Centrico

Yay, I’m so glad to see this place is closed!

Like some others, I was disappointed with the entire experience. First of all we chose to sit outside on the patio since it was a nice evening which was a mistake, they placed us right against the railing on the street and being born in NYC, I warned my girlfriend that we would be «exposed» sitting there. Of course we were, and more than once we were asked for money from street people (or whatever the current PC term is). One guy got belligerent and I ended up giving him some money to leave us alone, to the next petitioner I told him he as «too late, one of his colleagues» already cleaned me out.
As for the food, disappointing as well. The salad with prickly pear was nice except for the prickly pear part (a major component) which had stone like seeds throughout making it literally inedible! We ordered a bottle of wine which the waiter put aside in an ice bucket saying he would pour more wine when we were running low. Well nice in theory and works at fancy restaurants but here we were rarely refilled, in fact I tried to ask the buss boy to grab our wine bottle from the area where it sat but he declined saying he would get the waiter. The waiter never came by for another 20 – 25 minutes so we had to just stare lustfully at our half full wine bottle in the distance until I could get his attention.
The rest of the meal was fine, well seasoned and well prepared but not worth the hassles considering how many truly great restaurants there are in New York City!
It is for these reasons that I had to Chop Centrico from my NYC restaurant rotation!

I watched Chef Aaron making a chocolate cake on Chopped. Though he said the cake that he created in the show was no way in comparison his restaurant. So, I really wanted see what Chef Aaron’s Mexican Molten Chocolate. cake And it was amazing!
I went to Centrico during NYC Summer Restaurant week 2012. I believe the menu selection was a great representation of what the regular menu and restaurant has to offer. Though, I want more heat (spicy hot — maybe I should of asked them to throw some jalapenos); I ventured my taste buds into sweetness Mexican food. I ordered the shrimp and pozole in a chile sauce, braised beef ribs in ancho chile sauce, and coconut flan. (My sis ordered the Molten chocolate cake — so I took a bite.) Food was light, good portion, and clean.
The décor of the restaurant was very relaxed, roomy, and earthy feel by converting a lower west side building into a unique urbanesque Mexican flavor. The host was nice and the waitress/​waiters were great and helpful. We had a nice window view of Tribeca. And I especially loved the skeleton bride-​groom statue by the window.
Yes, I will like to go again :-D Cheers!

Centrico’s food is pretty average, which is a little disappointing considering its reputation as a Tribeca hotspot and the fact that it is run by celebrity chef Aaron Sanchez.
I was lucky enough to come with someone who has the hook up from Drew Nieporent, one of the owners of the restaurant. This was awesome because we got treated right and tried an insane number of items from the menu.
Appetizers:
— Guacamole & Chips: really good guac and a very generous portion. The chips were pretty good, but would have been way better if they were hot.
— Mushroom quesadillas: I’m not a big fan of mushrooms, but these were great.
— Duck Confit Croquetas: This was one of the best appetizers I’ve had. If only the rest of the food were this good — they gave us five of these nicely sized croquettes, which had nice crispy fried covering, with really soft and delicious duck confit on the inside.
Entrees:
— Pollo con Mole: The chicken was decent, but the mole sauce and the overall taste of the dish was pretty bland. The mushrooms and the squash purée were pretty bland too. Not really worth eating.
— Enchiladas de Res (braised short ribs): This dish was pretty delicious. It comes with four pretty big enchiladas, filled with some tender and flavorful short ribs.
Sides:
— Rice: this was super disappointing. For a Mexican restaurant, I was shocked at how bland and soggy the rice was.
— Drunken beans: these were decent, but again, nothing really worth mentioning or trying again.
— Sweet fried plantains: again, these were tasty, but nothing really to write home about.
Dessert:
— Flan de Coco: Eh. Flan is always kinda not worth it (especially when compared to some of the other delicious options). But the mango salsa here that is served on top was actually pretty decent.
— Tres leches: Pretty good, but surprisingly bland again for this type of cake. I usually find tres leches to be almost too sweet, and this was at the other end of the spectrum.
— Pastel de Chocolate Mexicano: This is definitely the winner (though I have yet to taste a molten chocolate cake/​ice cream combo that was not amazing). The corn ice cream is definitely very different, but it works nicely with the hot molten chocolate in the cake. Highly recommended if you plan on getting dessert here after your meal.
The place itself has a really nice atmosphere, with one large open room with a very high ceiling. The service is also really good and friendly, with the several Mexican waiters and busboys as a nice touch to lend to the authenticity of the Mexican feel.
I wonder if maybe this place has declined since Aaron has started spending all his time at Food Network and he is no longer overseeing the operation here. The food could definitely use some work, but if you order the right stuff (Guacamole & Chips, Duck Confit Croquetas, Enchiladas de Res and the Pastel de Chocolate Mexicano with corn ice cream), then Centrico can provide a very satisfying and worthwhile dining experience.

