We all know that Los Tacos can be insufferable. If you are on the East Coast and have friends who moved from the Southwest or West Coast (even from ostensibly quiet pockets of California and Texas such as Santa Barbara and Austin), then you know that tacos can be a tricky topic to avoid.
Mellow?
There are many excellent taquerias popping up in New York City, including uptown, downtown, and in the Bronx. It seems that nothing is good enough to your cubicle mate, Topanga Canyon’s dude who has a constant recollection of sizzling tongues, squirts lime, and rust-red salsa he ate from a curbside pickup when he was 16.
Transcendent tacos are simple for anyone who has grown up with them. The chewy combination of hot meat and warm tortillas, topped with salsa and citrus, is what makes it so enjoyable. Perhaps some chopped cilantro and onions. This should be all. Tacos are not meant to be an enormous envelope of glop.
Los Tacos No. 1
- Los Tacos No. 1 is the best choice for this kind of seeker and gripper. 1 feels like a godsend. The three gentlemen who run the stand, two from California and one in Tijuana, will be able to tell you if they know their stuff when you stumble upon it.
- You will find the perfect trifecta of sweet Mexican beverages in large jars: horchata jamaica, and tamarindo. You will find a variety of sides, including raw radishes, raw green onions, and cucumbers, at the pickup counter.
- Behind the counter are two soul-stirring finds: tortillas that have been hand-pressed and griddled according to your specifications, and a flaming grill of marinated pork.
- That pork is what you want. It’s called adobada and maintains the perfect temperature and texture thanks to the fiery heat of a stationary blowtorch. It’s sliced on the spot, tender, and lightly spicy, much like shawarma with a Mexican twist.
- You can extend your grace. Cactus tacos are almost incomprehensible: they’re bland and tasteless. Los Tacos recommends the “special”: a deep-fried quesadilla with Monterey Jack cheese, and fluffy puffs of tortilla. Ask the crew to stuff it, either with carne asada or an extra spatula heap. Mission accomplished. Disappointment averted.
Tres Carnes is located on the Avenue of the Americas
Tres Carnes is located on the Avenue of the Americas. If Texas is what you are looking for, then walk to Tres Carnes. A line often forms outside the front door at lunchtime.
It takes a lot of planning to get a table, which is a testimony to the ease of Tres Carnes’ concept. These tacos are barbecue thanks to Mike Rodriguez, the pitmaster who moved from Texas to New York after studying the smoke at Salt Lick in Driftwood.
Bag and sometimes canvas-dry
While you can fault the tortillas (which are pulled from a bag and sometimes canvas-dry), it is difficult to complain about the meat, especially the smoked pork shoulder.
Tres Carnes was offering tender and delicious lamb on the day I visited. It was delicious in tacos, simply with a little cream sauce. Tres Carnes’ assembly line can blanket the meat with a variety of toppings, including pickled onions and squash.
Your San Antonio friend knows better. She’ll just tell you to keep it simple. Let the meat speak for itself. Add-ons are optional. Then, indulge in a smoked churro doughnut stuffed with cajeta, a dense Mexican caramel.
Los Tacos Menu
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