Gray and Grizzled Food Fan

1. Maz Mezcal (86th btw 1st and 2nd): Eater’s essential 38 is meant for debate not derision, but that’s exactly what the selection of Maz Mezcal as one of the City’s best deserves.  Pot roast and gravy patrons might like the watery drinks and cheesey at all costs burritos, but this is basically Tony’s Di Napoli for Mexican food fans.  The only saving grace is the chips and trio of salsas, which include a particularly picant thin guac sauce.

2: Paty’s Taco Truck (86th/Lex): The letter “t” vacillates between single and double but the tacos are consistently good.  Tortas are bland and weighed down by a wedge of intolerably dull iceberg, so stick to the fast, hot and greasy options.

3: Cascabel Taquería (2nd btw 80th and 81st): Pie by the Pound didn’t fly so now there’s a gourmet taco joint in its place.  This is what Zac Pelaccio should have done, and failed to do, at Cabrito.  Take Mexican standards, add a few points of flare and elevate the ingredient quality without including Old Testament genealogies for every protein.  Amazing play with textures–fried scallion bits, pork cracklings, etc.–enriches the standards without distracting from what makes them so good. N.B. The Cemita is particularly delicious.

4. Burger One (Lex btw 79th and 80th): Still a top taco purveyor, strongest for its extra hot chicken taco.  None too complex, plenty greasy and only worth eating in house in the crush or one the walk home.  Again, not delivery food. Do ask for extra green sauce on your tacos.

5. MXCO (close to Cascabel, so what): Not worth the time for taco tasting.  Better for hungry drinkers than thirsty eaters.

This entry was posted on February 19, 2010 at 3:54 pm and is filed under Food, Yorkville. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.