Hellbender Customs

The Best New Restaurants in New York City

"If you’ve spent time in Ridgewood, Bushwick’s further-out, still-finding-itself sister, you know about Rolo’s. They’ve got great cocktails and Italianish small plates, with a cool crowd and laidback vibe. So when chef Yara Herrera peeled off and opened Hellbender just around the corner—which has a similar concept, with a Mexican-American menu—I knew I had to check it out. Suffice to say, you now have two go-to spots in Ridgewood. Hellbender’s space is lovely, whether you’re inside the stylish space at the bar, or at a sidewalk table (indoors, keep an eye out for the stuffed (fake?) leopard in a massive diorama). The team is great, and I felt like a regular on a first visit (the people at the table next to me were already regulars, and it hasn’t been open a year). Most importantly, the food is bright, shareable, and super tasty. Simple dishes like the guacamole hit harder than you expect, and I nearly drank the leftover brine from the kampachi aguachile. The branzino was totally delicious—but the real star of the show was the jello of the day (believe it!) which that night was a peanut butter and jelly confection that I’m still thinking about. Picture grape jello, a peanut butter flan-type of base, and a texture you will crave the minute you finish. You could pop in just for one of those at the bar and it’d be worth the journey. My only pain point: As with most small plate spots, everything is about $5 more than I wish it were (I would probably skip the $33 branzino on the next go-around—it’s quite dainty given the rate). —M.S." - CNT Editors