AlwaysInvestigating: Testing the Dos Toros Quesadilla

Arthur Bovino — March 04, 2010

The Steak Quesadilla at Dos Toros Taqueria.

People have been talking about how good the quesadillas are at Dos Toros Taqueria. In early January, Oliver Strand called them “a marquee player.” Soon after, Ed Levine said, “I don’t think there is a better quesadilla to be had in all New York City.” We thought the same thing last November. But all this talk inspired the question: what are the City’s other great contenders?

Menupages puts the number of New York restaurants with ‘quesadilla’ on their menus at 860 (that only 468 are labeled Mexican may cause concern). Even crossing off Applebee’s and the like, determining the City’s best quesadilla would be daunting. After due diligence, we pitted seven steak renditions at well-regarded places against Dos Toros to see who might topple the quesadilla that would-be king.

More About Dos Toros Taqueria's Quesadilla >>

AlwaysInvestigating: Latin Breakfast Sandwiches

Maryse Chevrière — January 18, 2010

Café Habana’s “Sloppy Pepe” with Pulled Pork, Two Eggs and Habanero Pickled Onions.

At the end of last year we predicted that the Mexican sandwich craze would make a big splash in 2010. As much as we love tortas and tacos, some of the best Latin sandwiches are served at breakfast. Here are three of our current favorites.

Café Habana’s Egg Sandwich with two scrambled eggs, lettuce, tomato, black beans and mayo on thick Cuban bread is arguably the best in class. Add bacon and a liberal amount of their excellent hot sauce to enhance the experience. It’s exactly what you’ve always wanted in a breakfast sandwich. The catch? It’s only available on weekdays. But there’s an equally good sandwich on the brunch menu. Advertised as a hangover cure, the “Sloppy Pepe” (above) is perfect after a big night out. Juices from the smoky pulled pork soak into the crusty bread and the runny yolks from the two sunny-side up eggs add the right amount of richness. But the Habanero pickled onions are what make this dish. A bright, sour note that leaves you salivating.

Click here to see our other favorite Latin breakfast sandwiches >>

Featured Brunch: Mesa Coyoacan

Arthur Bovino — November 20, 2009

Top, Azteca Soup. Left, Chilaquiles with Poached Eggs. Right, Molletes.

If you haven’t visited Mesa Coyoacan (view) for Ivan Garcia’s Grilled Cactus, Enchiladas Verdes, and Spiced Lamb in Avocado Leaves, you’ve missed out. If you have, you know this is some of New York City’s best Mexican food. For those who prefer their Mexican with margaritas, there’s new inspiration to visit— a full liquor license was recently approved and in addition to Micheladas, Mesa now serves more than 100 Tequilas and Mezcales, as well as seven different margaritas.

What you may not know is that Mesa also does a mean brunch. The menu features the addictive Esquites (corn kernels, epazote, chile, mayo and lime juice with cotija) from dinner, a strong Huevos Rancheros, a sweet Mexican spin on pancakes with cajeta (goat milk caramel spread), and the occasional Hallah Bread ‘Pan Frances’ covering standard brunch fare.

But there are three dishes to focus on at Mesa. The first is the Molletes, Mexican grilled bread with Black Beans, Oaxaca cheese, Chorizo and Pico de Gallo. It’s like a giant Mexican bruschetta. It would be a great appetizer to share before diving into the real move at Mesa: the Chilaquiles with Poached Eggs and Salsa Ranchera, followed by the Azteca Soup with Ancho Chile, Chile Guajillo, Queso Fresco and Avocado. They’re warm and spicy, but soft on the stomach and extremely satisfying.

For more pictures of dishes at Mesa Coyoacan check out its restaurant page here.

AlwaysPartying: National Guacamole Day

AlwaysHungry — November 13, 2009

Arcane’s Feroce D’Avocat: Bacalao Guacamole.

