764 Amsterdam Ave., between 97th and 98 th Sts.
(212) 864-5648
Other locations:
4141 Broadway (@ 175th St.)
5592 Broadway (@ 231st St., the Bronx)
Average entrée: $12
Once you discover El Malecón, it’s hard to stay away. The flavors are big, the portions large and prices more than reasonable.
The lively atmosphere at this Dominican spot may have something to do with what seems to be an unparalleled server-to-diner ratio. At any given time, eight workers might be crammed behind the counter that runs the length of the restaurant -- carving rotisserie chickens, mixing fruit shakes, serving heaping portions of the day’s specials, or taking and filling to-go orders. Despite the seeming glut of staff, the service at El Malecón is inattentive, if friendly. The tables are all draped in royal blue covers that sit under clear plastic tablecloths. Tacky but practical.
El Malecón’s menu is huge (the restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner) and includes 125 meat, poultry, seafood and pasta dishes, sandwiches and salads. And they don’t call El Malecón “El Rey del Pollo,” or “king of the roasted chicken,” for nothing. The restaurant, which seats about 50, specializes in Dominican-style (Malecón) roasters. Dozens of the birds spin in the front window rotisserie, tantalizing passersby with their rich brown color and diners with their herby, peppery scent.
But tasting these birds is far more rewarding than seeing or smelling them. When fully roasted, the aromatic spice rub, which includes plenty of garlic, pepper and other ingredients the restaurant won’t divulge, forms a crisp coating atop the dark, mahogany-colored skin. Tender and juicy ($9 for a whole bird, $6 for a half), the chicken is best eaten with black or red beans, yellow rice and fried green plantains. The mellow starchiness of the beans and rice and the slight sweetness of the amber chunks of plantain offset the bird’s saltiness and concentrated spices.
Mofongo, a classic Latin dish, is served in a mammoth molded mound at El Malecón. The green plantains are fried and then mashed with garlic, and come with shredded chicken breast, fried pork or shrimp. The pile of comfort food is so dense and starchy that it requires copious amounts of the accompanying sauce, which consists of juices from the roast chickens, tomato, garlic and onion. The dish can be ordered on its own, but better to share it with two or three people as a side offering.
Vegetables are second-class citizens in Dominican cuisine and rarely make an appearance on their own. There’s a reason for that: A side of vegetables that one night included steamed broccoli, cauliflower and carrots was so bereft of flavor, I wished they could have stolen some from all those delicious chickens. Cassava and carrot play a supporting but important role in salcocho, a starchy and warming Caribbean stew that includes oxtails, potato and plantain.
It would take several months to try everything on El Malecón’s menu, but the mango shake should be a priority. The thick, pale yellow drink is made from fresh mango, milk, and a touch of vanilla and sugar. The result is a not-too-sweet, slightly tart concoction that is delicious on its own or as a foil to the restaurant’s intensely flavored and sometimes salty fare.
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