’s adventurous taco combinations: sweetbreads with maitake mushrooms, and beer-braised tongue with arbol chile salsa.