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THE BEST: NYC Mexican Favorites


jhlurie

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I'd be grateful if members could include good huitlacoche dishes sampled at the Mexican restaurants they mention.  <p>I'm not particularly enamored with Mexican food, but would go to a restaurant for huitlacoche.  I've only had it in a chicken dish at Maya; the taste was not as robust as I had imagined.

I recently had 2 fantastic huitlacoche dishes at Suenos -- one soft taco and the other a enchilada style concoction. I indulged in the chili tasting menu, with only one coarse substitution to keep it non-"meat"-- I highly highly recommend it.

Now that I think about it, and not surprisingly, I remember having a couple of well prepared huitlacoche dishes at Rocking Horse Cafe over the years -- the most memorable being a tamale.

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Reading posts from New Yorkers talking about "Mexican food" is too damn funny. Keep it up.

Sort of like Texans talking about politics? :wink:

Sorry. Cheap shot that I couldn't resist.

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Suenos (has a tilde) @ 311 W. 17th Street

Cafe Frida @77th and Columbus (or 78th, kitty-corner to Isabella's and across the street from the SW corner of the Natural History Museum)

Rocking Horse @ 182 Eighth Ave (Btw 19th and 20th Streets)

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Whats are peoples opinions on Placido Domengo's taqueria over on 53rd and 3rd?

Pampano

I ate at Pampano Taqueria a while ago. It was good, not great.

JJ Goode

Co-author of Serious Barbecue, which is in stores now!

www.jjgoode.com

"For those of you following along, JJ is one of these hummingbird-metabolism types. He weighs something like eleven pounds but he can eat more than me and Jason put together..." -Fat Guy

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Whats are peoples opinions on Placido Domengo's taqueria over on 53rd and 3rd?

Pampano

I ate at Pampano Taqueria a while ago. It was good, not great.

I just read you review in the previous posting. I was hoping that you would have reported on one of the fish tacos. It seems like the review in the post was really pushing the quality of the fish there. Which makes sense because of pampano's focus on seafood in the higher end restaurant. Did you get a feel for any of the seafood there?

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Whats are peoples opinions on Placido Domengo's taqueria over on 53rd and 3rd?

Pampano

I ate at Pampano Taqueria a while ago. It was good, not great.

I just read you review in the previous posting. I was hoping that you would have reported on one of the fish tacos. It seems like the review in the post was really pushing the quality of the fish there. Which makes sense because of pampano's focus on seafood in the higher end restaurant. Did you get a feel for any of the seafood there?

That's good to know. I'm not sure where I'd heard about the place. But it wasn't the Post. Too bad, because I would have given the fish or shrimp tacos a try. Maybe I should go back.

JJ Goode

Co-author of Serious Barbecue, which is in stores now!

www.jjgoode.com

"For those of you following along, JJ is one of these hummingbird-metabolism types. He weighs something like eleven pounds but he can eat more than me and Jason put together..." -Fat Guy

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  • 4 weeks later...

I'd like to put in a vote for Suenos for best Mexican as well. If you like the Rocking Horse (which I do), it is just in every way better. The "authenticity factor", if you will, is very high, not to mention the excellent view of the kitchen from the sidewalk. The first time my wife and I went there, we spent the better part of half an hour just watching the cooks work, which was something, given that it was about 5 degrees out at the time.

The only unfortunate thing is the lack of salsa on the tables - it's only available in the bar area. But the guacamole and black bean dip more than make up for it.

I want pancakes! God, do you people understand every language except English? Yo quiero pancakes! Donnez moi pancakes! Click click bloody click pancakes!

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Reading posts from New Yorkers talking about "Mexican food" is too damn funny. Keep it up.

Sort of like Texans talking about politics? :wink:

Sorry. Cheap shot that I couldn't resist.

Gee, I was just thinking how funny it was to equate "TexMex" with actual Mexican food!

My restaurant blog: Mahlzeit!

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Reading posts from New Yorkers talking about "Mexican food" is too damn funny. Keep it up.

Sort of like Texans talking about politics? :wink:

Sorry. Cheap shot that I couldn't resist.