Tomorrow (11/14) is National Guacamole Day, and to celebrate, we’re shining the spotlight on one of the more interesting renditions we’ve eaten lately. We’ve enjoyed unique add-ins like beets and watermelon in the guacamoles at Mercadito Cantina, but Arcane’s (view) French Caribbean take, Bacalao Guacamole, was a pleasant surprise. A good guac needs a decent amount of salt and using bacalao accomplishes that while adding a hint of the sea. The texture is certainly different (creamy with a slight chew) and odd at first. But eaten on top of the soft, sweet, fried plantain rounds, it’s addictive.

Of course, whether you enjoy more out-of-the-box interpretations or prefer a classic tableside preparation, all you need to do is type ‘Guacamole’ into AlwaysHungryNY.com’s Very Advanced Search Engine to find the best New York City has to offer.

Take a look at our guacamole recommendations before drinking margaritas make you forget what you were even celebrating in the first place.

AlwaysInformed: Cabrito’s Border Dogs

The Gluttoness — October 23, 2009

From top left, clockwise, Cabrito’s Border Dogs: Sonora Dog, Danger Dog and Lucha Libre Dog.

Cabrito (view) really knows how to use the flat-screen TVs they recently installed. No NY1 on these bad boys— they’re reserved for specialty events like Mexican Lucha Libre, the World Cup, and for now, football. Given Chef David Schuttenberg’s new promotional menu for his football parties, the combination of food and flat-screens may make this your new favorite Sunday hangout, especially if you enjoy eating while watching the game, but are tired of snacking on junk while surrounded by drunken frat boys at sports bars. Schuttenberg’s line of “Border Dogs” coincides with the ongoing hot dog craze, but it was his time in Tucson, Arizona (and a recent NPR article, The Sonoran Hotdog Crosses The Border), which inspired him to recreate the “Mexicanized” Sonora-style dogs.

Schuttenberg balances the Cabrito/Fatty profile (read: spicy/funky) with the regional flavors of Mexico. As per Sonoran custom, the dogs are wrapped in bacon. At Cabrito, Nathan’s (“because they’re New York”) are wrapped in bacon, Fatty ‘Cue’s smoked coriander bacon. Then they’re deep-fried. Rather than the dense, traditional bolio, Schuttenberg uses Martin’s Long Potato Rolls, which he coats in lardo then griddles. Each of the three border dogs ($8.00/each) are distinct. For him, the “Sonora Dog” represents home, the “Danger Dog” is about being a badass, and “Lucha Libre” is pure, artery-clogging gluttony.

Click Here for the Dog-by-Dog Pictures >>

AlwaysInformed: Market in Front, Taqueria in Back

The Gluttoness — October 20, 2009

Pollo ($2.50) and Al Pastor Tacos ($2.75/each).

Sometimes, you forget that the classics are there. You overlook little restaurant tidbits you’ve always known, not because you don’t remember or love them, but because you get distracted by shiny new things. So it is with the tacos in Midtown at Tehuitzingo (view).

Named after a small town in Mexico about 130 miles west of Veracruz, the awning for this unassuming hole-in-the-wall reads “Deli & Grocery,” and in case you’ve forgotten it, the neon “Mexican Food” sign doesn’t refer to the shelves full of mole and tortilla shells, but rather the legit taqueria in the tiny area in the rear with bar stools, a serious selection of hot sauces for the spice-inclined, and some of the best tacos in town.

Each of the cilantro and onion topped tacos gets the multiple tortilla treatment, which is handy when the juices start dripping after the first bite. In case you haven’t been or haven’t been in a while, none cost more than $3.00, and you can’t go wrong with safe bets like chicken, goat and roast pork. But of course there are also all the great sizzling offal options: Lengua (beef tongue), Sangre (goat tripe), Chicharron En Salsa Verde (Pork Skin), Suadero (Beef Belly), Oreja (Pork Ear) and Tripa (Pork Tripe).

And if the recent Times article got you interested in sugary, glass-bottled Mexican Coke, then the tacos aren’t the only reason to venture to this quiet stretch of 10th Avenue, the bebidas Mexicana are calling.

Making the Grade: Móle Review

Hank "The Scumbag" Lihn — October 06, 2009

Carne Asada tacos at Móle.