Chef «A-​rone» Sanchez’s Centrico is a cozy, dimly lit space. It never seems too crowded. The pepita crusted salmon is one of the best I have had. it was cooked perfectly and very flavorful. For a side dish, the grilled corn is an absolute must-​have.
However, the drinks really take the cake here. I have had the spicy pineapple martini a few times. it is fruity, creamy, has a cayenne pepper rim and will burn your throat going down in a good way. The hibiscus margarita is another winner.

We went here for a birthday dinner for 10 and it was perfect. The food was fresh, flavorful and original. The drinks were strong and good variety. We had reservations and were seated immediately.
Good experience all around!

I came here with a friend for dinner on a Saturday evening. Since the weather was lovely we decided to sit outside, and we started our meal with a mojito and a margarita.
The mojito was blissfully blended, and proved an ideal meal companion. We then shared an order of the guacamole and chips before moving on to orders of the Mahi Mahi and steak tacos.
The Mahi Mahi was perfectly prepared, and unlike the tiny single and soggy tortillas from Mercadito, the tortillas were doubled up and crisp. And the steak looked tasty!
A little pricey, I don’t recommend ordering more than one drink unless you want to spend at least $ 30 just in drinks. And as per the food, I don’t recommend ordering a lot of it unless you don’t mind a high tab. After all, in a city like New York, there are endless other options for both good– and inexpensive– Mexican food!

Tried Centrico earlier this week. It’s a very big space. Open. Airy. High Ceilings. I think that’s what hurts this place the most. Big can be transcendent — like the Grand Canyon or Versailles. Big can also be too much, tacky — like the Cheesecake Factory or Times Square. This place straddles the middle.
The food was fine. Had the ceviche of the day (octopus) followed with the mahi mahi tacos. Both were fresh and a lovely first taste.
[Minor complaint — the servers didn’t think that my date and I would want to share appetizers so we had to request plates.]
For the main course I had the Pollo Mole and here we go back to the Bigness. Too much chicken lathered in a mole sauce that was good but… I was expecting better.
If this had been a smaller restaurant, owned & operated by a chef who only watches TV, then this would have been a satisfying experience. My review would remark on the potential this restaurant has.
Instead you have a place that looks impressive but comes up short.

Aaron Sanchez doesn’t disappoint. Our party of 6 had a great time, great service and great food!

There’s many factors that play into my less than average rating. Firstly, I ate here two nights ago for restaurant week. To be fair, it is difficult to judge a restaurant based on their RW offerings. I started with a Paloma, a deliciously refreshing mix of tequila and grapefruit juice (along with a splash of soda, I believe). Would have ordered a second if it weren’t for the hefty $ 14 price tag. I am a native New Yorker, I understand our city’s sometimes astronomical prices, but I cannot justify spending that much money on a small, weak drink.
I opted for the shrimp in a creamy chile sauce with pozole for my appetizer. The sauce was delish, although the amount of it made the dish seems more like a soup than anything else. The pozole was also pretty good. The shrimp however were highly disappointing. Small, chewy, seemingly frozen and defrosted. Seriously?
For my main dish I ordered the braised short ribs in a chile sauce. While the short ribs were fall-​apart tender, they were highly fatty– whether this was indicative of the quality of meat, or whether the fat has not been properly rendered down… I don’t know. The sauce was flavorful– although with no help from the chiles. Seemed more like a natural gravy than anything else.
Dessert was tres leches. Overly sweet.
I might have taken more mercy on this place if it weren’t for its «celebrity chef» and reputation. I wasn’t expecting to see Mr. Sanchez in the kitchen cooking himself or anything, but I was expecting an outstanding meal. How does he have the audacity to go on national television and critique other people’s food? Maybe he needs to be focusing on his own cuisine.