Gee, I was just thinking how funny it was to equate "TexMex" with actual Mexican food!

you offer a wonderful example of the point I was trying to make: a narrow distinction of what is authentic can lead to misunderstanding.

My family is from the Chihuahua region of northern Mexico. My grandfather's grandfather, and his son (my greatgrandfather) travelled and lived all over what is now northern Mexico, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. Eventually my grandfather settled in California with a woman also from Chihuahua. Meals at their house were close to what I would describe as <<Tex-Mex>>. Meals at my grnadmother's cousin's houses (in Mexico) were very similar.

As well it is foolish to believe the boarder is porous in only one direction. I imagine Mexican cuisine has been influenced by Mexico's proximity to the US.

So back to the thread. To clarify my initial point, I think New York diners, when choosing a Mexican restaurant in the city, should trust their palates more than any one person's idea of authenticity.

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Taqueria y Fonda on Amsterdam between 107th and 108th has great mole poblano, as does Mexico Dos up on 145th and Amsterdam. Mexico Dos has this great mole rojo and verde as well. Mexican food seems like one of those cuisines where the expensive, haute cuisine versions are just kinda silly. Someone took me to Bobby Flay's place recently, and it was cool...but what's the point? Speaking of authenticity, Mexico Dos is supposed to be authentic Oaxacan, not just Mexican food.

Edited by wagyuboy (log)
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Robert Sietsema recommends Rinconito on 39th Street, btw 8th and 9th Ave. I've had their poblano and it was the best I've tasted. Finally, poblano that is not overly sweet and one-dimensional.

JJ Goode

Co-author of Serious Barbecue, which is in stores now!

www.jjgoode.com

"For those of you following along, JJ is one of these hummingbird-metabolism types. He weighs something like eleven pounds but he can eat more than me and Jason put together..." -Fat Guy

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  • 7 months later...

Here you are, courtesy of www.superpages.com:

Suenos Restaurant

311 West 17, New York, NY 10011

(212) 243-1333

I hope you enjoy your meal, and please report back to us.

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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ok where is the best mexican in NYC? Im talking good mexican food like queso, taquitas, flautas, tortilla soup and all that good stuff. I really feel like mexican tomorrow so i want to know.

chop, you should note that Suenos is a bit upscale.

on the other end of the spectrum is the place FKA Los Dos Rancheros on 9th and 39th (NW corner). although i think they've slipped a bit over the last few years.

rocking horse: http://menupages.com/PrintableMenus/MS330.pdf

la palapa rockola: http://menupages.com/PrintableMenus/GV395.pdf

zarela: http://menupages.com/PrintableMenus/ME334.pdf

la palapa rockola seems like it might fit the bill. it's a nice mix of good food and fun/festive atmosphere.

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I love Zarela's.. I havent been there since I moved, but I use to go often. I have never been to Suenos, but I know that you would have a good meal at Zarela's. There are also amazing margiratas there.

Her son has a place called Paladar, has anyone been here and is this place mexican.

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on the other end of the spectrum is the place FKA Los Dos Rancheros on 9th and 39th (NW corner).  although i think they've slipped a bit over the last few years.

I think I heard Los Dos Rancheros (or Salon Mexico as it was later called) had closed. It had gotten really bad.

Maybe the best cheap Mexican in the city with some degree of authenticity is Tulcingo del Valle, on Tenth Ave and 46th street. They usually have a couple kinds of mole every day, a long list of worthwhile specials and their al pastor tacos are great. You can read Sietsema's VV report from a year or so ago here.

Right up the street (10th/47th) is Tehuitzingo, a Mexican grocery store with a tacqueria in the back. They make the best tacos in the city, hands down, if you ask me. I like the enchilada pork, suadero (pork belly), barbacoa (goat) and chorizo/potato tacos especially. They also have good sopes, quesadillas (squash blossom or huitalacoche) and tortas. They've been renovating their kitchen so it might still be closed, but worth a peek in if you're going to go to Tulcingo del Valle anyway.

EDIT: meant 10th ave, not 9th. Whoops.

Edited by bpearis (log)

"If it's me and your granny on bongos, then it's a Fall gig'' -- Mark E. Smith

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