“It may shock you, but I’m going to give a stunning endorsement to Móle, the Allen Street Mexican spot tucked neatly beside the Lower East Side’s equivalent of a strip mall (a deli and a Domino’s). Approaching this small venue, you really don’t expect very much, despite the people you’ll occasionally see milling about outside it. But Móle possesses the earthen feeling of the cooking you’d get in your abuela’s home (if you had an abuela) juxtaposed against a “Wastin’ Away Again in Margaritaville,” aesthetic that pervades the space. It’s a one-two combination for blue collar culinary glory at its finest.”

CLICK FOR AHNY’S FULL REVIEW OF MÓLE.

AlwaysTraveling: L.A. Tacos (Los Angeles)

The Gluttoness — September 21, 2009

Los Angeles may be the land of glitz and glamour, but when it comes to food, we all know that the City of Angels is Taqueria Town. There are tons of authentic options, from free-standing originals to chains like King Taco, but newcomers are also shaking up the scene with international alternatives. Their prevalence even led one man to embark on The Great Taco Hunt, a lofty mission to taste and rate L.A. tacos in a quest to find the perfect one. During a recent trip, I conducted my own AlwaysHungry taco expedition, following a visit to the famed Tito’s Tacos with a stop at the nearest Kogi Truck (view site).

Clockwise from top left: Tito’s exterior, Tito’s Taco, Chili con Carne, Tostada.

Tito’s Tacos in Culver City is an inexpensive Mexican institution that has been preparing their top-secret recipes since 1959. Despite eight fast-moving windows for takeout and eat-in orders, long lines for this standard fare never let up. There are no frills and limited options. Tacos come with beef—don’t even think about substitutions.

While the name is Tito’s Tacos, the best thing on the menu is the Chili con Carne, which is slow-cooked for a decadent, heavily-spiced beefiness. Although the same beef fills the hard-shelled tacos, the proportion is overwhelmed by a flavorless helping of shredded lettuce. Refried Beans are topped with melted cheese and the Been & Cheese Tostadas are best eaten fast, before the crisp, underlying shell goes inconveniently soggy and becomes impossible to eat without utensils. The fresh Tomato Salsa is somewhat watery, needing both salt and pepper. Nothing at Titos’ is the best, and some of the stuff is barely average—it’s obvious that lifelong patrons have grown accustomed to the authentic, if underseasoned flavors.

Continue Reading >>

FirstLook: Señor Tacombi

Arthur Bovino — September 11, 2009

The Señor Tacombi truck served tacos to the fashionably hungry on Bond Street in front of The Smile.

We swung by The Smile (restaurant page) last night to get a peek at the Señor Tacombi taco truck on Bond Street. As reported yesterday, it was stationed there for the Fashion’s Night Out (view site) event, which marked the beginning of New York Fashion Week.

The VW bus, which we were told was brought all the way from Playa del Carmen, Mexico, was prepped to hand out 1000 free tacos to a fashionable, taco-hungry crowd. There were two options (shown below) prepared by several chefs, including Nicholas Porcelli (right, displaying his “Cook Well” finger tattoos).

We should note that the Señor Tacombi website was revamped since our post last Friday and no longer features images of white lingerie-clad angels and cool flying pigs.

Roast Pork with Achiote topped with Pickled Onion and Mexican Oregano.

Grilled Cactus with Roasted Habanero Salsa.

AlwaysPartying: Tacombi’s First Night Out

Arthur Bovino — September 10, 2009

Señor Tacombi truck

It is confirmed— in a celebration of fashion, street carts and Mexican food, Aaron Sanchez’s food truck, Señor Tacombi will debut tonight on Bond Street as part of The Smile’s festivities to celebrate Fashion’s Night Out (view site). Food will begin being served at the truck at 8pm. Last week’s post noted previous menu items.

As if this weren’t enough, The Smile will also be hosting a Schaller & Webber sausage cart, and serving some of their own bruschetta as well. Basically, there is no question that 26 Bond Street is the place that any good eater will be tonight.

