Hellbender - 8/10
Walk past Rolo’s, no keep walking. Two blocks further into Ridgewood past Rolo’s you’ll find Hellbender. The Ridgewood sister who is probably tired of being introduced in proximity to her more established sister Rolo’s. And in my estimation she holds her own and does it in her own way The Mexican-American flare is visible throughout the menu, including fried oaxacan cheese ($14), pork carnitas tacos ($14) and carne asada skirt steak ($40), but each dish as they come out to the table feel like they are created as a work of their own, independent of confines of cuisine and trends but fittingly seasonal and artistically plated.
We started with the fried oaxacan cheese, which was an odd flat note of the meal. In nugget form with tomatillo sauce in a small bowl, the cheese wasn’t particularly melted well on the inside, and while crispy on the outside, the nuggets weren’t anything special. Looking at pictures from other guests, next time I’d start with the summer melon aguachile ($20) which, as it sounds, looks fresh, sweet and zesty, and more interesting than the cheese was.
As mains, we ordered the black bass ($28) and the pork ribs al pastor ($28), the latter of which stole the show for the evening. The pork ribs (seemingly already gone from their rotating menu however), were juicy, perfectly cooked, tender and in a sauce packed with the perfect amount of heat, topped by onions and greens. These worked as a main for one person, or as an item to share, as the plate came with 5 ribs.
The black bass was petite but incredibly well done. Radishes, pistachios, and a green elote sauce topped the small portion of fish. Every bite was gorgeous, fresh, summery, and the dish really harmonized. The portion being small, we ordered a side of tamari pickled shishitos ($6) which split the group - I enjoyed but my partner didn’t.
The cocktail was a special of the day and thus I have no recollection of what was in it but it was a delicious, fresh (count how many times I reference freshness in this meal), and balanced cocktail that seemed to pair well enough with a bite from all three dishes without trying to do so. The menu here does that well, the dishes are each their own creation that don’t necessarily all seem related to one another on the surface, but the underlying theme of fresh, exquisite, bright ingredients and strong but well balanced flavors is common among them.
Hellbender makes a great outdoor summer date spot for a casual dinner, especially if you’ve had a late lunch and don’t mind the smaller portions of the entrées. Inside in the sage green booths, or outside at their sidewalk tables, the hospitality and warmth from the staff is felt the same way. And if you have a “Ridgewood rotation,” add this one to it.
