Fonda, translated into English, means “inn,” but Roberto Santibañez’s Mexican restaurant in Park Slope has nothing inn-like about it. It does, however, sport a chic Brooklyn charm with exposed brick walls, small wooden tables and a candle-lit backyard fenced in with thick logs.
As we took our seats one recent night, a young man from Mexico dashed over to us with menus and a smile, marking the beginning of a beautiful waiter-ship; throughout the evening, he was courteous, sharp, available and just plain nice.We immediately ordered gigantic glasses of sangria, one each of the red and white ($7).The single cup filled with the cool mixture of wine, brandy and fruit stayed with us through the meal, not a small feat for someone who enjoys this drink almost to a fault.
The lack of imbibing could have something to do with the lack of salty chips to spark thirst.Though Fonda does not offer gratis chips and salsa like most Mexican restaurants, it does offer a chunky guacamole ($9) made to order.We asked for it spicy, but when it came out in a heavy, lava rock bowl known as a molcajete, it demonstrated a weak punch. Our waiter brought over some thin red-hot sauce in a ramekin, which, when drizzled over a fresh tortilla chip laden with guac, added a nice, but not quite satisfying, kick. Still, the dip was fresh and not unwelcome.
Packed with smoky chicken tinga and coated in Fonda’s homemade red and green salsas, crispy chicken flautas ($7) made my date and I swoon.We would have happily traded another round of that appetizer for the bland, too-thick-to-dip-your-chip-in grilled chorizo spread ($8), which lacked any merit save for a sporadic taste of the greasy, peppery meat sprinkled on top.
The cuisine at Fonda is decidedly Mexican, but with a contemporary twist.The Fonda soup ($7) has a roasted tomato pasilla, but comes with savory rice fritters. And while fowl is cooked in Mexico, one doesn’t often see it on an American-Mexican menu, but the light, shredded duck zarape ($9) in a habanero cream sauce does it justice.
We used about half-a-dozen of the fresh, soft, corn tortillas to wrap up succulent portions of the pork adobo ($14) entrée.They worked perfectly to soak up the chocolatetinged mulato chili sauce that covered the tender pork and black beans. Fonda doesn’t offer much in the way of vegetarian fare, but if you are meat-free and dying to try the joint, give the creamy sopa seca pasta with poblano chile ($12) a whirl.Though the best dinner options lie in the ex- Rosa Mexicana chef’s specialized meat plates like the Marco Pollo ($14), a banana leaf-braised achiote chicken with a fiery habanero salsa, or the mild shrimp enchiladas ($15), which have Santibañez’s special hazelnut mole coating each tasty morsel.
Unlike many Mexican restaurants, Fonda doesn’t promote a cheesy fiesta vibe and is able to serve its food with a kind of seriousness that draws respect for the establishment.
Santibañez isn’t so much concerned with offering his guests the chance to down handfuls of chips and buckets of margaritas, but more with presenting a stylish version of Mexican food that is often lost amid the burrito counters and taco trucks that litter the city.The portions, save for the bowl of sangria we got, proved moderate and reasonable for the prices (ranging from $12 to $17 for entrées, $5 to $10 for appetizers and side dishes) and quite filling. Another classic aspect of Mexican dining Santibañez skipped is the massive, greasy quantities of cheese.While the chorizo appetizer did fall into this trap, none of the other dishes we had came close. As the restaurant progresses, I have complete confidence that Santibañez will keep it affordable, stylish and mouth watering.
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Fonda
434 7th Ave. (betw. 14th & 15th Sts.), Brooklyn, 718-369-3144.