AlwaysInvestigating: Plaza Mexico Doña Zita’s Cemita Poblana

Josh Kaplan — September 01, 2009

Plaza Mexico Doña Zita’s Chorizo Cemita Poblana, $8.

Tucked away on an inconspicuous corner of what used to be Astroland in Coney Island (on Bowery Street at Henderson Walk, view map), a half block from Stillwell Avenue, is a humble stand called Plaza Mexico Doña Zita. Besides two show-stealing condiments (their Salsa Fresca and an intense Tomatillo Cilantro Sauce), there’s nothing out of the ordinary as far as the competent Chicken, BBQ Pork and Chorizo tacos go. But the real reason to skip Nathan’s Famous Frankfurters is a sandwich, Doña Zita’s Cemita Poblana.

The Cemita is said to originate from Puebla. It traditionally includes sliced avocados, meat, cheese, onions and salsa roja on a sesame-seed egg roll. The incarnation offered by Plaza Mexico (advertised as a torta) is spectacular— a teetering tower of beautifully-balanced flavors and textures.

The bun is slathered with pinto bean paste and fried on the griddle. Next, Doña Zita’s greasy chorizo is laid as a foundation for thin slices of avocado, tomatoes, and jalapeño wedges. It’s all topped off with a fat, stringy nest of milky white quesillo, a popular Mexican string cheese (also known as Queso Oaxaca) that has the texture of mozzarella, and shredded lettuce. When you bite into the sandwich, the cheese acts as a cold, juicy, chewy element that melds with the grilled chorizo to form a melted, integrated bite— it’s a vision of Mexican street food.

AlwaysInformed: Shanks for the Memories

GutterGourmet — July 24, 2009

Cabrito’s A Pata de Cerdo

There is no question that Au Pied de Cochon in Montreal is one of North America’s greatest restaurants. As its name indicates, there are a lot of piggy amputees limping around Canada who have sacrificed limbs for our dining pleasure. The chef/owner of that restaurant is a lunatic named Martin Picard whose pig, duck and foie gras induced creations are gorgeously illustrated in the Au pied de Cochon Album Cookbook, which I highly recommend (spring for the hardcover with DVD so you don’t miss Picard and his cronies dining naked at the restaurant and their drunken attempts to reassemble an entire pig by placing the preparations of its various anatomical parts on a feasting table).

David Schuttenberg, the chef at Cabrito (formerly of Fatty Crab, which also owns Cabrito), admitted to me that he has never been to Au Pied de Cochon, but he was so inspired by the album’s recipe for Foie Gras Stuffed Pigs’ Feet that he had to adapt it to Mexican cuisine.

The original recipe is an involved process. First, the shank portion of an entire trotter is partially deboned with a hacksaw. The shank meat is browned with mushrooms and onions to make a stuffing, which is packed into the deboned shank and threaded shut. The whole trotter is then slowly cooked sous vide over several hours. Next, the cooked, stuffed trotter is brushed with egg and mustard, coated with breadcrumbs and cooked in a buttered skillet. Picard then throws layers of seared foie gras on top (as he tends to do with everything) for effect.

Cabrito’s plated “A Pata de Cerdo” and cross-section

Schuttenberg said he was faithful to Picard’s recipe and preparation (down to the hacksaw), but to bring the dish south of the border and make it “A Pata de Cerdo,” he added housemade chorizo to the stuffing. Sautéed chorizo and cubed leg meat are cooked separately with onion, garlic and Serrano peppers, then mixed with almonds, cilantro, chipotle chilies, panko breadcrumbs and mescal-soaked raisins. The stuffed trotter is braised in stock for 12 hours, refrigerated for 12 hours to set, then breaded, fried, baked and plated on shredded lettuce with tortillas and a side of cotija-topped Soupy Beans. Instead of foie gras, Schuttenberg piles on housemade pickled jalapeños, which cut the dish’s unctuous fattiness.

