With La Sirena Clandestina, chef John Manion returns to the Latin American flavors that put him on the local map back in the aughts with the late, lamented Mas. Brazil, where he spent time as a child, exerts its influence here in things like an aioli made with funky native malagueta pepper, a striking accompaniment to his perfect, crisp, salty frites. Unfortunately, other bites on the table lacked the forthright, confident flavors of that singular condiment. A $24 hanger steak was of such high quality that the flesh, cooked rare, was a deep red, but the crust was overcharred and underseasoned, and the chimichurri it came with tasted only faintly of garlic. A $28 fried snapper was similarly underseasoned. Smaller shareable dishes are divided into street foods like acaraje, little black-eyed-pea fritters with poached shrimp, and sides like warm, satisfying collard greens and pao de queijo, a dense, chewy little cheese bread. Wine, beer, and some brightly flavored regional cocktails provide a reason for this dark, attractive space to stay open late; the bar menu's another. Read the full review >>
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Wine, beer, and some brightly flavored regional cocktails, such as a tart pisco sour, provide a reason for this dark, attractive space to stay open late. —Sam Worley
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