El Basurero Restaurant in Astoria, NY

My boyfriend had been telling me for months about this Colombian place and I finally got to check it out this past week. ‘Basurero’ is an interesting name for a restaurant since In English it means ‘dump’. However, as soon as you walk into the restaurant you understand why the choice of name. The restaurant decor is a collection of random items that give the restaurant a very unique look and feel. It is almost like being at a museum of some sort because there is so much to look at while you wait on your food. I included some pictures of the decor to help you get an idea of what I’m referring to.

Moving on to the menu
Let me start by saying that I deeply, truly, & madly LOVE Mojitos, unfortunately it’s always a hit or miss when it comes to them. With that being said, the Mojitos here are probably THE best I’ve had thus far! No exaggeration needed. The first one I had was the Mojicoco which is the heavenly combination of Ciroc coconut, Lime, Yerba buena (mint), sugar and club soda. AMAZING. The second was the Ultimate Mojito which I felt was a bit stronger but equally delicious made up of Ron Medellin, sugar cane and Yerba buena. I highly suggest you try both. I can’t wait to come up with an excuse to go back and have both again. I included a picture of the drink Menu so you can start deciding which of their mojitos you are going to try first on your visit!

To soak up the drinks…
I had Pollo al Limon (chicken in lime) with Arroz Moro (rice with black beans) and papa gratinada (potato in cheese sauce). Just typing about it makes me drool. I had never had a papa gratinada before, it was delicious! This is what would happen if Mac & cheese had a baby with a Potato. The chicken was enjoyable and the rice was on point.

My boyfriend ordered the Entraña (skirt steak) with the Arroz Moro and papa gratinada as well. Like any good girlfriend, I tasted his food and the steak was mouthwatering! I am typically not big on steak but I had to steal a few pieces off his plate because it was just cooked perfectly and full of flavor. The plates are pretty big so if you go with someone you can share food and have the chicken with the steak, I combined both in a few bites and the combination was like a party for my taste buds.

If you are living in or will be visiting NYC I definitely suggest you pay this place a visit. The reviews online vary, so i was a little hesitant but im glad i got to experience it myself. The staff is great as well which makes your visit all around more enjoyable. If you won’t be going for the food, go for the mojitos! Bon appètit!