I recommend you get to Cabrito fast. The dish is a special this Saturday but they only serve four a night (unless they can find a hog bred with more than four legs). By the way, Cabrito (restaurant page) has some great happy hour deals on booze and tacos: “The Fatty Fix” (beer and bourbon, $12) got me in the proper frame of mind and the Taco Lengua ($3) blew away its counterpart at my standby, Tehuitzingo in Hell’s Kitchen. The eponymous Goat Belly Taco ($3), however, was the evening’s only disappointment.

Perhaps they should change the name of the place to “A Pata de Cerdo.”

AlwaysLearning: Cochinita Pibil

Josh Kaplan — June 30, 2009

What it is: Cochinita Pibil, or Puerco Pibil (Buried Baby Pig/Hog) is a whole suckling pig or pork butt, rubbed with an intricate spice blend, wrapped in a banana leaf and slow-roasted. The magic of the dish is created by Achiote Paste (or Recado Rojo), made from a distinctive spice blend that includes: clove, achiote, cumin, allspice, dried Mexican oregano, black pepper and salt, combined with sour Seville Oranges, vinegar, garlic and habanero peppers. Once slathered with paste, the meat is usually covered with sliced onions, wrapped in a banana leaf, and placed in a large baking pan in marinade. It is then covered with tin foil and cooked at a very low temperature until it falls apart. Traditionally, Cochinita Pibil was buried in a pit with a fire at the bottom to roast it.

Where it’s From: Cochinita Pibil is one of the most famous staples of Yucatán cuisine. It is commonly associated with the Mayan Indians who are said to have originally cooked it in a pit oven in the ground.

Finding it in New York City: Cochinita Pibil is on the menu at Zarela in Midtown. The fine representation (above) arrives wrapped in banana leaf with a side of creamy poblano and corn rice. Inside, the juicy, stringy pork cubes are topped with pickled onions, habanero and orange relish.

AlwaysPartying: Best Restaurants for Tequila

June 24, 2009

Last night was the beginning of Bobo’s week-long Tequila Festival. Head bartender, Naren Young, will be whipping up celebratory tequila cocktails through Sunday, the 29th. But the party doesn’t have to end when Bobo’s festival is over— there are plenty of other places to get your tequila fix all year long.

Recently we were impressed by Mercadito Cantina’s tric-quila (above). It’s not actually tequila, but a blended sake that tastes like tequila and without the bite. There’s also less of a hangover. As always, when you’re looking for the best of the best, all you have to do is use AlwaysHungryNY.com’s Very Advanced Search Engine.

Whether you’re looking for margaritas or you prefer doing shots, here are some of the best places to throw back some tequila in New York City.

Featured Restaurant: Mercadito Cantina

Arthur Bovino — June 22, 2009

Estilo Baja Tacos (Beer Battered Shrimp Tacos with Roasted Habanero, Avocado Cole Slaw)

Recently, we were invited to an enjoyable meal in the East Village at the Cantina branch of Chef/Owner Patricio Sandoval’s Mercadito trio.

Chef Sandoval is known for adding flair to his guacamoles and tacos. We liked the Sandía Guacamole with watermelon, and the Betabel, with beets, pickled jalapeños, and toasted, spiced pepitas. A notable appetizer was the Crispy Corn Bread Bites with three salsas: Cacahuate (Grilled Tomato, Toasted Peanuts, Chile de Árbol and Chile Guajillo), Verde (Tomatillo, Chile Serrano, Caramelized Red Onion, Cilantro) and Veracruzana (Roasted Tomato, Bell Pepper and Pickled Jalapeños). Of the several tacos we tried, the Estilo Baja Tacos (above) were the best.

Two side notes, if you’re going to this taqueria with a group of hungry people, it might make more sense to order the Taquiza, tacos (Barbacoa, Carne Asada or Carnitas) by the ¼ or ½-kilo. And if you like drinking tequila but hate the hangovers, try Mercadito’s Tric-quila, their workaround (house-brewed sake made to mimic tequila’s flavor) for not having a license to serve liquor.

Check out the pictures from our meal on Mercadito’s restaurant page here.