I am in and out of New York City often, visiting family and friends; however, as the weather gets warmer and school years come to an end, my weekend plans involve more train rides or drives into the city for brunches, graduation parties, travel and all the exciting summer activities we partake in during this season.

The past few weekends, various events landed me in the city and at restaurants I haven’t been to before and am now hoping become part of my summer in the city rotation.

As an avid lover of fusion cuisine, I find myself at a crossroads as words fail me to describe the strategically and wonderfully curated union of Spanish and Latin-Caribbean cultures in the dishes Tasca offers diners. Combining the shared history of dishes from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba and Spain, the menu features deliciously sophisticated and contemporary dishes that pay homage to the flavors I grew up with and exceeded my expectations. The best part? I indulged in this experience with my mom during our dinner date over Dominican Mother Day’s weekend — which we celebrate the last Sunday of May.

The ambiance was exactly what we hoped for: elegant, warm, decently loud and not rushed; the restaurant is conveniently close to Central Park, Beacon Theater and other Upper West Side favorites, which served us perfectly for an after-dinner walk.

Now on to the meal:

Drinks: I opted for sparkling water and lemon while my mom started off with a glass of Whispering Angel Provence Rosé, one of my favorites. She doesn’t typically drink, so I was surprised she picked up on the grapefruit and peachy notes.

Appetizers: We briefly looked at the menu and immediately agreed on trying the croquetas de mariscos (seafood croquettes) and decided to order the scallops special after our server described the dish. Neither disappointed. The croquetas were delightfully fluffy on the inside and super crispy on the outside, but the scallops took the crown for me. They were flavorful and melted in my mouth; the accompanying slaw and sauces were vibrant and balanced.

Dinner: We shared the churrasco and the halibut special, and both dishes were wonderful! The churrasco was perfectly cooked, decently portioned and dressed; however, the yucca fries were the showstopper. The halibut was fragrant, flaky and simply delicious.

We didn’t order any dessert as there was a Milk Bar close to us, so you can imagine what motivated the aforementioned walk.

The following weekend I went back to the city — this time to play tour guide and explore the piers and the adjacent areas with one of my cousins who was in town on a quick business trip. We took a little exploring break at Queensyard, a British restaurant located within The Shops and Restaurants at Hudson Yards. Unfortunately, the kitchen was closed, but we were able to order some appetizers and sit by the bar to enjoy a cocktail or two.

I needed a little boost, so I opted for the Gold Edition Espresso Martini and was pleasantly surprised with how chocolaty it actually was, and my cousin enjoyed the Endless Summer. For the appetizers, we tried the Yellowfin tuna tartare and the smashed avocado dip, served with delicious sweet potato crisps.

Reading the menu made us wish we had planned to arrive earlier, but now I have an excuse to go back with my girlfriends. I have a few other spots on my list such as Le Coucou and Cookshop that I’m hoping to visit next month. I’ll let you know about my experience at both!

— Yasser Ogando, advertising & production manager