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THE BEST: NYC Mexican Favorites


jhlurie

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  • 5 months later...

Admin: This post and the post following were merged in from a thread on Mexican cookbooks.

By the way, what is Rosa Mexicano like in New York City?

I went to Rosa Mexicano, last time I was in NYC, after we'd asked around for where to get 'good' Mexican, and everyone had the same suggestion.

Lia, I'm curious what your husband thinks of it?

We loved it, and it was packed on a rainy Monday night when we were there. The guacamole that they make tableside, it's the best version I've had yet, and now I try to make it the same way at home, very simple, all fresh ingredients.

I can't wait to go there again on my next visit.

:) Pam

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Lia, I'm curious what your husband thinks of it?

we haven't been there! we did plan on going a few months ago, but after checking the menu on Menupages.com, he didn't seem particularly interested. (I DID say he was a snob, right??

:raz: )

I believe that was when we made the decision to check out Mama Mexico for the first time....we were looking for a 'nice' place to go, and that one came highly recommended by a lot of our friends, especially since we both work nearby.

My cinco de mayo meal was at a hole in the wall grocery store with tables on the side on Amsterdam and 103 or 104 that had THE best food i've ever tasted. Don't know the name and Eliot was working so he didn't come, but we'll be going back for sure.

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I finally got around to trying Rocking Horse, and it was one of my worst dining experiences in recent memory. The food was fine I suppose, nothing especially great or terrible, but the service was HORENDOUS. Literally the worst service I've ever recieved in a restaurant with a tab higher than $6 a head.

We were a two top.

We orderd six items. Four aps and two entres.

They all hit the table at the exact...same...time.

They didn't fit. Plates wereliterally hanging 60% or more off of the table.

After asking for our waiter for about 10 minutes, and never seeing him return, I got up and found the floor manager. He couldn't understand what the problem was. So yeah, I won't be going back there.

I've never tried the Rosa on the East side, but the Lincon Center sister does indeed have horrible, rude service (at least the two times I've been there). I also find the food to be largel under-seasoned and of intimidating portion size.

I find Maya to be similarly unexciting, and not worth the price tag.

My favorites are:

Suenos. The chilli tasting IS awesome, and so is the tequila list.

Mexican Radio. Best place to eat at the bar. It can feel a little hectic, but I've never had a bad dish. It can't be that hard to find either, because its cranking every time I go there.

Cafe Frida. Hit and miss quality, but a pretty "foward" menu for mid-priced Mexican. They actually have a pretty exciting and cuisine-appropriate dessert menu too.

The 96th&B'way taco truck. It's probably one of the coolest things in my otherwise extremely lame (for food) UWS hood.

I'm definately looking foward to trying some of the other 100st and up recomendations from this very helpfull thread.

FYI I lived in SF for a year, and boy-oh-boy does that spoil you for taquerias. :sad:

I want my Zona Rosa!!!

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Sorry to hear about your bad experience at Rocking Horse. I live in the neighborhood and it used to be one of my favorite restaurants. I guess it became a victim of the "scene" in Chelsea, and it's always packed so service wise they're probably coasting on their rep.

ETA: oh and the hole in the wall place I described above in my Cinco de Mayo post is Los Paisas Mexican Deli. Better the second time.

Edited by lia (log)
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...FYI I lived in SF for a year, and boy-oh-boy does that spoil you for taquerias.  :sad:

I want my Zona Rosa!!!

From what my San Franciscan transplant friends tell me, you will never find Mexican food to equal what you experienced on the west coast in NYC. On occasion it will come close, but no cigar. I really liked Pampano for Modern Mexican, and although I have not been there, I hear good things about Pampano Taqueria. (And don't forget the taco truck on Broadway and 104th Street.) As others here have, I recommend Noche Mexicana, and I like Mama Mexico if I want to spend money.

Edited by emmapeel (log)

Emma Peel

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I'm wondering whether the taqueria on Roosevelt Av. in Jackson Heights (around 77 St. or so) which features tacos de lengua among several other varieties might be comparable in quality to a good SF taqueria. I haven't tried it, but it sure as heck looks authentic.