Reading some other people’s experience and rating, I think we were lucky that we had very good service when we came for dinner. Our waitress was fantastic, she did a great job in selling the dishes, but the problem is that I think the menu and her oversell the taste of the food itself… so I ended up being disappointed with the food when it was actually still quite fine food.
The guacamole was good but not outstanding… certainly we had better one in New York before. The rib, market fish and duck were all good, but it certainly wasn’t like «OMG» type of thing…

Disclaimer:
I really do not like when people give a bad rating because of the service. It is not indicative of the entire restaurant. But certain circumstances call for it.
The food was decent but nothing to write home about.
Guacamole — was very spicy but good.
Fried plantains — cold. not crispy, not salted
Pollo con Mole — good mole sauce, the chicken breast was dry and overcooked
Salmon Asado — by far the best thing we had, it was fresh and cooked very well
The service:
The host was rude and pretentious…
«Do you have a reservation?»
«No»
“Ugh, stand over there“
Our server started out nice, until the food runner brought out the food we ordered, plus an extra side of rice and beans that we did not order…
After we told a food runner that we didn’t order them, he took them back to the kitchen. Shortly after our server came back and said:
«You changed your mind about the rice and beans?»
«We didn’t order them. «(not being rude to her, we figured it was just a mix up with the food runner, and that was that)
«YES you did order them»
«I don’t think we did»
«Umm I am sure you did», then she walked away.
Moments later she came back and informed us that she would have them taken off the bill as if she was doing us a favor. (Wow, thanks for not charging us for something that we did not order or eat).
Needless to say, when the bill came, we were still charged for the order of rice and beans. Another server picked up our bill, so she had to take it to our server to get it adjusted.
After paying the moment we stand up, the server picks up the bill off the table and opens it up to see what she was tipped.
Through this whole thing, never once did she apologize for the error.

Large open room with high ceilings and walls of windows provides a cheerful setting for some interesting Mexican cuisine.
The menu offers you traditional dishes (chicken mole, echiladas, rice and beans) along with nouveau ones (tongue tacos, lump crab tostada w/​chipotle lime aioli). List of specialty drinks including, of course, margaritas.
What we had: 2 huge tacos with pork shoulder, achiote recado, cactus-​pickled red onion salsa and the enchiladas of braised beef short rib with chile colorado sauce, sour cream and melted cheese. Both dishes were absolutely delicious and made us want to come back for more.
When I mentioned to our gracious & charming waiter that I didn’t really want a full dessert but was dying to try the corn ice cream (interesting!) he smiled and came back with a small dish containing a large spoonful of ice cream. Just enough to satisfy my curiosity!

Aaron Sanchez’s cute Mexican restaurant located in the heart of TriBeCa definitely adds some flavor and punch to restaurant choices in the area. Service is very attentive, friendly and prompt. It’s a very cute and spirited environment inside, dimly and romantically lit with bright walls and Mexican-​inspired art and paintings.
I have been to Centrico a few times and I have my standard go-​to dish. The Salmon con Pepitas which is pepita crusted salmon served on top of a creamy corn picadillo. DELICIOUS! I like my salmon cooked medium and they do it to perfection here.
Be sure to start of your meal with their guacamole and chips. Their guacamole is absolutely amazing! They serve more than enough for a table of four and it definitely wets your appetite for more. Like they say. not sure who «they» are, but a good guacamole is hard to find. You will find a good one here.
Another highly-​recommended appetizer is the grilled beef tacos served with charred tomatillo salsa. They are small, but perfect serving size for two people to share. The beef is just packed with flavor and I love the tomatillo salsa! Very nice.
The one thing I would probably avoid at Centrico is their churros. I expected them to step it up a notch since the rest of the food is pretty good, but the texture was just heavy and hard to eat. Just not good. My Centrico churro experience has steered me away from trying any of their other desserts. Go elsewhere for dessert I say, but everything else was delicious.
Never crowded when we have gone and I’m surprised because it’s actually pretty decent Mexican food with good service. Definitely a cute spot to grab a bite and maybe even get a glimpse of celeb chef, Aaron Sanchez!

