Taking a cue from the ever fabulous "pub crawl" or "bar crawl," E and I decided to have a "taco crawl." Sunset Park is full of taco stands, trucks, and restaurants - each with their own flavor or style (cooking traditions from many Mexican states are represented here within a ten block radius) and claim to fame. So we invited some of our favorite friends who also enjoy gustatory delights and exploration to come on the first annual Taco Crawl in Sunset Park.
We began at Tacos Xochimilco, named after an area of Mexico City, south of the city center. Xochimilco (pronounced So-tse-milco in Spanish) means 'a place with flowers' in Nahuatl. We didn't see any flowers, but we did see some great greens: as habitual, our taco odyssey started with green and red salsa.
After some carne asada and al pastor deliciousness, Jahi decided to taste a gordita.
Like a taco pillow, filled with taco delights! Xochimilco had great food, and really spicy salsa, but plan on being there for a minute - worth the wait, but they usually have only one cook and one waitress working. You can find them across from the well-known Tacos Matamoros, at the intersection of 46th and 5th Ave.
After Xochimilco, we headed down to the truck we'd seen often parked outside the Key Foods at Sunset Park. Tacos Bronco - you can find the truck after 8p on 5th Ave at 44th Street. You'll recognize it immediately, because the truck creates a halo of white light into which eager taco-hunters crowd like moths to a flame. The truck is incredibly popular, so they have four guys turning out the goods inside the truck, and two 'handlers' outside it who take orders and pass the steaming plates of luscious tacos to the appropriate consumer. I can't recommend these guys enough - they gave us two free tacos to taste, as well as a cup of soup - they said they didn't recognize us, and thanked us for coming. About ten minutes after we ordered, they began to pass out plates to us. I tried my usual, the enchilada (spicy pork), as well as the al pastor. In a culinary innovative delight, these al pastor tacos - which are cooked with pineapple and thus have a juicy, rather sweet flavor - Tacos Bronco puts chopped fresh pineapple onto the tacos, along with giving you a grilled sweet onion.
Here are foodie friends Chris and Katharine pre-Bronco!
So yummy. And, the sign is correct - each taco a whopping $1.50. Brooklyn is the best.
After Tacos Bronco, it seemed ludicrous to try more tacos, but...we did. Heading down Fifth Avenue, we popped into Tacos California, at 47th and 5th Ave. They have stellar, smoky, melt-in-your-mouth carne asada. They also have creamy, luscious shakes.
This was the only place where the waitstaff only spoke Spanish (the other places showed serious American English influence, unfortunately) but we viewed this (correctly) as a harbinger of the great tastes to come. Our waitress had a great attitude, and helped us order in our fragmented Spanish. So, they get bonus points for her good humor.
By this point, we were averaging about 5 tacos each (you have to taste the different kinds at each place, that's the point!) and were starting to fill up. I remembered that Rico's Tacos has amazing 'tacos arabes' - regular tacos but on a harina-flour tortilla and a special sauce. If I have to describe it in words, it's like a taco fell in love with a falafel sandwich and they made a baby. It's incredible. So we went, attempting the nigh-impossible - but unfortunately Rico's was out of tacos arabes by the time we got there (10pm). Lesson learned: tacos arabes are popular, as is Rico's in general, so get there early! Their "regular" tacos are anything but, by the way - they have amazing, spicy, juicy carne enchilada and al pastor and buche and asada tacos...worth the stop. Find them near the wall mural of a pig smiling, roasting in a pot, and the big tacos sign with the arrow at the intersection of 51st and 5th Ave.
Full, we decided not to get some more tacos, and instead bought some beers and headed back to the apartment to digest. We'll be figuring out sites for next year's crawl, but in the meantime, here are some other places you can go to taste delicious tacos in this neighborhood:
Tacos Matamoros
Downside: lots of us gringos know about this place.
Recommendation: Great tacos al pastor & carne enchilada. They also have margaritas, and delicious nachos. Go on a work day, to avoid the crowds of gringos. The food is a little bit spicier on work days, too...or perhaps that's just the imagination at work.
Located at: 46th and 5th Ave. Look for the neon light that has an outline of the taco and emblazoned with "Hot Taco."
Eclipse Mexican
Lots of flavor, but not real spicy. They have a vegetarian menu, and offer definitely gringo Mexican food. Whereas some of these other places have menus on the window, or a cardboard sign, this is a place that is fully clean and you can take your parents there.
Located at: 4th Avenue and 44th
Happy taco-hunting, my friends!
