New York’s hot love story is brewing inside a tiny 400-square-foot Mexican restaurant in Harlem where the kitchen is located in the bar and a piano sits front and center, creating a romantic atmosphere filled with the scent of beef birria. The restaurant, Cocina Consuelo, is operated by husband-and-wife team Karina Garcia and Eduardo “Lalo” Rodriguez, who met while working together at an Italian restaurant on the Upper East Side. After falling in love and traveling to Puebla, Mexico together, they decided to start a supper club which eventually led to the opening of their own restaurant.
The success of their supper club led Garcia and Rodriguez to open Cocina Consuelo, a small 25-seat, walk-in only restaurant on West 143rd Street and Hamilton Place. The couple crafted a specific menu to fit the limited space, doing a lot of prep work in the morning to ensure that dishes are ready for service. Garcia slow-roasts her birria for 15 hours, a traditional beef stew braised in bone marrow from Jalisco, which is served over two giant halved bones with salsa roja, pickled onions, and cilantro, among other hot items. The restaurant reflects the couple’s love story and their passion for Mexican cuisine.
Garcia and Rodriguez’s love story began at Morini, where Rodriguez was a busboy and Garcia worked as a waitstaff captain. Despite Garcia’s initial disinterest, a shared love for Mexican food brought them closer together. A trip to Puebla where Rodriguez’s family taught Garcia how to cook traditional dishes solidified their bond as they shared a romantic moment at the Cholula pyramid. They continued to date despite Rodriguez briefly moving back to Mexico, making visits to each other’s home cities.
Their relationship deepened, and they got engaged outside Eleven Madison Park in 2019. The couple used their time during the pandemic to start a supper club in Garcia’s apartment and hosted pop-ups at various locations before finally opening Cocina Consuelo. They poured their savings into the restaurant after saving money from their various ventures. Cocina Consuelo serves a variety of dishes, including their signature birria and aguachiles, often accompanied by live music from local musicians.
New Yorkers have embraced Cocina Consuelo, with diners praising the restaurant for its unique atmosphere and delicious food. The couple, who have a daughter together, have found success and fulfillment in their restaurant, which represents a full-circle moment for Garcia who grew up in the neighborhood. Despite the challenges they faced during the pandemic, Garcia and Rodriguez are grateful to be able to follow their dreams together. Their love story, rooted in food and shared experiences, has blossomed into a successful business in the heart of Harlem.