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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  • 5 months later...
So what's the latest?

Any new favourites?

Planning a visit next month and already booked Rosa Mex, but any other new suggestions?

I've enjoyed two local joints on the Upper East Side:

El Paso Taqueria (97th street between park and madison) and Sabora Mexico (1st ave and 90-91st st). Both seem authentic and serve delicious homestyle dishes and smoky hot, delicious soft tacos and mole sauces. Definitely worth a visit.

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Admin: This post and the post following were merged in from a thread on Mexican cookbooks.
By the way, what is Rosa Mexicano like in New York City?

I went to Rosa Mexicano, last time I was in NYC, after we'd asked around for where to get 'good' Mexican, and everyone had the same suggestion.

Lia, I'm curious what your husband thinks of it?

We loved it, and it was packed on a rainy Monday night when we were there. The guacamole that they make tableside, it's the best version I've had yet, and now I try to make it the same way at home, very simple, all fresh ingredients.

I can't wait to go there again on my next visit.

:) Pam

the food may be good, but don't u think the prices are amazingly high???

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...FYI I lived in SF for a year, and boy-oh-boy does that spoil you for taquerias.  :sad:

I want my Zona Rosa!!!

From what my San Franciscan transplant friends tell me, you will never find Mexican food to equal what you experienced on the west coast in NYC. On occasion it will come close, but no cigar. I really liked Pampano for Modern Mexican, and although I have not been there, I hear good things about Pampano Taqueria. (And don't forget the taco truck on Broadway and 104th Street.) As others here have, I recommend Noche Mexicana, and I like Mama Mexico if I want to spend money.

odd u think mama mex is expensive, but did not comment on rosa mex prices!!!! :huh:

mama mex is a deal compared to rosa mex!!

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I've never tried the Rosa on the East side, but the Lincon Center sister does indeed have horrible, rude service (at least the two times I've been there). I also find the food to be largel under-seasoned and of intimidating portion size.

My favorites are:

Suenos. The chilli tasting IS awesome

Cafe Frida. Hit and miss quality, but a pretty "foward" menu for mid-priced Mexican. They actually have a pretty exciting and cuisine-appropriate dessert menu too.

The 96th&B'way taco truck. It's probably one of the coolest things in my otherwise extremely lame (for food) UWS hood.

cafe frida is a sanitized UWS version of a mex. resto.

taco truck onBwy @ 96th or 104th???

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There's a truck that parks on W.96th just west of Broadway that I've heard is good and very downscale.  A lot of Mexicans who live in the area grab food there.

Can anyone comment on it?  All I know is that it smells pretty good.

The food at 'the truck' is fantastic and very reasonably priced. I used to walk from CU at least twice per week for it. The only bad thing is that there's no place in the area for one to comfortably sit. Get the taco

how many trucks are there on bwy???

1. on 96th, just W. of bwy?

2. bet 104/105th?

3.

4.

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So what's the latest?

Any new favourites?

Planning a visit next month and already booked Rosa Mex, but any other new suggestions?

don't waste your time, or money!

jgould,

I really enjoy Rosa Mexicano - I think it is still one of the more authentic Mexican restaurants in NY - and as for the prices, I find it pretty comparable to any restaurant of that level, regardless of the cuisine...

Not really looking for the taco truck experience this time, that I can easily make that here, it's the complex sauces for which I cannot find ingredients here that I'm after in NYC -

jeanki,

thanks I'll look into both your recs...!

www.nutropical.com

~Borojo~

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My wife and I finally ate at Rosa Mexicano near Lincoln Center this past weekend.

We don't get it. Maybe it was what we ordered (but we ordered a lot, including the guacamole) but the food there (including the guacamole) was nowhere near as good as the food at, say, Suenos. We didn't find it as good as Zarela's, or the Rocking Horse, either.

To be fair, we didn't have anything to drink, but that shouldn't actually affect the taste of the food, right?