I would probably give this a 3.5 but I rounded up because the other reviews are low.
This place is right by my house and I always thought it was Italian until my boyfriend and I stopped by one night. It has a really nice ambience with high ceilings and red lighting. But it was LOUD. The acoustics were not good and there were lots of big groups yelling over each other to be heard.
The drinks were good, but I thought it was funny that my (small) drink was just as expensive as my entrée ($ 12). I got the beef tacos, which were filled with delicious skirt steak. We started with the guacamole which was very good (homemade chips always make a difference). But the clear winner (as everyone has mentioned in previous reviews) was the short ribs. They melted in your mouth. I would definitely come back for them alone.

Upon walking in I liked the vibe of this place. Cool, laid back, mexican feel. I did not have a margarita, perhaps this was a big mistake but my man Jose and I needed a break after the weekend I’d had… The sangria ended up being a bit too sweet and not worth $ 12.
We had never eaten here and walk by it all the time so decided to give it a try. The food was OK but not that memorable… only thing I do remember is that some of it came out cold. Service wasn’t anything special either. For that price there are many better options in the area.
I think it was a bit over-​hyped for me… sure, it’s in a great location, sure they know how to make decent guac… but if that’s the only criteria for a good mexican restaurant then I would be giving 5 stars to every chipotle south of 14^th street.

Is there a more approachable, warm and amiable chef than Aaaron Sanchez?! I really can’t think of any. Despite his fame being a judge on multiple Food Network shows such as, ‘Chopped’ which he also competed in during the all-​stars tournament (he should have won btw), and «Chef vs. City», this second-​generation Latino chef serves his heart on a plate. I’ve seen him since his days on «Melting Pot» and have always admired his passion, intensity, and overall humility. I decided I had to finally eat at one of his restaurants to really see if his talents matched his likeability. Those who are wondering, the answer is a resounding yes.
Centrico has a great corner location, and the instant feel of the restaurant is lively and open. There is outdoor seating, which is perfect for warm weather, the bar scene is energetic, and the main dining area is spacious yet still intimate. If you’re lucky, like we were, Chef Sanchez will be at the pass working his little fiery fingers expediting food to his guests. I could not resist the urge to tell him how much I loved him as we walked towards our table. He was so gracious about it and I knew at that moment that this was a great man.
Now onto the scrumptious food…
APPETIZERS:
Guacamole & Chips — the chunks of avocado were enormous in the wooden mortar and pestle container, and the tortilla chips were crunchy and fresh.
Short Rib Croquetas — braised short rib and smoky white beans, made for a very delicious starter. The meat was so tender and maintained a lot of flavor and juices within the perfectly fried outer shell.
MAINS:
Pollo con Mole — pan roasted chicken, mole sanchez & wild mushrooms. This was the one entrée that specifically had his name on it, which sealed my decision to go for it. The chicken was unbelievably moist and really took in the flavor of the sauce. Not sure what variety of mole was used, but it was well-​bodied and had a mild creamy texture. The wild mushrooms were amazing. I had to share this dish b/​c the portion was out-​of-​this-​world.
Pescado a la Veracruzano — market fish, tomato, olive & serrano. The boyfriend’s choice, which I actually ended up really enjoying, possibly more than the chicken dish. The fish was cooked to perfection, it was soft and flaky, and the lightness of the fresh fish was well-​balanced against the acidity and heat from the tomato and serrano peppers. The added saltiness of the olives were fantastic. I could have eaten two servings of this dish.
DESSERT:
None. We did a little naughty and actually had ice cream before going to dinner. We were early for our rezzie, and decided to make a pit stop at my favorite ice cream shop, Lula’s Apthoecary for a birthday cone for the boyfriend. When the waiter had asked us if we wanted to take a look at the dessert menu, we had to regretfully decline. This story leads into the highlight of our dining experience at Centrico.
As we waited for our check, which, I felt was taking too long, lo and behold, Chef Sanchez comes out with a delicious chococlate cake — candle-​lit, I might add — all for Jimmy’s birthday. I had mentioned in passing that it was his special day when he came by to say hi and enabled my inner dork the chance for a photo-​op with him. I was so grateful and thrilled just to hear him wish Jimmy a Happy Birthday, I had no idea he would show that level of kindness and personally bring him a gift. The dessert was on the house, but I was floored by his graciousness, and people around us were feeling the love, too. I had to show them my gratitude and tipped well over the going rate of 20%. And to be honest, service was in fact, great
In the end, it was a very successful meal, hitting all the right marks. I felt transported and didn’t mind that I had eated Mexican at least 3x during the week leading up to Centrico. It felt like a new experience altogeher. I thought to myself, as we left the restaurant, that not only is Aaron Sanchez a celebrity chef, but a very talented one at that, and he is also a genuine person. Mexican cuisine has been blessed with such a worthy and reputable ambassador in Aaron Sanchez, and his love and work ethic is embodied in Centrico and his on-​going endeavors. Much love and success.
I will never forget this night. Viva!

