Pinche Taqueria
As a Texas native and a Manhattan resident, I have long bemoaned the state of Mexican food in NYC. I'm happy to say that Pinche Taqueria scratched my near constant itch for tacos.
The menu is small and everything that I tried was quite good. I started with the elote (corn on the cob with sharp white cheese and cayenne. I could barely detect any mayo.) Then I tried a trio of tacos -- tender, flavorful carnitas, savory, multi-dimensional carne asada and simple but satisfying frijole. I had a bite of my companion's fish tacos and thought that they were excellent as well. The staff casually mentioned that their burritos (not on the menu) had been popular, so we decided to split a beef burrito as well. This was not your typical football-sized monstrosity filled with cheese, sour cream, rice, guacamole and every other condiment under the sun. It was rather small for the genre, and filled with mind alteringly tender beef, beans, raw white onion and cilantro. I loved it.
Pinche Taqueria was one of the better meals that I've had in recent memory and the staff was warm and convivial. Soho is not exactly a chowhound's paradise, but I think that Pinche is worth the trip.
Mott between Prince and Spring.
mashpee
Nov 27, 2007 06:53PM
NIce, love the name, can't wait to try it.
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je, i thought this was a thread complaining about a taqueria, because of the "pinche" title. I'll give it a try.
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I actually just tried Pinche Taqueria, as well. Loved it, I've all ready been back twice. It's definately the best taco I've had in New York. The ingredients are the key and they don't use canned food, microwaves or farmed fish. It's a tiny joint - not too many seats to eat in. I talked to the owner and he plans on re-vamping the seating so it's a little more comfy (than the little wooden stools). But overall - love their Horchada and tamarind drinks, the El Pastor taco is excellent as well as the fish tacos. The service is friendly but sometimes slow when it's busy. Definately great food though!
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They make the tortillas in house. I liked the pork best, it wasn't the carnitas and I can't remember the name. I guess ask for the "not carnitas pork" lol. (I cant believe I wrote lol)
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Thnx for the insight into tacos...if you are up for the informal 1am craving, there is a taco "bus" that parks at 14th, between 7/8th. Heavenly tacos, all kinds, for $2 a pop. All you see there are Mexican workers, so you know it's good. Open 'til very late. Best tacos are chivo, chorizo and tripas (yes, believe it or not!)
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Thanks for reminding me about the 14th street truck, tripleB. I have been meaning to check that out. Do you know what time they generally open? Are they around on weeknights and weekends?
Thanks in advance!
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hey mashpee, I've eaten there on week nights and weekends (wohoo!). Although I don't know the exact timing, I think they are there after 11pm. These tacos taste best at 3am, though :-)
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Ooooooooooooooo........TACO TRUCK!!!! I used to work at Craftsteak and we would always hit them up after work. LOOOOVE them! So good. I think a lot of the kitchen staff from that area flock to them after work or after drinks after work :)
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I just confirmed with the restaurant that Pinche is BYO, at least for the time being.
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I wanted to feel this place more than I did. I applaud the approach and the vibe of the place, they got the decor right and it already seems to have a great, neighborhood hole-in-the-wall feel. And what arrived after I ordered a carnitas burrito looked extremely promising. Rustic, rough-hewn tortillas of the kind you simply do not see in NYC. The shell of this burrito is pure Mission District, unfortunately its insides are a bit more Benny's Burritos, i.e., lacking in much flavor.
I wondered if these "carnitas" were actually loin, they were just little dry tasteless chunks. Beans, too, great texture, no flavor. Kind of wish they would make non-vegetarian beans, or even punch up the cumin or onions or oil or something. It made me wonder if anyone is regularly tasting this stuff--I mean, even at a basic level it's undersalted. Had I made this at home, I would not serve it to someone. Granted I tried a burrito, maybe that was a bad call. But nothing about this place would sway me from my loyalty to the saucy, crusty "if the coronary problem I'm going to develop from eating this is wrong I don't want to be right" carnitas at Tehuitzingo deli.
While finding great tacquerias in NY requires some sleuthing, there are a number of them, and I would not really put Pinche on the list of greatness. For that, they would need decent beans and good carnitas. I do hope they improve because I think there is a lot of potential and I like the spirit of the effort.
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What places has your sleuthing uncovered?
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I think it's pretty subjective, but Tehuitzingo deli on 46th and 10th is pretty awesome. I've never personally had better in New York. My benchmark is carnitas, always. I found the taco truck on 96th to be pretty meh. Pio Maya on 8th Street is not bad. I know there are places in Queens and Sunset Park, BK that everyone raves about but haven't done much exploring.
I should add this is not a taco by taco comparison, I only had the burrito at Pinche, and I'd give it another chance, but I hope they improve!
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I'm going to stand with Mandymac on this one. I ordered three different tacos and a (tiny) side of beans at Pinche, and I have no interest in going back. All of the food was simply dull.
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This place is pretty bad. I went and had 3 kinds of taco and they were tasteless and expensive. the guacamole was also dull. the best taco was the shrimp one, it wasn't great but it was definitely better than the taco al pastor. I also had a tamal that wasn't as bad a the tacos...i wont go back.
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I agree with you about Pinche. It's just okay. As you suggest, it's tacos and not burritos that are the true test of taco place, and their tacos are nothing special.
It would be weird if they used loin to make the carnitas since it usually costs a good deal more than shoulder, especially picnic, although loin would explain the dry and tasteless quality. My guess is they don't do enough business and so the shoulder gets plunked in a fridge and dries out there.
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Pinche taqueria really makes honor to it's name. As "pinche" (crappy) as you can get. The worst tacos I have had outside of Mexico. As a native Mexican (born and raised) I have fortunately had probably more than 9,000 tacos throughout my life from the nicest, trendiest spots in Mexico City to taco stands in Oaxaca, Acapulco and Monterrey. These were the worst tacos of my life. Who puts guacamole as a taco topping? Definitely not authentic. I rather spend more money and go to Rosa Mexicano or Maya.
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Appreciate the perspective. Which New York City tacos do you prefer (other than those at Maya and Rosa Mexicano, both well known on this site)?
As for guacamole on tacos, there was some recent talk about this practice, authentic or not, at one of the better-regarded places in Queens ... http://www.chowhound.com/topics/48188...
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