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Despite the many arguments against it, New York City has long been considered a taco city. Pablito's Taqueria in Sunset Park; Taqueria Al Pastor in Bushwick; the Birria-Landia food truck in Jackson Heights; Taqueria Sinaloense in the Bronx with its shrimp-filled gobernador tacos — these spots have long been established. They've thrived, and customers appreciate their quality. But that's changing: modern spots with innovative tacos are disproving the stereotype that tacos worth trying can only be found on the outskirts of neighborhoods.
At Santo Taco, guests customize their tacos with lime, salsa, radishes and chicharron.
Santo Taco, which opened in SoHo this spring in the former space of La Esquina, a place that once served as a showcase for an underground restaurant, is now a standalone project. The space has been renovated to look more modern, but the main area is outdoors. Orders are taken at the window, and the best spots are the outdoor tables, where you can enjoy golden agua fresca made of pineapple and cucumber with a slightly sour tang. The lines are dynamic: through transparent panels, you can see how the tacos are prepared. The main element of the kitchen is the steak trompo: a vertical tower of meat from which the chef slices thin layers that cover corn tortillas.
The order window and fast queue allow you to watch the preparation.
The trompo is worth trying for the spectacle, though the salt-only meat can get lost in the sweet tortilla and spicy avocado-tomatillo salsa. More impressive are the carnitas, a taco of slow-cooked pork ribs and brisket, or the surprisingly harmonious mushroom taco. The vegetarian version here gains depth from the cremini and shiitake, and the addition of chicharron creates a crunchy contrast to the tender mushrooms.
The menu includes mushrooms, trompo and carnitas.
Santo Taco owner Santiago Pérez, originally from Mexico City, is working with the restaurant group of celebrity chef Enrique Olvera (no relation to Santo Taco), whose Esse Taco in Williamsburg reflects the influence of his other projects: pineapple butter on the taco al pastor, a sandé that references Cosme. Next door to Esse is Taquería El Chato, with its crispy tripa taco, and in Greenpoint, Taqueria Ramirez, with suadero tacos and carnitas so good they have their own restaurant, Carnitas Ramirez. L.A.-based Tacos 1986, a benchmark for quality, recently opened in the West Village, serving tortillas filled with fillings like carne asada and pork adobada that are cooked minutes before serving.
The interior has become more modern after the renovation.
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What unites the new taco spaces is not only a fresh approach, but also a visual aesthetic: through design and location in trendy areas, they appeal to a specific audience. Taco researcher José Ralat attributes this to “Orinocofication,” a concept where design is paramount, as in the Taqueria Orinoco chain. But the New York newcomers combine style with quality: El Chato and Ramirezes impress with taste, while Tacos 1986 and Cariñito Tacos hide secret bars. But the main thing here is the tacos themselves: simple, fast, perfectly suited to their purpose – to be juicy, hot, and eaten in minutes. ♦
Sourse: newyorker.com
