It’s a good time to dine out in Pleasantville. There’s stellar sushi at Dai Sushi and some of the county’s best Indian, which also happens to be ultra-affordable, at Little Mumbai Market. Village Social restaurant group opened Pubstreet, serving a globally inspired menu of street foods and pub grub at the Metro-North station last August. Tack on the recent opening of Southern Table, from the owners of popular Wood & Fire, and competition has never been higher. So, when 105-Ten owners Mitchell Dennis and Tony Fortunate decided to open Mission Taqueria, they knew they had to bring the wow factor.
And did they ever. The restaurant is equal parts stylish and approachable, with a menu that bridges modern dining sensibilities and deep-rooted Mexican traditions. “This isn’t just a taqueria,” says creative consultant Sheryl Dennis. “This is about Mexican food and its original, authentic roots. It’s ingredients from Mexico, but it’s also modern in its execution and its presentation.”
Chef David Santiago takes his inspiration from Mexico, and isn’t afraid to blur conventional Mexican boundaries. To start, there’s a sharable plate of elote, chipotle-chorizo PEI mussels, and pumpkin-seed hummus, a riff on a traditional Yucatan salsa. Shrimp ceviche represents Mexico, but you’ll also find Peruvian-style tuna tiradito and Hawaiian poké tostadas on the menu.
As the name suggests, tacos are a major focus, served on supple, organic tortillas. Fourteen-hour carnitas pay tribute to Mexico City’s great markets and street vendors, but our favorite tacos — chipotle-agave shrimp with mango salsa, butter-poached lobster with crispy potato strings, and fried Brussels sprouts on a smear of pistachio purée — took some liberties.
House specialties also include the half chicken, spit-roasted so the fatty drippings baste the marble-sized potatoes beneath it; vegan pozole with a zippy New Mexico chile broth; and grilled USDA Prime New York strip steak served alongside an addictive chimichurri (seriously, we’d slather that on anything).
Photo by Donna Dootan
Also more modern and polished than your traditional Mexican restaurant: the design, conceptualized by partner Andrew Kotchen. “We wanted the space to be done by hand,” says Mitchell Dennis. “We wanted it to feel almost like a farmhouse where they make mezcal and tequila. As the workers are coming in from a day of farming in the agave fields, they are going to sit, enjoy food, and share.”
Having never been to a Mexican farmhouse, I can’t vouch for the vibe. But the design, from the blue-tiled bar with Day of the Dead beer taps, to the blonde wood banquettes with woven pillows, to the photos of silvery agave plants and cacti strewn artistically thought the room, is among the best in Westchester.
Speaking of agave, the bar program is “tequila focused,” says Fortunate, with more than 60 selections of tequila and mezcal — and plans for more. “As we open our relations with smaller boutique vendors, we will start to bring in stuff people aren’t used to seeing.” Tasting and events to educate customers on the agave-based spirits are also in the works.
Mission Taqueria
472 Bedford Rd
Pleasantville
914.741.5285
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