Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City
SADLY, XILONEN IS NOW CLOSED.
Years ago my wife and I were obsessed with the Ricotta Hotcakes, an amazing gluten-free pancake from Two Hands. I remember the day I had to break the news to her that this was no longer on their menu. And unfortunately, it has never been back since.
Well, a few weeks ago I discovered a pancake that was very different from the hotcakes, but just as good. My wife was not with me, but I know she would find it to be an adequate replacement.
I had this experience at Xilonen, a new vegetarian Mexican restaurant on the trendy border of Greenpoint and Williamsburg. This restaurant comes from the team behind Oxomoco, where my wife and I once enjoyed a delicious (if a bit pricey) Oxacan dinner.
It was at brunch that I tried Xilonen’s masa pancake. And I ordered it after I had a few of their other Mexican small plates. The tacos, which feature different types of vegan chorizos, were unique and satisfying. I especially liked the crunchy taco with red chorizo, sharp cheddar, and a spicy salsa. The black bean tostada was also great slicked with earthy beans and covered in crumbled cotija cheese.
But nothing prepared me for that Masa Pancake.
These are made from masa (nixtamalized corn) and had the unmistakable smell of fresh tortillas when they arrived. They were steaming hot and the salted butter melted rapidly onto the pancakes.
Fluffy, airy, buttery, crisp, salty, sweet. Those are just a few of the adjectives I can use to describe this masterpiece. A rich maple syrup and that salty butter were out of this world.
And remember, these are gluten free. But just like the mourned Ricotta Hotcake, you never would know this was missing something. Because they truthfully aren’t missing anything.
Let’s just hope these never leave Xilonen’s menu. If they do, I might just have to give up pancakes for good. I can’t risk another heartbreak. Price: $13
| XILONEN |
| 905 Lorimer Street (at Bedford Avenue and Nassau Street), Greenpoint, Brooklyn (929) 272-0370 |
| xilonen.earth |
I wanted to try to incorporate masa into as many dishes as I could at Xilonen, and at the time the pancakes were the only menu item that did not include masa. I love the floral notes that fresh masa adds to any dish. In the end, this became one of my favorite dishes at the restaurant. When shopping for gluten-free flour for this brunch recipe, make sure to buy one that lists xanthan gum as one of its ingredients. These are usually indicated as cup-for-cup or one-to-one type flours. The xanthan gum helps bind everything, creating structure so that the pancakes come out light and fluffy.
They were amazing!! Thanks so much for giving a little background on the dish.