Alums of the NoMad Open ElNico in Brooklyn
Just in time for warmer and longer days, Williamsburg is welcoming a new rooftop restaurant and bar to the neighborhood.
ElNico is located inside the Penny Williamsburg, a new Brooklyn hotel owned by the Sydell Group, which has developed hospitality projects including the NoMad hotel, the Ned, the Freehand and the Line. The restaurant is helmed by chef Fernanda Serrano and Sydell Group partner and bar director Leo Robitschek; the pair were connected through Serrano’s mentor, Cosme chef-partner Daniela Soto-Innes.
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In addition to working at Cosme, Serrano has spent time in the kitchens at renowned restaurants including Pujol in Mexico City, El Cellar de Can Roca in Spain, and Schloss Schauenstein in Switzerland. While waiting for construction to finish on the elNico space, Serrano decamped to The Nomad in London as executive sous chef.
Serrano’s menu for elNico was inspired by her experiences working in various countries, and is rooted in her Mexican heritage and the Latin American background of the elNico team. The 30-year-old chef is from Mexico City, while Robitschek is originally from Venezeula and beverage director Christian Rodriguez from Peru.
The dishes are casual and colorful renditions of classic Mexican dishes that incorporate flavors from other cuisines.
“While the tostada definitely eats like a tostada, and the guacamole definitely eats like a guacamole, the ingredients that she uses to enhance the dishes are not some of the things that you would normally find in Mexico City or in the surrounding area,” says Robitschek. “[Serrano] has respect for ingredients while still respecting this Mexican tradition of where she grew up, but is not afraid to color outside of the lines.”
The chef describes her culinary approach as elevated but unpretentious. She highlights the Pulpo Pibil on the menu, a traditional south Mexican dish inspired by her mother’s recipe, made with octopus, house-made chips, and a toum sauce inspired by Lebanese cuisine. “It’s a dish that brings this nostalgia of my childhood,” says Serrano. Another traditional dish with a new twist is the pink mole, which incorporates seasonal vegetables as the main component versus a heavier protein.
The food and beverage menus are both ingredient-driven, and the cocktails riff on what’s happening in the kitchen with the intention of reducing food waste. Robitschek describes the concept as “flower to root.”
“Essentially we try to use as much of an ingredient as we can,” he says, whether that’s incorporating byproducts such as pickling juice or unused produce. “A lot of times, those leftover ingredients can be used and they’re very delicious,” he adds. “Obviously we’re not a zero emissions hotel or restaurant by any means, but if we can do something a little bit better, even if it’s harder, that will have an impact, we want to do that.”
The cocktail menu is divided into four sections: classic, fresh, preserved and non-alcoholic. For classic cocktails, the team has added rhubarb to the margarita and cantaloupe to the paloma; the fresh section highlights peak seasonality, and preserved cocktails incorporate ingredients that have been pickled or jammed for flavor longevity. The low ABV selection includes agua frescas, and a take on an horchata.
The Penny hotel was named for Sydell founder Andrew Zobler’s Chihuahua, Penny, and speaks to the idea that something small can have an outsized impact and personality.
“We’re this little hotel in Williamsburg that is smaller than most,” says Robitschek. “What we do is community driven, and hopefully the sum of our parts is bigger than the whole. And a big part of that is championing our staff and our community, both being Williamsburg and the food and beverage community.”
Similar to the hotel, elNico is named for a beloved pet, Serrano’s dog Nicola. “Casually, Nico in Italian means ‘victory for the people.’ So when we discovered that, we were like — this makes sense,” says Serrano.
“It’s a perfect summation of what we’re trying to do,” adds Robitschek. “The story of immigration, of how we came to be: three people from three different parts of Latin America coming together because of our love for food and beverage and travel. But also what the hotel and restaurant are based on, which is community.”
Launch Gallery: Inside Brooklyn Bar and Restaurant ElNico
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