Barrio Chic

when i walked past el museo del barrio, i was wowed by the formerly gritty museum's new bold yellow plexiglass façade and, once inside, by the bright, airy modern café, with its huge arched windows overlooking the central park conservatory garden. part of el museo's $35 million renovation, el café is catered by great performances, the same company that brings you warming root vegetable soup at wave hill or artisanal cheese boards at bam.

i wondered whether a corporate caterer would "get" latino food right. with copies of the high-end magazine edible manhattan on every table and colorful displays

of mexican soda pop and galleta packets, el café is a fun mix of bodega meets bourgeois. the menu rotates daily, except for sides like rice and beans or the purple sticky sweet corn drink, chicha. a small container of conch soup ($4) had a thin, manhattan clam chowdery base spiked with chili peppers and loaded with tender conch chunks. small empanadas ($2.50) come in interesting flavors, like butternut squash, habanero pork or gooey guava and queso blanco, which reminded me of the savory/sweet baked brie and jam served by a friend's waspy aunt. caterers are cuisine centrists, after all. while not a "great" performance, this was fine fare in fun digs.

-- barrio chic el café at el museo del barrio 1230 fifth ave. (near 103rd st.) 212-831-7272

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