Place: Cowgirl Sea-Horse
Neighborhood: Financial District, 259 Front St. (between Peck Slip & Dover St.)
Mimosa Rating:
The scoop: Cowgirl Sea-Horse is the sister restaurant of the Cowgirl restaurant located in the West Village. Both are known for their delicious Tex-Mex/comfort food dishes. I have been to both locations for dinner several times and I always come back for more.
Football aliens wrapped in Christmas lights?
It was a Sunday afternoon, and we were going to take a stroll around the water. We thought it would be a good idea to start our day with brunch at Cowgirl Sea-Horse — located steps from the South St. Seaport. The restaurant was filled with brunchers, but we had no problem getting a table.
The atmosphere is very relaxed and it is a good place to come with a group of friends or children. Funky and random decor add to the relaxed feel of this restaurant; you will see things from fish hanging from the walls, Christmas lights, to a sign pointing to the bar. I enjoyed the classic rock music that played in the background.
I wasn’t too impressed with the service, as it took us a while to order our food. Also, when the waiter brought us our dishes, he gave Matt the wrong order; therefore, he had to wait a short while for his actual dish.
Bottoms up:
Maiden Lane Michelada
Maiden Lane Michelada $6 / 24 oz. spicy beer cocktail made with Tecate on the rocks with a salted rim
This is one of Matt’s favorite drinks at Cowgirl. It’s almost like a bloody Mary, but the tomato juice taste isn’t as prominent because of the beer. I’m not a bloody Mary fan, but I am able to tolerate this drink since the beer gives it a good balance.
Sangria
Sangria $10 / Prepared with freshly squeezed seahorse lime, lemon and orangeades
I was highly disappointed with the sangria and it wasn’t worth $10. Not only did it not contain fruit, but it was extremely watered down. I could not taste the wine; it had more of a juice taste.
Bloody bull
Bloody Bull $8 / Hornitos tequila with homemade spicy tomato mix in an Old Bay rimmed 16 oz. glass
Cowgirl offers two different types of bloody Marys — one with tequila and one with vodka. Matt went with the tequilla version. The drink wasn’t bad, but the presentation could have been better and he would have liked a celery stalk or olives in his glass. Also, the Old Bay seasoning looked like rusty dirt on the rim.
Chew on this:
Cowgirl chips and Texas caviar
Cowgirl chips and Texas caviar $4.95
The chips and Texas caviar are complimentary during dinner, but you have to pay for them during brunch. It’s not the traditional caviar that most people are accustomed to. This dip consists of black-eyed peas with other seasonings, and it’s a tasty alternative if you looking for something other than salsa.
Cap’n Crunch French toast
Cap’n Crunch French toast $9.95 / French toast rolled in crushed Cap’n Crunch cereal and served with pure maple syrup and fruit salad
I’ve been craving French toast, so I had to go with the Cap’n Crunch special. I loved Cap’n Crunch when I was a kid, and I thought why not take a step back in time and try the toast. The toast had little crushed pieces stuck to it. Although the Cap’n Crunch sweet cereal taste wasn’t prominent, the dish was really enjoyable. The bread had a decent thickness and good moisture. I used syrup, but since there was solid flavor, there was no need to drown the toast. The fruit was served in little chunks in a small cup. It wasn’t much, but it was all I needed.
Crabcake Benedict
Crabcake Benedict $12.95 / Crab cake topped with two poached eggs and drizzled with lime cream and mango coulis
Although the crabcake Benedict was slightly salty, it was flavorful and delicious. The crabcake had chunks of pepper and it appealed to me very much because I was eating a sweet dish and I love the balance of salty and sweet. Matt’s only complaint was that the eggs weren’t poached well. Since he didn’t have a lot egg yolk, he didn’t have much to swoop with his bread. The potatoes were flavorful and crispy.
Outside Cowgirl Sea-Horse
The final bite: Although service can be slow, Cowgirl is a decent place for brunch if you are looking for good comfort food in a relaxed atmosphere.
Reviewed by: Victoria
