We have been to Cosme three times now and each time I leave I find myself lost in thought, mulling over one dish or another, trying to digest the alien assault of new flavours and ingredients on my senses. 

It is rare that a menu reads like a mystery, or that a dish renders me clueless as to its ingredients or preparation. The fact that this is always the case at Cosme means that to me its secrets are as tantalising as a sidelong wink from an attractive man.

They opened for brunch on Sundays three weeks ago, so I was able to book a table as word hasn't quite got out yet.

 Bloody Maria - light, herby and smoky, with a chilli crusted jicama stirrer.

 Watermelon and mezcal.

 Pineapple, cinnamon and rum.

Little cubes of crisp nopal cactus that tasted like aloe, with a citrus acidity, dressed in a herb pesto and paired with green leaves, baby tomatillos, sharp sorrel sprouts and a rich white ayocote bean purée, or Mexican hummous, as my husband described it.

 Blue corn quesadilla with a squeaky white cheese and epazote herb filling. 

Sliced raw razor clams in their shells, dressed with celery leaves, carrot, avocado and Mexican lime.

Arctic char tostado with creamy avocado, crystalline heat from translucent slices of green jalapeno, chervil and briny trout roe.

Lobster and tortilla broth with chunks of sweet lobster, sour cream, crunchy blue tortilla strips and chewy deep fried chochoyotas - tortilla balls.

Duck enmoladas with chichilo mole made from pasilla and another, apparently very expensive chilli I didn't catch the name of (chilwaquele?).

Kale tamal, wrapped in banana leaf and topped with spring onion laced ricotta.

Lime, ginger, mezcal and dragonfruit sorbet

Raicilla - also know as mezcal depending on where in Mexico it was made. This particularly phenomenal one was smoky, sweet and salty at the same time. 

Cosme

35 E 21st Street

New York, NY 10010

Tel: 212 913-9659