Jinia Haldar
Google
This is a little restaurant in Manhattan with lots of photos of Latin America, which make the place very visually interesting while still keeping a sleek look. I'd peg the atmosphere as semi-formal. It had mahogany tables, which gave a very classic feel, but still retains a casual air since you can see the busy kitchen in the back. I think kids would be welcome, and you could still have a casual office lunch here.
Onto the food: We had a grilled octopus appetizer with a zesty thin green salad sauce. The octopus was perfectly cooked - not rubbery at all while still having a nice grill pattern on the outside, without the thin end of the leg being too burnt (which happens often). The sauce paired very nicely with the octopus, as the tanginess cut the "round" flavor (I don't know how else to describe it, sorry) that octopus tends to have. We also had a blue Peruvian potato appetizer filled with oxtail. It had an amazing spicy yogurt mayo sauce. Both of these were recommended by the waiter and the recommendations were spot-on.
We decided to share a main, and had an Angus steak marinated in papaya juice, again recommended by the waiter. Initially, I was hesitant about the idea of steak going anywhere near any fruit or fruit juice - I'm much more used to savory sauces and marinades with e.g. peppercorn - but honestly, it was the best steak I've had in ages. It was slow-cooked, making it evenly cooked throughout without any char (which is my preference, as I find that char can easily become bitter). I also enjoyed the greens that came with the dish, which is quite rare for me, as I'm rather sensitive to bitter tastes, which greens often have. I couldn't distinctly taste the papaya marinade in the steak, which I think worked in the dish's favor, but I could tell it was different from the usual savory marinades filled with herbs and pepper.
The sweet fried plantains we ordered on the side were perfect. They were crunchy on the outside without drying out the inside, and I appreciate that there was no honey drizzled on top, which to me makes fried plantains too sweet. The dish was still sweet enough to feel like dessert, but not overpoweringly so.
Food-wise, this was some of the best food I've had in a long time. My compliments to the chef for being bold enough to experiment with the sauces and skilled enough to still have the dishes come out absolutely delicious. It's very difficult to compare the dishes we had here to anywhere else we've been, because besides the plantains, all the dishes were unique in their ingredient combinations and preparations.
Service-wise, our waiter's recommendations were absolutely perfect. We did have to ask for water to be refilled, despite being the only diners there (we came at a rather odd-hour, roughly 3 PM), and the lights started being adjusted midway through the meal, but these were very minor things. Because the place is quite small with only so many tables, I would highly recommend making reservations beforehand.
A small note on access: The restaurant is long and narrow, and as far as I know, doesn't seem to be accessible. I didn’t see an accessible restroom. Unfortunately, a lot of the places in New York tend to be like that if they're old. This restaurant had a true brick wall on one side, not a facade, so it definitely seems to be an old building. Mind that the floor is a tad slippery, at least when I went. If none of these sound like issues for you, though, I'd highly recommend a visit, as the food is amazing.