The most important ingredient for any restaurant to be successful is that people want to be there.
Food is as personal as religion. In Harlem, I finally had the opportunity to step into OSO (Bear, in Spanish), a Mexican restaurant owned by Matthew Trebek and his business partner Nodar Mosiashvili.
Like many eateries, it had been under scaffolding for over five years, and although I walked by it hundreds of times, I never realized what a jewel was just down the street.
Living a Los Angeles bicoastal lifestyle, I believe my palate has been educated in Mexican cuisine, and having spent time in Mexico (on a film project) and being Afro-Mexican, my expectations were in full force. I admit it. I walked in with prejudice and walked out very happy, and here’s why.
OSO’s staff, head chef, and other cooks make you feel welcome. Not pushy. No hovering. They let you breathe.
My favorite spot is a nook of stools in front of the cooking station, where I can watch Chef Jose Aguilar’s magic happen.
Relaxing and zen—something is calming about watching perfectly ripe avocados get scooped out of their skin and added to a growing green mountain.
Hands fly across knives (just like in all those addicting kitchen shows) as they chop cilantro, dice onions, and chop juicy tomatoes, transforming them into a perfect salsa that needs no salt.
The star of the show is the mole, a dish so light but profoundly memorable, that it’s used on appetizers like the Calabaza con mole. Their Al Pastor—spit-fired pork, guajillo, piña, onions, and cilantro—is so perfectly married, that it’s in a category all its own.
Other popular offerings include Bistec y Camarón and my personal favorite, the braised chicken enchilada. And don’t be afraid to ask for a very dirty martini with double olives. It’s not on the official menu, but their bartender whips them up for the regulars.
That’s just one example of the charm of OSO and why it’s a neighborhood favorite.
We caught up with Matthew Trebek, and here is what he had to say about owning OSO with his business partner, Nodar Mosiashvili.
AMSTERDAM NEWS: I’ve lived on this side of Harlem since 2011 and just noticed your lovely joint OSO. When did you open it?
Matthew Trebek: We opened in 2016, but like a lot of businesses in the area, we were under scaffolding for about five years—a little over five years, actually.
AMN: Harlem has changed, making space for a growing and diverse Mexican community. As an Afro-Mexican and producer of my first short documentary MEXICANS IN HARLEM: DAY OF THE DEAD I have kept a very close eye.
MT: Yes, you are right. The East side of Harlem has typically had a very dominant Mexican population, while the West side and Washington Heights were more dominated by Dominicans and Puerto Ricans. But here, for sure, there is a nice mix of everybody.
AMN: Matt, why Mexican food?
MT: Well, at the time, growing up in Los Angeles, I was always around a lot of Mexican food.
AMN: So, Mexican cuisine is comfort food.
MT: (Laughing) Yes, and that’s what we wanted OSO to feel like when you walked in.
AMN: Mission accomplished. I have never felt so relaxed and welcome, and that’s what motivated me to write this piece.
AMN: Describe the food. It’s not heavy like some traditional dishes. It’s light but absolutely filling.
MT: Well, we wanted OSO to feel like a ‘nice restaurant’ with proper service, but by taking more street food dishes that we would find in Mexico City or surrounding areas and transitioning those into a nice dining setting. We always aimed to have shared plates and just tried to take various dishes out with our chef at the time and keep the concept light, but still elevated.
AMN: Again, accomplished. And your head chef—he’s Mexican, right?
MT: Yes, [Chef] Jose Aguilar is, and he uses traditional family recipes from particular areas in Mexico.
AMN: So real and so, so, so yummy!
MT: Exactly. Very authentic.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
https://people.com/all-about-alex-trebek-children-8672684
https://www.osoharlem.com/
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