Two new eateries open in Beacon
La Barbirria
The opening of a new Mexican cantina is likely to elicit more ho-hum than gung-ho, but this isn’t just another taco joint.
For a couple of months, locals knew it as the place without a liquor license. Now, a full bar serves the requisite tequila drinks along with Victoria, Mexico’s oldest beer brand.
Yet here, the food is the feature. Unlike many other Mexican restaurants, it divides the menu into appetizers, soups and salads, house specialties and street tacos. There are no sections for burritos, fajitas, quesadillas or enchiladas (although it offers fajitas as an entrée).
After working as a chef for 34 years, Patricio Patino, a native of Ecuador, opened Soltano, a northern Mediterranean spot in Fishkill, five years ago. Now, he turns his attention to well-crafted Mexican fare.
Patino enjoys the jumble of spices and flavors in Mexican cuisine, which he likens to Indian fare. Here, everything is fresh, there is no microwave oven and the small freezer is only used for desserts. And, someone is always on duty to make the corn tortillas by hand.
Seafood offerings include aguachile, a dish akin to ceviche that is scarce on Mexican restaurant menus in the area, said Patino. Pescado marinado showcases sea bass and there are shrimp, mahi mahi and blackened salmon tacos, none of which exceeds $5.
Birria, the house specialty and restaurant’s namesake, is a method of slow-braising meat and vegetables that originated in the state of Jalisco. In addition to two entrees that mix in several cuts of meat (and shrimp in the La Barbirria Mocajete), it is also served in tacos.
The daily agua fresca comes in cucumber and lime flavor along with a tangy beet-red version made by soaking dried hibiscus flowers in water.
La Barbirria is located at 389 Main St. See labarbirria.com or call 845-440-7508.
Butterfull
Proprietors up and down Beacon’s Main Street sell plenty of candles, but only one makes them from butter. Even the wick is edible.
According to Diandra Riley, butter is life. “It’s such a versatile food and we use it on everything,” she said. Riley opened Butterfull Convenience Store on Oct. 7; a flow of visitors jammed the space and grooved to reggae music. Riley and several helpers offered a steady stream of butter-based food samples, along with prosecco and mimosas.
The goods at the sliver of a store are displayed with precision. The museum-worthy lighting makes things pop and taking something off the shelf feels like disturbing an art exhibit.
Inside the door, the vegan items are on the right. Organic selections and rows of $4.99 cookbooks are to the left. Climb four stairs to the household and personal care section and a microcosm of typical convenience store food items. When the small kitchen in the back is operational, Riley will offer charcuterie boards.
Near the register sits a refrigerated case full of the raison de etre, homemade whipped butter. Riley, whose business card identifies her as a “butter chef,” makes numerous concoctions, including sweet, savory and vegan. Colors include purple, green and bright orange.
Riley, a former nurse, decided to follow her passion and earned a degree at the Culinary Institute of America. She lives in Wappingers Falls, but hails, like so many potential customers, from Brooklyn.
The convenience aspect of the business is to provide hard-to-find items and other staples at a reasonable price, she said. She plans to stay open until 8 p.m. and perhaps later on weekends.
“Food is the staff of life,” she said at the opening, wearing a white embroidered chef’s coat. “Everyone has to eat to live and it’s so gratifying when people’s eyes get big as they enjoy my creations.”
Butterfull is located at 428 Main St. See shopbutterfull.com or call 845-661-8436.
