In the Neighborhood: Zabidury

I’ll bet you’ve been wondering about all the construction at 8 South Division in the site that old time New Rochelleans might fondly/not-so-fondly remember as Streets disco. A huge, colorful new restaurant has just debuted in 8 Division. It’s called Zabidury and it’s a great new Downtown nightspot for drinks, dining, and dancing.

We dropped into Zabidury midweek and here’s what we found. First, it’s hard to classify Zabidury’s menu, which its owners call “free style cuisine.” What we found were dishes pulled from several Latin American cuisines, with Peruvian ceviche and chupa (seafood chowder) joining Mexican margaritas—and who doesn’t love that? Speaking of the ceviche, Zabidury’s is wonderful. These tall glasses bear silken morsels of scallops and snapper whose rawness has been tamed into slippery opacity by fresh lime juice and herbs.  With a margarita, this is a perfect start to a summer night.

Meat and potatoes lovers will love Zabidury’s Argentinian churrasco that offers rosy slices of perfectly grilled steaks over a mountain of tangy gorgonzola whipped potatoes. Also a favorite, Zabidury’s huge Spanish paellas arrive scented with saffron and practically bursting with fresh clams, shrimp, chorizo and lobster. Basically, there is enough here to feed a crowd.

To end, check out dense little drums of rich, creamy flan dripping with a light caramel sauce. You might want to hit the dance floor after a few bites. Good news: on weekends, Zabidury offers  music, DJs and dancing.