Bethlehem: Urbano Mexican Kitchen (September 2018)



My spouse and I visited Urbano Mexican Kitchen for lunch on a Saturday in late September 2018. Urbano is open daily for lunch, dinner, and drinks from 11:00/11:30 am until 10:00/11:00 pm, depending on the day of the week. You can make a reservation using the online Open Table system.

Urbano Mexican Kitchen opened in March 2018 on Main Street in Downtown Bethlehem, in the space previously occupied by Little Italy on Main. It occupies a storefront of a historic block of buildings that house shops including Seasons Olive Oil and Vinegar Taproom, The Attic, Donegal Square/McCarthy’s Red Stag Pub, Peculiar Wine and Beer Shop, and Tapas on Main. (The latter two business share the same ownership as Urbano Mexican Kitchen.) The owners of Urbano (3PA Restaurant Group) also operate Downtown Bethlehem neighbors Tapas on Main, Cachette Bistro and Creperie, and the Flying Egg, as well as Easton’s Mesa Modern Mexican and restaurants in New Haven CT (Palomino, which used to have a second location at Center Valley’s Promenade Shops), Fort Lauderdale FL (B Square Burgers and Booze), and Port Chester NY (Sonora). During his cooking career, Colombian-born Chef Palomino has worked with famous chefs Larry Forgione and Charlie Palmer as well as chefs in France.

The interior space of Urbano is divided into two areas. The main dining room contains a 14-seat cherry wood bar flanked by illuminated glass columns that features colorful Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) and Frida Kahlo-inspired components. (The columns were created by glass-blowing artists at the South Side’s Banana Factory.) Next to the bar and front window are high-top tables, with regular-height tables at the rear of the bar room. A ramp joins the bar space with a more private dining area in what appears to be an adjacent but interconnected building (including a large glass window that divides and yet connects the spaces); the side dining room also houses the wine cellar and a back door entrance to the Peculiar Wine and Beer Shop. Original brick and stone walls are visible in the restaurant and provide the backdrop for a wall of gear-shaped lights (a tribute to Bethlehem Steel), hardwood floors, and brass pendant lighting that provide a trendy, industrial feel. Outdoors seating on the sidewalk is also available in appropriate weather.

As its name indicates, Urbano serves Mexican cuisine. We started with a beer and a Jalale (a cocktail made with mezcal, Campari, lime, grapefruit Jarritos, with a chipotle rim) Unfortunately, the drink arrived without the “salted” rim as described on the menu, an issue that was fixed quickly. Although the restaurant plans to offer draft beer, none were available on the day that we visited. This restaurant specializes in many different types of guacamole as well as 15+ kinds of tacos, including traditional favorites (chicken, carne asada, tuna, pork) and creative new ones (pastrami, falafel, duck, bacon). As a starter, we shared the patacones (fried sweet plantains topped with guacamole, rotisserie chicken, and jalapeno aioli; alternatively, you can order them with green plantains). We also questioned our server about one of the daily special appetizers (tostadas), and he departed our table saying that he would bring both appetizer choices; we called him back to say we wanted just one explaining that we were merely asking questions about the other so that we could decide between the two dishes. As our entrees, we ordered the pescado tacos (three soft corn tortilla shells filled with crispy cod topped with a visually unappealing [although tasty] Asian slaw and chipotle sauce), and one of the daily specials, the enchiladas (stuffed with chicken and served with a side of brown rice and beans). For dessert, we inquired about two choices, the churro ice cream sandwich and the Kahlua flan, so that we could make a decision, and then settled on the flan. But our server clearly misunderstood, because he delivered both of the two desserts we asked about. Although our server was clearly bilingual, he seemed to lack effective listening/communication skills to have made what was now the third error of our dining experience.

Although we had some issues on the day that we dined, Urbano Mexican Kitchen is a nice addition to the Main Street dining scene, and we might return to give it another try.
















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