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Tongue Is the Best Super Taco on the Upper West Side

Posted by Robyn Lee, June 4, 2008 at 10:35 AM

Editor's note: Yesterday on Pork Chop Express Cesar Fuentes mentioned Super Taco as one of the 3 best non-Red Hook Ballfields tacos in the city. Our very own Robyn Lee couldn't agree more, and filed this report on her favorite taco from the truck on 96th and Broadway.

I rarely eat street food due to the lack of a comfortable eating area (because walking down the sidewalk while stuffing your face doesn't count), but Super Tacos on the corner of 96th Street and Broadway solves that problem by providing a small weather-proof enclosure in which you can stand while enjoying your meal. If you're of a below-average height, such as my paltry 5'1" stature, you may have to stand on your tip toes to meet the truck's shallow counter that acts as your table, but it's a small price to pay for a wallet-friendly taco feast.

Each of their eight kinds of tacos is only $2 each. Blinded by the variety and small investment, I ordered three tacos: spicy pork (carne enchlada), goat (chivo), and tongue (lengua). Each little meat pile came atop two soft corn tortillas topped with a slice of tomato, shredded lettuce, chopped onion, and cilantro. For extra flavor they provide lime wedges, pickled jalapeno pepper, and two kinds of sauce—tomato and tomatillo-based.

A single folded-up taco seemed like it would only make a small dent in my stomach, but by the time i started my third taco, I realized how much I had underestimated the impact of each meat-filled tortilla pocket. Maybe it was the double-layered tortilla action—that stuff is deliciously heavy. While the spicy pork and goat tacos were fine, tongue was easily my favorite, being the most moist and tender of the bunch. I'd be tempted to just eat three tongue tacos on my next visit (or two if I'd rather not waddle out of the truck tent).

I can't happily eat a meal of Mexican food without washing it down with a cold cup of sweet horchata, which will only set you back $1 at Super Tacos. My short description of horchata is, "It's like drinking rice pudding in liquid form." My slightly longer description of horchata is, "It's the smooth, refreshing, liquid form of rice pudding with hints of cinnamon and vanilla, and is basically the best drink ever." I don't even like rice pudding that much, but apparently I can consume it in mass quantities if it doesn't require chewing.

Super Tacos

96th Street and Broadway, New York 10025; (map)
917-837-0866

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Tags: Manhattan, street food, Super Tacos, tacos, Upper West Side