Tuesday, May 23, 2006

A secret spot for lunch...

Here's my latest precious food find! This week i'd like to recommend to all you spanish speakers (or those who are willing to try!) - The Original Mexican Food Deli (30-11 29th St off 30th Ave) Hubba Hubba! You may think you have found good mexican, so did i... then i was turned on to this hole in the wall. I had tried before to find it but i mistakenly went to the place on the corner- thats not it! You have to turn onto 29th Street proper and its a few yards off the corner. I only say for you spanish speakers because its a little hairy if you try to communicate with the little lady behind the counter if you don't have at least the basics down.

Walking in to the place you might think its a bodega, but walk past all the hot sauces, frozen delicacies and fresh greens and you will see a little counter with a regular or two hanging out. You will feel like you just stepped into a whole new "old school" place. Its really the basics, no frills- and 9 times out of 10 from what i've experienced-thats when you find the winners!

I got this delectable beef burrito (that can easily feed two!) a beef empanada and a green tamale. The burrito had the perfect balance of rice to everything else, i always have a problem with too much rice-not here. And a delicious gooey white cheese held it all together.

Someone told me that tamales were their specialty and i tend to believe it. All i can tell you is, its the first one i've had since moving to NY that wasn't dry and hard- so yummy! Its really cool to observe the lady making the yummy tortillas by hand, from scratch and tossing them onto the skillet.

Theres a huge vat of beef simmering on the stove ready to fill orders. I watched her make my empanada and fry it up. Warning: It was greasey, more so then i usually have-but that didn't deter me! It had so much flavor, a little blot here and there and it was good to go. There are also a bunch of Mexican juices and sodas to choose from to top off your meal.

You definitley will not be dissapointed!

12 comments:

Pabo76 said...

This place is definitely the best! I first discovered this place via a review I found in the NYTimes a while back.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9C04E6DA173FF930A15754C0A9659C8B63

Unknown said...

thats so awesome! i had no idea the times had found these guys. and unlike alot of our other hotspots, we haven't lost this one to overcrowding. yay!

Harlan said...

Ah, cool. I haven't been here for prepared food, but it is a convenient place to get fresh epazote (required for real Mexican cooking)! Another good Mexican hole-in-the-wall is on Broadway and about 27th St, South side of the street. It's mostly a cafe, but with a few grocery items. Really good, authentic, cheap Mexican street food. The time I went, my party was the only gringos in the place...

Anonymous said...

This place is great plus they have a good selection of mexican beers(to go). Don't be too intimidated about the whole spanish thing. I usually just point to the handheld menu that is on the counter plus the cashier speaks English. Wish I knew more spanish but it doesn't stop me from eating here.

Anonymous said...

Sounds great, I'll have to check it out! Have been lamenting the lack of good Mexican in the hood. I have just one question... how is the guacamole?

Zora said...

For the sake of future Googlers, I will point out that this place is/was known as Hidalgo Grocery. Then they put that new awning up, and I don't know what the name is supposed to be now.

The tamales with rajas (green chile strips) are the most deeee-licious!

It's also a good place to get purslane and other Mexican greens (along with the epazote).

Anonymous said...

This looks awesome thanks!

A suggestion on a great cheap place to try is "BZ grill". This one got scouped by NYtimes also, but I highly recommend it. It's on 28th I believe. google knows where I guess.

amy said...

I LOVE the tamales there!

Lee said...

The first and only time I went there, a cockroach walked across the counter right in front of me

Joe said...

I had the cecina burrito today -delicious.

"Another good Mexican hole-in-the-wall is on Broadway and about 27th St, South side of the street. It's mostly a cafe, but with a few grocery items. Really good, authentic, cheap Mexican street food. The time I went, my party was the only gringos in the place..." That's Tulcingo #4. That place has been a favorite of mine for YEARS. I used to trek to Astoria from Brooklyn just to go there. The Bistec ala Mexicana could be my deathbed meal.

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