This was the spot of a dinner with my co-​workers on a Thursday night. Three of us ended up getting there a little after 10. The kitchen had already closed but our co-​workers ordered for us and they kept our dishes warm in the kitchen until we got there. The beef quesadillas were great! Guacamole was also good and they even brought us more chips when we still had some guacamole left.
After a round of margaritas, we decided to close our bill, which came out to around $ 60 per person. I was a little bit surprised by that. It didn’t blow me away and I don’t think I’d go back, but the food was good and it was a nice place.

Outstanding night out at Centrico!
We went for Restaurant Week. This is, by far, the best RW I have enjoyed this season. It is also the first one that I have seen with FOUR courses!
1) Some of the best guacamole I have ever eaten. Chunky yet creamy, a bit of a kick, chips with just the right amount of salt
2) CEVICHE del dia! Fresh and tasty chunks of authentic and spicy mahi mahi~
3) SHORT RIBS! So tender and delicious, moist and falling apart after being cooked in a tangy pepper sauce of some sort
4) and a tasty Flan de Coco to boot.
Throw in a few Jala-​Pina spicy tequila cocktails and it was a perfect night at a good price.
The outdoor seating is perfect, btw.

Went to Centrico on a beautiful, mild Thursday night for dinner. We made reservations but it was unnecessary because the place was bare — probably because it was the Thursday before July 4^th. I chose this place because I was itchin’ for Mexican (which happens often since I’m from Texas) and wanted a place with outdoor seating. Score 1 and 2 for Centrico!
To drink I ordered, the $ 12 Mora Azul (blueberry infused vodka, soda and lime) and my friend ordered the $ 13 Mezcalito (mezcal which is liquor distilled from agave plants — yum!, orange, and aperol which is an Italian liquor). The Mora was tasty but I could have taken a BIT more alcohol. I thought the Mezalito was heavy on the alcohol with a orange twist. I’d recommend!
For dinner, I ordered the appetizer size of the Pozole Rojo (pork and hominy stew, guajillo chile broth) and I opted to get mine without the tripe, which are the intestines. You, of course, can have the intestines if you’d like — don’t let me rain on your parade. The stew was a bit salty for my tastes but edible, however, I think if I had ordered the larger portion I wouldn’t have been able to eat the rest I think. Next time, I might ask for bread or use the garnish that they provided. My friend had the $ 20 Pato en Dulce de Leche — Duck with dulce de leche-​ancho chile sauce and veggies. The sauce was supposed to be sweet and spicy, which I didn’t think I would like, but I was pleasantly surprise at how flavorful and delish it was! Definitely made the dish because the duck was just okay. Overall, I was satisfied but Micaela L. said, not blown away.