K Pasa is the no-rules, all-day taqueria we can all get behind.
THE GIST It’s important to understand K Pasa is not a Mexican restaurant. The 78-seat eatery, set inside the Sag Harbor building that for decades housed the much beloved La Superica, does indeed have tacos at its heart, but the culinary fusion menu draws inspiration from several food influences. Owned by David Hart and brothers Tora and Jesse Matsuoka, K Pasa opened in May 2019 and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner every day all year long, overlooking Windmill Beach, Long Wharf and the bay just beyond.
THE VIBE Head past the concrete-topped half-moon bar at the entrance to the industrial-meets-beachy dining room, which has exposed stainless-steel ducting with iron beams, beachy white oak tables and chairs, bright-green printed booths and oversized potted cacti. A row of large windows runs along one side of the dining rooms, while a neon “Tacos & Tequila” sign beckons on the other. The back wall boasts
a Hamptons-centric black and white mural; designed by multi-disciplinary artist Danny Lawless, it depicts a female jockey holding a martini and riding a whale — the resto’s mascot.
Open since 2019, K Pasa boasts a culinary fusion menu in a bright beachy-meets-industrial atmosphere. (Photos by Doug Young)
THE FOOD Helmed by chef Miguel Reyes Castillo, the menu has an Americana-style taqueria vibe and features Latin street food classics, along with inventive riffs on tacos and a slightly healthier spin on familiar comfort foods. Tacos can be made in gluten-free tortillas or lettuce wraps and a duo of rice and grain bowls filled with veggies and legumes is available. “Extras” — additional proteins, including a plant-based chorizo — create a build-your-own-adventure dining experience. At the full-service bar, tequila reigns supreme, with a long list of sustainably made, small-batch spirits. Specialty cocktails include some killer margaritas, available frozen or on the rocks.
Tacos The handheld versatile menu star comes in eight options, ranging from steak to seafood to vegetarian. Here, we have two ounces of blackened salmon served with mango pico de gallo; tempura-battered hake Baja-style over a lime crema with K Pasa’s own OG hot sauce and raw shredded cabbage; and a piece of seared halloumi atop a bed of coconut-milk braised black beans, bedazzled with julienned radish and a drizzle of hot honey.
Enchiladas Four corn tortillas are generously stuffed with either pulled chicken or plant-based Impossible chorizo and served over a homemade green mole sauce topped with house salsa verde and crumbled feta.
Wings Flats and drumsticks are flash fried and then tossed in a guajillo-based hot sauce consisting of pineapple juice, honey, soy sauce and sesame seeds. The obligatory little side of creamy blue-cheese sauce is the perfect counterpart.
Clockwise from top left: Enchiladas, super greens salad, chicken wings, Castillo’s signature lamb birria, cheeseburger empanada. (Photos by Doug Young)
Birria Lamb shoulder is heavily seasoned and braised for over eight hours low and slow, stuffed into three corn tortillas along with a three-cheese blend and then pan fried to crispy perfection. Served with hot braising liquid on the side for dipping, it’s a beloved specialty of Castillo’s.
Cheeseburger empanada Adobo-spiced ground chuck chop meat is stuffed into flour-based empanada dough along with a blend of gruyère, fontina and white cheddar. Served over a healthy dollop of house-made chipotle mayo and a bed of shredded purple cabbage, it’s a clever and delicious way of sneaking a burger onto an otherwise heavily Latin-influenced menu.
Super greens salad Chopped baby gem lettuce is tossed with sliced cucumbers, dates, slivered almonds and pepitas in a raw poblano chili, cilantro, mint and lime dressing. Unassuming but with great crunch, it’s the epitome of a less-is-more dish.
K Pasa
2 Bay St., Sag Harbor
631-800-8226
@kpasarestaurant
Hours Open daily, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
