New York's First Floating Mexican Restaurant Opened

NEW YORK, March 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- New York Cruise Lines announces the grand opening of La Barca Cantina, New York's first and only floating Mexican restaurant, located on a three-story boat on New York's West Side on the Hudson River on Cinco de Mayo, May 5. La Barca Cantina will sail short cruises multiple times per day, five days a week, offering guests extraordinary views of the New York skyline, making it an ideal summer experience for cocktails at sunset, casual get-togethers with friends and group gatherings.

La Barca Cantina offers a fun and festive experience inspired by the street food, cantinas and mezcalerias of Mexico. This further positions Pier 81 as the city's ultimate summertime destination for fun Hudson River dining, also home to the popular sister-restaurant North River Lobster Company, New York City's only floating lobster shack.

"Mexico is one of the most exciting culinary destinations in the world with a rich and complex food culture and history," explains Craig Kanarick, Chief Executive Officer of New York Cruise Lines, whose travels to Mexico inform the restaurant from the menus to the decor. "Having spent the last three years learning everything I possibly can about agave-based spirits, including mezcal and tequila, it's a thrill to cast a spotlight on a beverage category that is just as diverse and terroir-driven, yet not as well-known, as wine. We are so excited to bring this culture to life this summer on the Hudson River."

A Spirited Journey, From Mezcal to Michelada

The focus of La Barca Cantina's beverage menu is agave-based spirits, such as mezcal, tequila, sotol and racilla, with a diverse bottle list and flights for sampling. The vibrant beverage line-up represents a thoughtful collaboration between Kanarick and Roman Tartakovsky, Beverage Director for New York Cruise Lines.

The house cocktail, Drunken Rabbit Punch, highlights Oaxacan rum in a secret recipe containing passion fruit and other exotic ingredients. A traditional, but lesser known, distinctive tequila drink – a Bandera – offers a counterpoint to the classic shot experience. Meaning "flag" in Spanish, the drink is comprised of three parts, each served in its own shot glass, one with tequila, one with lime juice, and another with a spicy tomato juice called sangrita.

Additional cocktail highlights include a classic margarita, served on the rocks or frozen, a paloma and a mezcal mule. Most are available in both individual and large format servings, making them perfect for dates or sharing among groups.

Fun Tastes for Groups of All Sizes

The heart of the food menu comprises a selection of tacos including classics such as chicken, shrimp and al pastor, as well as Tony's Campechano, a treasure discovered during Kanarick's explorations in Mexico City. Combining beef, pork and roasted scallions, Tony's Campechano pays homage to Tacos Tony, one of the best-known destinations for tacos in Mexico City.

The Fiesta Platter is the must-order menu item for groups or a really hungry couple – a giant boat filled with crispy, craveable finger-food dishes, including a whole Mexican fried chicken, onion rings, jalapeño poppers and corn chips, accompanied by a wide range of salsas.

The menu is designed for snacking and sharing while sipping cocktails, mezcal or tequila. Guests can enjoy classics such as guacamole with fresh corn chips, a chicken quesadilla and queso fundido alongside new inspirations like the vegetarian nachos -- a mountain of tortilla chips, melted cheese, pico de gallo, sour cream, and guacamole -- made with a plant-based meat alternative.

Mexican Art Framed with Skyline Views

The three-level boat includes an expansive outdoor top deck with a bar and table seating; it also includes a bi-level interior space with two bars, table seating and booth-like tables, perfect for large groups. Renowned artist, Tlisza Jaurique, has been commissioned to create custom pieces for the floating restaurant. Working with a mixture of mediums, Jaurique was the first woman of Mexican-American descent to exhibit at New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art and has had multiple exhibitions at the Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

La Barca Cantina, located at Pier 81, 41st Street and 12th Avenue, will be open five days a week, Wednesday through Sunday, with multiple sailings each day on the Hudson River (Wednesday and Thursday from 5:00pm-10:00pm; Friday from 3:00pm-10pm; Saturday and Sunday from 1:00pm-10:00pm). Patrons can purchase a Boarding Pass ($10), which is valid for sailings throughout the day, online or in-person at the box office at Pier 81. Reservations are accepted for groups of 15 or more.