Hellbender

At Hellbender in Ridgewood, the Mexican-American brief is visible in the dishes. The current dinner menu lists fried Oaxacan cheese, oyster-mushroom esquites, chicken milanesa with morita chile, lamb shank barbacoa and arctic char with creamed-corn mole. It is a working menu of snacks, seafood and larger plates, accompanied by margaritas and other cocktails.

Corn, chile and texture across the menu

Esquites built with mushrooms and epazote, milanesa with chile-spiked slaw, and barbacoa with beans and hoja santa show different uses of familiar materials. Brunch Friday through Sunday extends that range with dishes such as a soft-scrambled egg tostada, masa pancakes and chilaquiles. These examples are from the restaurant’s published menu; individual dishes may change.

A Ridgewood service format

The restaurant sits at Forest Avenue and 68th Road in Queens. It serves dinner and drinks most evenings and brunch Friday through Sunday. Reservations are available through Resy, while some space is kept for walk-ins.