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One of the standout features of the Radio Hotel is Jalao, a Dominican restaurant with a \u201cculinary twist,\u201d named for a traditional dessert made with coconuts and honey. I\u2019ll be honest, I\u2019m pretty skeptical when I hear the term \u201cculinary twist,\u201d especially with interpretations of foods I\u2019ve grown up eating.<\/p>\n
As I made my way to the restaurant, which is conveniently located right across from the lobby, sounds of bachata music and laughter got louder and louder. At the hostess stand, I was greeted in Spanish and escorted with my friend to our table.<\/p>\n\nKEVIN MARTINEZ\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe restaurant is designed to resemble the trendy restaurants of cosmopolitan Santo Domingo, meaning Spanish-influenced arches in the doorway, lots of brightly colored artwork and, most importantly, the vibrant sounds of bachata blasting at full volume.<\/p>\n\nKEVIN MARTINEZ\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWe started with the tart but refreshing Mercado Margarita ($18), made using silver tequila and passion fruit juice and topped with a rosemary-hibiscus foam.<\/p>\n\nKEVIN MARTINEZ\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAnother drink that struck me was a take on a very popular Dominican beverage called a Morir Sonando ($15), which translates to \u201cdie dreaming.\u201d A traditional Morir Sonando is made with orange juice, Dominican vanilla extract and evaporated milk. The difference between Jalao’s take and the original is that Jalao’s version is adult-friendly, with a nice splash of Tito\u2019s vodka, which added a nice kick to the traditional childhood drink. However, you can and absolutely should try it without alcohol if you\u2019re looking for something to satisfy a sweet tooth craving.<\/p>\n\nKEVIN MARTINEZ\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAs an appetizer, I chose the Bombones de Yuca ($13), or little yuca-based croquettes filled with cheddar cheese and topped off with a chipotle-pineapple criolla sauce. These little croquettes pack a real sweet and savory punch with a minor hit of spice.<\/p>\n
For my main course, I ordered a traditional Dominican stew dish called Sancocho ($26), usually made using different cuts of meat, carrots and corn in a rich cilantro-based broth and served with a side of white rice and freshly ripened avocado. Dipping my rice into the broth, I could almost imagine my grandmother\u2019s betrayal if I told her how close this was to the real deal.<\/p>\n
The richness and bold flavors of the meat along with the base of the white rice and avocado made the inside of my mouth dance along to the fast-paced merengue beat surrounding me.<\/p>\n
When it came time to dessert, I decided that as my final test of determining whether Jalao\u2019s \u201cculinary twist\u201d was up to my personal standards, I would try the 5 Leches Dominicana ($13), Jalao\u2019s take on the traditional tres leches, my favorite dessert of all time. I tried to order a cafecito on the side to accompany my dessert, much like my grandfather would always do, but unfortunately, my server told me that the coffee machine wasn\u2019t working, so I settled on a Coca-Cola ($3). The dessert itself was rich and creamy, with the taste of Dominican vanilla extract along with hints of what I assumed to be rum.<\/p>\n
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Overall, I was beyond thrilled with Jalao. The atmosphere, which reminded me of being at a lively restaurant in the Dominican Republic, invoked sweet nostalgic memories \u2014 not to mention the food itself. I have to say, I\u2019m glad I was wrong in being skeptical about the so-called culinary twist, and I\u2019ll admit it: I actually really liked the fun interpretations of traditional food and drinks.<\/p>\n
Amenities and service<\/h2>\n While there was no spa or swimming pool, the hotel did offer a small but decently equipped gym.<\/p>\n
The nicest parts of my stay were the interactions I had with the very friendly staff, from the front desk workers to the hostess at Jalao and the housekeepers. In fact, when chatting with one of the housekeepers we found out we had a mutual distant cousin from back in the Dominican Republic. It really goes to show that the community up in the Heights can sometimes be really, really small.<\/p>\n
Out and about<\/h2>\n Radio Hotel\u2019s design and theme really encourage guests to go out and experience the neighborhood and nearby areas.<\/p>\n
Just a few stops north on the A train, you\u2019ll find yourself in the neighborhood of Inwood, which is at the very tiptop of Manhattan. There, you\u2019ll find plenty of lively restaurants, bars, nightclubs and lounges. Not to mention, for any sports fans, you\u2019re only a few stops away from Yankee Stadium, so if you\u2019re looking to catch a game, you\u2019ll be right near the action.<\/p>\n
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With the hotel\u2019s location, you really do get the best of both worlds. Not only are you right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of New York, but you\u2019re also in close proximity to some of the natural attractions the city has to offer. Fort Tryon Park is only two stops away on the uptown A or No. 1 train, where you can hike along the southern Hudson Valley and get not only some breathtaking views but also a nice break from the city noise.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re looking for some arts and culture, Washington Heights is home to the United Palace theater, host of the 2023 Tony Awards. And just one stop away, the Met Cloisters is home to an expansive collection of artwork from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. You\u2019ll find relics, rare artifacts and breathtaking art all located inside an 18th-century Romanesque-style monastery.<\/p>\n
Accessibility<\/h2>\n While Radio Hotel offers Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant rooms upon request, I found that some aspects of the hotel could be difficult to navigate. In order to get to my room, I had to navigate a dimly lit, labyrinth-like hallway with limited, tiny signs pointing toward room numbers. Inside the room, space was minimal but hopefully much larger in accessible rooms.<\/p>\n
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Inside the shower, I had a bit of difficulty getting some of the bathroom products out of full-size squeeze tubes. It would\u2019ve been better if the bottles had a pump, as soapy hands and large squeeze bottles aren\u2019t necessarily the best combination.<\/p>\n
Checking out<\/h2>\n Looking back at my stay, I have to say that overall it was a real treat. Going into this I had high hopes when it came to the Radio Hotel \u2014 and, for the most part, it exceeded my expectations.<\/p>\n
Although there were some minor hiccups along the way, I felt that for a brand-new hotel, especially one that\u2019s not connected to any large chain, Radio has something fun and unique to offer. You may not be in the center of the action as you would be at other hotels, but you do get the opportunity to really immerse yourself within the culture of the surrounding area and be a part of the community that I call my home away from home.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a semi-native New Yorker, I always make a point to remind everyone that New York is way more expansive than just the small microcosm that is tourist-filled midtown. Just 6 miles north of Times Square, or about 125 blocks (if you\u2019re counting), you\u2019ll find the robust and energizing community of Washington Heights. The neighborhood […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4635,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-4634","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-travel"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4634","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4634"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4634\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4635"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4634"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4634"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4634"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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