Avienda -- new mexican on Greenwich Ave

[lisette]

Has anyone tried it yet? It's in the old Bleu spot.

[chlee]

I had a terrible experience here with my husband. None of our food was good - appetizers or main entrees - and all were extremely overpriced. For an appetizer we ordered some cervice. I can't recall what the many included ingredients were, but the seafood tasted rubbery and the flavors did not marry well at all. I ordered a seafood dish for my main course. It was about $28. It came with three medium sized grilled shrimp and two grilled scallops (all of which were mediocre in taste). This was served on a small bed of rice with about six grilled peppers. The portion was so small that I figured the peppers must be an edible part of the dish. Not so; I took one bite and it was hands down the spiciest thing I've ever put in my mouth. I was coughing and teared up for about 10 minutes, trying to wash the heat away with a mediocre tasting and very overpriced bottle of white wine. The only redeeming quality was the flan, which I must say was fantastic. I may go back for dessert sometime, but will never, ever eat a meal there again.

[TWNYC]

I had dinner at Avenida last night without a reservation. The waitress confirmed that happy hour was between 5 and 7pm, however she returned to inform us that happy hour is only at the bar - Strike 1. We were asked if we would like guacamole for the table, but I didn't realize that it was $14 and made to order. I'm not cheap, but I appreciate disclosure - Strike 1.5. We each ordered a salad and soup. The salad was ok, but when the butternut squash soup arrived we were surprised that it was cream based. The ingredients listed everything but cream (it even listed orange zest). We both can't eat milk products and sent it back - Strike 2. We decided to forgo the meal and have a cup of coffee with baileys. We were charged $10 each for less than a serving of Baileys - I just wanted the normal coffee w/a bit of baileys to substitute milk (a slight up charge). We could have shared one bailey since you only need a hint of it; $10 coffee - Strike 3. The Manager did take the soup off the bill and he sent us complimentary Churros. I thought the layout and decor of Avenida was lovely, and the staff was very attentive. Although I'm from NY and am used to paying good money for dinner and drinks, I was surprised when our bill was $110. We had 4 drinks, two coffees w/baileys, and two salads - oh, and the guacamole. I would go again - for drinks and guac at the bar only.

[Scotty100]

Was the guac 14 bucks for 2? On jul 15th Billy P above posted it was 8 bucks but not sure if that was for the same serving...I'm presuming it was so if it's gone up in price by like 75% over 5 months (!) that would signal to me one thing...this place ain't doing too well and will be gone soon...and by the sounds of the quality of the food no big surprise...

[lisette]

We went for drinks/apps (no mains) and 2 of the 3 of us weren't impressed. We had the plantain empanada, some duck quesadilla (I think that's what it was) and the tableside guac. Of the 3, the only one I truly liked was the guac.

[KarenNYC]

I mustsay I am surprised at these reviews as the nyt's gave it such a good review. maybe they worked out the saltproblem.

[billyparsons]

Karen, check your other post. The reviewer gives away "very good" and "excellent" reviews like candy. I thought the review was sort of odd myself after going there numerous times.

[jfood]

Maybe the reviewer took the salt so everyone can use a grain when reading each of the reviews.

[sanac]

Went for dinner last night for the second time. I thought the first time I went I ordered the wrong dish, but lats night i have to different appertizers and I have to say this is definitley not a place of great food. The atmosphere is great as well as the service I would definitely go back for drinks and their guacamole which was the highlight if my night. It was four of us and we all agreed that the drinks were awesome and the food not quite that good.

[billyparsons]

So.. the big question is.. are you parched from all the salt? Have you downed about 40 bottles of Poland Spring? They serve enough salt to have jfood say “jfood want to use salt to clear all snow from neighborhood December”, or something like that.

[jfood]

jfood actually ate in one of his favorites this weekend, Aloi, in New Canaan. A beautiful night, a great heirloom tomato salad with cornwith his favorite garganella witl a veal ragu. Only one bottle of San Pelligrino, tho.

[MRS]

I called yesterday to try and make a res for my husband' birthday for about 10-12 people. The manager told me he could only do 6pm or 9pm and wasn't all that nice about it. I thanked him and decided to go back to the drawing board. Too bad, b/c it would have been something new for all our friends...

