Creating La Sobremesa: Cómodo in NYC

Twitter: @danieluh

“New York with an accent. Latin American inspired. Local by heart,” is the motto of Cómodo , a restaurant that opened quietly in West Soho last July whose unique back story and one of a kind dishes have made it a precious gem in the giant sea of NYC eateries.

Cómodo’s story begins with a couple, advertising executive turned chef Colombian Felipe Donnelly, and his wife Tamy Rofe, who took their personal foodie adventures to another level by hosting dinner parties with friends every week. Felipe would cook and Tamy would blog about their dinners, and once they ran out of people to invite, they invited strangers. What could have been a recipe for disaster turned into a unique experience to share in the community and through social media, people started catching on.

Soon after their little get togethers got too big for their TriBeca apartment (and receiving a letter from the health department), Felipe and Tamy realized their new passion and knew they had to open their own restaurant. Chef Felipe has lived in Spain, Brazil and Mexico, and he crafted their menu with a diverse fusion of Latin flavors, with a few culinary surprises. Some highlights of the menu include pão de queijo, the hard-to-find Colombian wonder, ajiaco soup, coffee rubbed conchinita, mezcal octopus and churros with spiced chocolate milk. Yes, you heard that correctly.

Cómodo promises the familiarity and yes, comfort ,that comes with sharing an intimate home meal with friends, where you can let the wine flow and allow the sobremesa to take you late into the New York City night.