Chef Profile: Julian Medina

Medina takes Manhattan, bringing Latin flavor to every corner of NYC
by Joleen Zanuzoski, Eatery Expert 


Chef Julian Medina is a man of many sombreros. Not only has he worked as a successful chef in New York City for sixteen years, but he is a businessman, restaurant consultant, tequila aficionado, husband and father. Let's breakdown the levels of the Medina empire as it currently stands:


UNO: Toloache Bistro Mexicano (Theatre District) - Grasshopper tacos, truffle quesadillas, muy caliente cocktails and Mexican food that's on another level. Translation: the really, really delicious level.


DOS: Toloache Taqueria (Financial District) - The casual & fast alternative to the uptown Toloache. The food is just as delicious but designed to take back to the office and distract you because it is so good. Taco Tuesdays ($2) and Burrito Fridays ($6) really give Wall Street a run for its money.


TRES: Yerba Buena (Lower East Side) - Latin Cuisine with an edge, mixing in flavor profiles and cooking techniques from Mexico, Cuba, Peru, Argentina and Chile. Cocktail list is inventive, the scene is legit and you'll keep coming back.


CUATRO: Yerba Buena Perry (West Village) - We feel like if Desi Arnaz or Gloria Estefan were our best friends , they would wine and dine us at YBP. Very old-school Havana ambiance mixed with modern Latin fare.


CINCO: Coppelia (Chelsea) The newest addition to the empire. Step into this Cuban luncheonette and feast on burgers, sandwiches, fries of all shapes and sizes and desserts that will have your pants size going up in no time. We hear that Bobby Flay has stopped in for take-out to bring back to the nearby Food Network offices and is a big fan of this spicy 14th Street enclave. To add to the awesomeness, Pastry Chef mastermind Pichet Ong lends a hand with the sweet treats, serving up decadent American favorites with a little Latin flare. If you've never understood what Nuevo-Latino comfort food was, check out this 24-hour diner immediately.

Cuban sandwich with yuca fries at Coppelia.  Photo: Coppelia 

SEIS: Toloache 82 (Upper East Side-COMING SOON!) Scheduled for a mid-September opening at 166 East 82nd Street (nr. 3rd Ave.) Medina is bringing his signature flavors to the UES. Does Medina ever siesta?! We think not and we want whatever he is putting in his margarita because it's obviously magical.


SIETE: Tequila (Very exclusive, limited supply, not available yet) So Señor Medina talks to his pals at Herradura distillery in Guadalajara, Mexico and says "Yo, double age some primo reposado for me," and the guys at Herradura distillery say "Why, of course!" Well, that's how we imagine it happening. The result is  a smooth tequila with a complex palate, just the way Chef Medina likes it. This special beverage will be available for a limited time at Toloache and served as their house tequila for margaritas.


This is just a tasting menu of Medina's ventures and we are positive there is much more on the horizon. Between getting in his morning workouts at Equinox, making taquito de huevos (scrambled egg tacos) for his four-year old daughter, or grabbing a late night bite at his favorite taqueria in East Harlem, he is always on the move, always creating something new and bringing tons of Latin flavor to New York.

Frita Cubana Burger at Coppelia.  Photo: Eatery Expert

Q: What do you say to non-native New Yorkers (usually from the West Coast)  that frequently remark that you just can't get good Mexican food in The Big Apple?
Medina: Like in any country, different [regions] have different ways of cooking. Mexicans that usually live in California or other states [in the West] are from the Northwest [areas of] Mexico and the cooking and cuisine is very different. Here on the East Coast, there are more Mexicans from Puebla and around [that region] and their cooking style, techniques and ingredients are different, too.


Q: Where do you go to eat Mexican food?
Medina: Taco Mix in East Harlem (234 East 116th St nr. 3rd Ave.) is a 24-hour taqueria that I have been going to for years. Also, El Paso (1643 Lexington Ave. nr. 104th St.) is another place I go frequently.


Q: What's your favorite "I just got out of the kitchen and I need a drink!" drink?
Medina: I like to drink everything, but Michelada is great and refreshing. It's Mexican beer with lime and hot sauce and a salt and chili pepper rim on the glass.


Q: What ingredients are always in your refrigerator at home?
Medina: Limes, tortillas, cheese and turkey. My daughter really likes the turkey!


Q: Are there any chefs that you admire?
Medina: Daniel Boulud - he maintains the integrity of his cooking and keeps building more restaurants at the same time and I really respect that. Also, Danny Mena (Hecho en Dumbo).
Check it out: Chef Medina grilled up a Frita Cubana Burger & Cuban Sandwich with Yuca Fries. See how he makes his magic in the kitchen!


Follow Chef Medina on Twitter: @ChefMedinaNYC
Like Chef Medina on Facebook: Chef Julian Medina Facebook Page