Fonda Comida Mexicana, Brooklyn NYC

NY York Foodie, Sasha Grand in front of Fonda Restaurant

I started the morning with an email from a friend with this LINK about food in Mexico City. I see that this wonderful restaurant I JUST ate at in Brooklyn, is featured.

The restaurant is located in Park Slope. I LUFF Park Slope. My best friend from college has been living there for the past 15 years and for whatever reason, they have GREAT Mexican food. People always joke about how New York City is really lagging in the taco department. I am here to tell you they are definitely improving!

A 12 year old foodie named Sasha told me that Fonda was 'beyond awesome.' He started reciting his favorites on the menu so fast I was like, "Wait... wait... Slow down." Better yet, let's just go there. So off I went with my soon to be teenage escort.

He started with a Guava soda. I had a Guava Margarita. Fantastic! We ordered the "Taquitos" appetizer of pastor with pina. I was a little confused by the moniker as to me a taquito is a rolled, deep fried taco. But here it actually means 'little taco.'

They were delicious. They come in threes. Somehow we managed to save one for his Dad.

Pastor with Pineapple 3 Taco Appetizer

Carne Asada w/ green beans + a sweet corn mushroom sauce

The grilled steak, carne asada offering is one of Sasha's favorites. I can see why. It was RIDICULOUS. Tender, juicy, flavorful, with green beans and mushrooms on top. Totally ADDICTIVE. Give me MORE. Send it Overnight Express! Andale!

We also got an order of the Enchilada Suizas. A classic I have been eating at La Serenata de Garabaldi for over 20 years. How was it? Delicious.

Chips and Guacamole? Delicious. The corn tortillas? Delicious. The service? Perfect. The decor? Very charming. The rice and beans? YUM.

The have an incredible cook book called Truly Mexican and a 2nd restaurant in Manhattan.

Definitely going back on my next visit.

The moral of the story? Listen to 12 year old foodies! Especially ones that are brave enough to order chicken feet at Chinese restaurants.

:)

www.fondarestaurant.com
434 7th Avenue btw 14th & 15th
Brooklyn, NY 11215

Brooklyn Tacos and Tacombi!

I am here in the Big Apple which I may have to start calling the big taco due to the fact that taco trucks and authentic Mexican eateries are popping up all over the place!

I had heard that Brooklyn was a good spot for some authenticity. I cross referenced blogs, Yelp and my own Taco Radar and hopped on the L train from midtown Manhattan to explore Williamsburg.

I shot a lot of video footage which was hard to edit. See the Brooklyn Taco Crawl video at the end of the post.

Here is a recap of where I stopped.

SANTOS ANNE

Churros with Nutella and Orange Crema at  Santos Anne

The lovliest people. I like their creation myth of a French woman and a Mexican man gettin' down and coming up with stuff like Brie & Lardon tacos and an out of this world Merguez Lamb Sausage taco. They have a beautiful and peaceful patio, a full bar of magical margaritas and Bocce Ball!!!!

EL DIABLO TACO TRUCK

Delicious authentic tacos and cheeky taqueros!

Just down the street on Union, the devil lies hidden in a courtyard behind the Union Pool bar. These guys win the Taco Truck Art award and their Chorizo taco was as good as anything I've had in LA. They are boastful, cheeky and authentic. There patio is also awesome and you can never lose with a combo of good booze and tacos.

MESA COYOACAN

Grilled Tilapia tacos with cabbage etc.

I really wanted to like this place. I love Coyocan, the small town in Mexico City where Frida Khalo is from and actual Coyotes abounded at one time. They are definitely trendy. They have a Mixologist doing his muddle thing, but they were very crabby about me taking any photos and their fish taco had a soggy tortilla. It was well seasoned and perfectly grilled Tilapia, with what tasted like sauerkraut on it, but the floppy corn tortillas were a no-go and so was their attitude!

VILLA PANCHO

Wall art at Villa Pancho

I left via the G train and attempted to head to Park Slope (home of Fonda) but Saturday was Train Detour Day for both the F and the G and I was unceremoniously dumped of on Bedford having no idea where I was and no patience for the various special shuttles and buses while suffocating on the hot subway platform.

The first two taxis I hailed refused to take me to Park Slope (about a $12 ride away I later learned) and so I was about to start whining LA Style on an unfamiliar NYC street corner when I noticed a taco place. SAVED. A taco, as you well know, fixes EVERYTHING.

This place has only been open about 5 months but already has big fans for their burritos and other comforting home cooking. I had a Barbacoa taco that was freshy fresh. I loved their decor and the owner was very friendly. He says the name came from a mistake that the guy making his sign made. It was supposed to be Pancho Villa! Def. worth a visit.

TACOMBI

People gettin' down with their tacos.

I've been following these taco innovators and their Nolita shennanigans for over a year now, but I finally got to try it.

After a day of taco chasing and a Tornado in Brooklyn???? I made my way to Soho on the R train which took FOREVER. Thankfully, all the hype is true. They ROCK and they rock HARD. Delicious tacos, an efficient system to handle the madness and the wait and a top notch Michelada. Now all I need is a Tee-Shirt!

Good work NYC. You are making some excellent inroads on the path to Taco Wisdom.

Diablo Taco, Silverlake

 

While I was in Mexico, I got several emails about this new taco spot. Quickly checked out the menu and decided to go when I got back.

Diablo is a gourmet taco fusion place with heart. They are friendly not fussy. They are respectful of the almighty taco, but not afraid to be cheeky with items such as Beef Cheek tacos and Dodger Dog tacos.

The owner/manager Summer Stearns hosted me with charm, skill and generosity. The head taco chef and co-owner Casey Wiele was wonderful as well.



Most importantly, the tacos were friggin' delicious. Of course my fav was the Bison chile with yellow cheese and banana peppers. SO TASTY. I had never had Bison before and I'm not so gamey in general but this taco is a keeper.

Other delicious and innovative tacos include the Pok Chuk (marinated pork, radishes and slaw) Maple Fried Chicken, Pork Belly with caramelized bananas and peanuts, and a fabulous veggie taco with tempura-battered Woodhouse Mushrooms, roasted tomatoes and a garlic aioli made from soy.

Delicious Popsicles for Dessert!

 

I especially loved their taco shells which were very yellow, thin, grilled and never broke once. I tasted about 10 different varieties. The chef has them made at a local factory but he supplies all the ingredients. You can see him talking about it in the above video.

They also do something fun called Skins. Right now you have a choice between Kurabuta chicharron, fried chicken skins and potato skins. They come with a choice of excellent sauces.

Add to this at least 3 gourmet daily salads and a fantastic beer selection plus tart Sangria and you can not go wrong.

The Amazing Michelada

 

Dessert is delicious cookies and various homemade Paletas or Popsicles. The best Popsicle of all is the tomato, chili, Worcestershire, spicy one that can be found in their amazing Michelada. A tall chilled glass, gourmet grey salt on the rim and a floating Popsicle all add up to one of the best Mexican beer cocktails I have had ANYWHERE.

Yay Diablo! Welcome to Tacolandia.

Valle de Guadalupe Wine Country in Ensenada!

Made a brief stop through the Valle of Guadalupe on my way up from the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula. 1000 miles each way but so much beauty and great food.

It was super fun. Lots of wonderful places to relax, drink, eat and be very very merry. It's really only a little over an hour S. of Tijuana. Worth it! I promise.

Salud!