monday 07.30.07

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twoDINE: Suenos
Suenos is Spanish for "dreams," and like us, you'll be dreaming of going back after dining at this imaginative Mexican restaurant in Chelsea.

Follow a short passageway to the restaurant's receded entrance on 17th Street and discover the festive sights and smells of Mexico. Suenos is divided into three unique spaces, each with its own distinct color: a deep blue bar area, a sunlit peach courtyard, and a magenta dining room. A glass-enclosed fountain and pond sit in the center of the room, providing a wonderful focal point for diners, and a cocinera works on a raised platform preparing fresh tortillas and guacamole.

The food here is--not to belabor the point--a dream. Chef and owner Sue Torres is New York-born, but she has a passion for Mexico and its food. The star attraction here is the $50 prix fixe chile-tasting menu, with five delectable courses (including dessert) that each showcase a distinct kind of chile, such as Plantain and Drunken Goat Cheese Empanada with tomato-chipotle coulis, Chile Morita Stewed Pork Taco with local apple, and Chile-Rubbed Goat steamed with Negra Modelo.

Suenos: 311 W. 17th St.; (212) 243-1333

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twoDRINK: Rocking Horse Cafe
Continue the fiesta at the Rocking Horse Cafe, a colorful, modern bar and restaurant on 8th Avenue (and where Suenos' Sue Torres made a name for herself as head chef!). The retractable front wall makes it an ideal spot for a cool drink on a warm summer night. Try one of their signature margaritas, like the La Pina, made with artisan-produced tequila, pineapple, and Grand Marnier float, or the excellent Sangarita, a frozen margarita with sangria.

Rocking Horse Cafe: 182 Eighth Ave.; (212) 463-9511