[Alex318]

I went and tried this place on Friday and was lucky enough to sneak in and grab a table at 7:30 with no reservation. The place was packed and they squeeze us in like sardines which i find extremely annoying at a restaurant but obviously understand why they do it and I cant really complain since I didnt have a reservation.

First thing they ask you is if you want guacamole for the table, which looking around the restaurant everyone says yes to, and we did as well. The guacamole is made to order (mild medium or spicy..we chose medium) and it comes out in a huge stone bowl with hot tortillas along with tortilla chips that is put on the table when you sit. The guacamole was really good, i thought it was too salty at first but it went away after i mixed it around. For appetizers I ordered the Tuna ceviche and my wife just kept eating the guacamole. The ceviche came out in a big martini glass with lots of diced tuna, pineapple, red onions and jalapeno peppers. This ceviche was huge and could have easily been an entree. Had lots of flavors, the sweetness of pineapples and spicyness of peppers created a very nice balance. There was a bit too many red onions for my liking but that was easily remedied by working around them. For entrees I had the grilled flank steak with a shrimp and goat cheese enchilada and my wife had the pan roasted red snapper with 'salsa vera cruz' rice. Again both portions were huge. The red snapper came as round pieces with what looked like to be a chili rub (i didnt try it so im going by wifes description), subtle heat on the fish and it was cooked nicely. The rice had late heat in it, you didnt realize it was spicy til after you swallowed. Again lots of strong flavors. The dish also had some grilled shrimp on it and roasted serrano and jalapeno peppers. She enjoyed it very much. My dish was a no frills steak dish. To long strips of flank steak with one shrimp and goat cheese enchilada. The steak was nice wasnt tough wasnt chewy and had a very nice grill flavor. The enchilada was just ok, the shrimp was diced very small and kept falling out. Oddly most of the goat cheese was on the outside instead of in, you would think the shrimp would stick to it and fix the falling out problem. Neither of us finished our meals due to the size of everything. One big problem was that their espresso machine was broken, didnt really understand that since the place just opened but we improvised and went across the street and got one at meli melo along with scoop of chocolate gelato (wasnt as good as usual by the way).

Bill came out to 110 with tip. I only had a corona and we ordered a bottle of water for the table (Voss). Being used to greenwich prices this seems about normal for the town. All in all it is a place i would go back to, Im looking forward to try other dishes and my wife said she thinks the place is going to have legs because its very different type of cuisine for greenwich avenue and that alone will get people into the door.

[billyparsons]

I sat at the bar for drinks and had a pulled pork taco. Pretty good. Place is very trendy. Sambonet flatware. They pulled no punches putting this place together. Nice touch also; they serve everyone at the bar chip and 3 dipping sauces. Problem is that they're so spicey that they all taste the same. The guacamole is made on a small table in the front of the restaurant. You almost can't not order it. At $8 it's a steal. Again though, it tasted like the dipping sauces - one big glob of salt. They only thing they kept intact was the original bathrooms with the glass walls that fog up when you hit the lock button. Still would love to know why Blu went out of business. Anyone know?

[lovefood2040]

Had dinner for 4 last night. I thought it was very nice, great job on the renovations. Guacamole is no longer table side and some of the sauces were a bit salty but I'm sure this will be fixed. It's nice to see restaurants trying somenthing new.

[bevoray]

My husband and I ate at Avenida last night and we were not impressed. As previous poster stated the dips were way too salty and they did taste the same basically. I ordered the chicken enchiladas and my husband ordered a chicken dish. When the meals came I thought they were someone elses appetizers. The portions are sooooo small. The enchilada was dry and there was barely any sauce on it. I will be sticking to Boxcar or Fonda La Paloma. I will say- the margarita was good though.

[Boswell]

Is it possible that it's really called Avenida?

[Scotty100]

Yes it is. I looked at the menu the other day...looks ok although pricey for mexican - might give it a go at the weekend.

[lisette]

Yep -- that's probably it, Boswell! Have you been?

[nkmontero]

anyone?