A Michelin-starred taco counter from Mexico City - famous for its gaonera, a thin-sliced beef filet taco seared to order and finished with simply salt and lime - is headed to Flatiron. Taquería El Califa de León, a decades-old, standing-room-only restaurant, is opening its first U.S. location at 20 West 23rd Street, near Fifth Avenue, taking over the former Chanson space. Michelin also likes its chuleta (pork chop), costilla (beef rib), and praises the salsas.
The menu spotlights Moroccan dishes such as tajines, couscous, chicken-and-almond-stuffed ayah pastillas, and showy tableside-prepared whole fishes and racks of lamb. Cocktails include the intriguing Climbing Goat with mezcal, the restaurant's own pistachio liqueur, goat cheese, honey, and rose. The lush space features archways, carved tables, and velvet curtains spread across three dining rooms and the bar. Ayah will also have late-night hours until 2 a.m.