SI FOOD: Adobe Blues & The Wolfpack

Adobe Blues.  What a fun surprise evening.   Staten Island is full of little gems and surprises, if you look for them.  Adobe Blues has been a neighborhood Mexican Restaurant and Bar since 1993. Almost 20 years!  Nobody ever told me.

It is off the beaten path on the North Shore in Livingston, on 63 Lafayette Ave, at the corner of Fillmore.  Parking is tight in the lot behind the building but parking is available nearby on the street.  It is a few blocks from Snug Harbor on the way to the ferry off Richmond Terrace.  Phone is 718-720-2583.  Service is good for Staten Island.  However, they only have 15 tables, so no reservations are taken.



There are three aspects to this establishment:
1.  BEVERAGE.  They have over 200 kinds of beer on the menu.  I have no idea how many are actually in stock.  Big on Tequila as well.  So you get the idea they are serious on the beverages that go best with Mexican food.  They also have four varieties homemade Sangria.  If you are intent on ordering a Zinfandel or a Merlot, you probably don't belong here and you probably hate beans too, so I will save you the trip.

2.  FOOD.  Very good Mexican.  It is not "high end" but is better than the run-of-the-mill that is SO common on the Island.  On a NY Times scale of four stars being the top rating, I would give this a one and a half star to two star, which is very good.  Don't think Rosa Mexicano of the 1980's or current Toloache in Manhattan.  Any four star restaurant is IMPOSSIBLE for Staten island.   We may have one Three Star Restaurant on the Island.

For starters, Spicy Buffalo Sausages with Applesauce and Horseradish sauce worked REALLY WELL.  Original and tasty.   The Hot Shots were traditional stuffed and fried Jalepenos.  Medium hot and tasty.  Main Courses were Pork and Chicken Tamales.  Firm and flavorful.  I had the Tuna & Black bean sauce special.  The Tuna was a bit overdone despite asking for it medium rare.  However, the flavor combination worked well.  Don't ask for espresso, they do have regular coffee.  This brings us to the third aspect.

3.  MUSIC.  Live music is a disappearing aspect of participant life.  You listen to it, you don't do it.   I grew up with my dad as a drummer playing music in the living room with all his golf buddies.  Different from today's experience that dictates music comes from iTunes or a stolen MP3 file.  Hearing a live band now means paying $300 for a Sarah McLachlan ticket at the Garden. 

Adobe Blues has a very actively attended music schedule.  They update their flyer weekly and project out a month with different bands on Fridays and Saturdays.  We were lucky to stumble in around 8:30 on a Wednesday night.  Behold The Wolfpack:




The Wolfpack is a blues trio that plays EVERY Wednesday night from 9 till midnight.  In the later hours, they invite local musicians to sit in and play.  They were good and personable.  They do a mix of Blues and Jazz. 

So a recommendation: Go on Wednesday night around 8:15.  Order your food and dinner, then kick back and enjoy the band with dessert and coffee as they actually go on about 9:15 ish.  If you don't like Blues and Beans, we can recommend some pizza places that will knock your socks off in silence.
JA