Serious Eats: New York
Young & Hungry: Tortas in Morningside Heights
Awhile back—mostly out of the laziness that kept me from venturing anywhere above 14th Street—I made a joke to a friend about having no good places to eat in his Upper West Side neighborhood. Suffice to say, I never heard the end of it from that offended friend (and no, it wasn't Ed). Now, having moved to just a few blocks from said friend, I've found myself eating my words.
And those words are delicious tortas from Taqueria y Fonda la Mexicana.
When I moved out of Brooklyn, I knew I would miss Yola's in Williamsburg, right across the street from my apartment. I'd miss the many nights I could throw on a sweatshirt over my pajamas just to snag a late night steak taco before bed and the tortas always outshone the burritos. Lucky enough, my friend recommended a great alternative: Taqueria y Fonda.
Located just around the corner from my place, in the opposite direction of Chipotle, Taqueria y Fonda is the kind of divey place that anyone—young or old, but definitely hungry—can hold near and dear to their stomachs. This time, I went with the carne enchilada torta: spicy red pork with beans, avocado, onions, hot peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, and queso fresco on a soft bolillo roll. The outside of the bread wasn't as crusty as I've had it before—but I'm no bolillo expert and it was still delicious.
My roommate had the Giant Burrito, which definitely lived up to its name. I really look forward to eating at Taqueria y Fonda la Mexicana, rather than slothing back to my dining room (couch in front of T.V.) if only to have a basket of the great looking chips and trio of salsas, and literally rub elbows with the Columbia kids at the cozy cramped tables.
Taqueria y Fonda la Mexicana
968 Amsterdam Avenue New York, NY 10025 (nr. 108th Street; map)
212-531-0383