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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I've never tried the Rosa on the East side, but the Lincon Center sister does indeed have horrible, rude service (at least the two times I've been there). I also find the food to be largel under-seasoned and of intimidating portion size.

My favorites are:

Suenos. The chilli tasting IS awesome

Cafe Frida. Hit and miss quality, but a pretty "foward" menu for mid-priced Mexican. They actually have a pretty exciting and cuisine-appropriate dessert menu too.

The 96th&B'way taco truck. It's probably one of the coolest things in my otherwise extremely lame (for food) UWS hood.

cafe frida is a sanitized UWS version of a mex. resto.

taco truck onBwy @ 96th or 104th???

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Jgould,

You seem to be way down on Rosa. I eat at the West side version plenty as its very close to home and i find it one of the most reasonably priced places in the city. Bruch for two is $60 and dinner for two is $80, with one marg for my wife and one bottle of sparkling for me. My biggest complaint these days is that you cant go out to a decent restaurant in this city for less then $80 per person and this is one that you actually get your money's worth (large portions and decent prices a very nice decor and good food).

We had a brunch there one morning and for 65 people (avg 1.5 bloody mary's each) and the total bill was around $2500 ($38 a pop) and there was tons of food. All the Texans (a super majority of the people) we had there loved it and they eat the real deal 3 times a weeek.

There must be something behind your hate.

RM

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My wife and I finally ate at Rosa Mexicano near Lincoln Center this past weekend.

We don't get it.  Maybe it was what we ordered (but we ordered a lot, including the guacamole) but the food there (including the guacamole) was nowhere near as good as the food at, say, Suenos.  We didn't find it as good as Zarela's, or the Rocking Horse, either.

To be fair, we didn't have anything to drink, but that shouldn't actually affect the taste of the food, right?

That's too bad you did not like it, but to be fair, you really cannot compare the food at Rosa Mex to the food at Suenos ... Rosa Mex is traditional while the other is fusion - it's great, but different...

I mean the first item on the Suenos Fall menu: Seasonal Vegetable & Mushroom Spring Roll with Smoky Pepper Coulis

www.nutropical.com

~Borojo~

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Ah, but there are plenty of traditional dishes on the Suenos menu, and they're vastly better than Rosa Mexicano.

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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Ah, but there are plenty of traditional dishes on the Suenos menu, and they're vastly better than Rosa Mexicano.

Suenos is the same as her other two places. Going for scene and crowd more than the food. Never found what everyone thinks is so great about hells kitchen. I live in the hood and have eaten there occasionnally but Rosa is much better and usually less of a wait .

RM

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Ah, but there are plenty of traditional dishes on the Suenos menu, and they're vastly better than Rosa Mexicano.

Suenos is the same as her other two places. Going for scene and crowd more than the food. Never found what everyone thinks is so great about hells kitchen. I live in the hood and have eaten there occasionnally but Rosa is much better and usually less of a wait .

RM

have to agree with dryden. i met sue torres when she just opened suenos, & found her to be charming, hard-working, & a wonderful person. the food, i have tried, has all been good.

rosa's prices for average mexican dressed up like a calabero (sic) is rungs down from suenos, imo. talking about pandering to the scene & crowd weakens your point dramatically, rosa's is obnoxious about that very point!!! as to less of a wait @ rosa's, duhhhh, i wonder why????????

fyi: suenos's area is possibly chelsea, but definitely NOT hell's kitchen!! maybe you're going to the wrong place entirely :raz:

Edited by jgould (log)
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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.

isn't there also a los dos rancheros on uws, amsterdam???

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Ah, but there are plenty of traditional dishes on the Suenos menu, and they're vastly better than Rosa Mexicano.

Suenos is the same as her other two places. Going for scene and crowd more than the food. Never found what everyone thinks is so great about hells kitchen. I live in the hood and have eaten there occasionnally but Rosa is much better and usually less of a wait .

RM

Considering that she only has one restaurant, I think it's entirely possible you're thinking of somewhere else entirely... and as jgould noted, Suenos isn't in Hells Kitchen. And it's hardly a "scene" kind of place...

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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