Dining Out, Lunch, Manhattan, Quick Post, SohoKerry Alaric Cheeseboroblack bean, black beans, cabbage, chipotle, dining in, fish, jalapeno, La Esquina, lengua, Lunch, market, mayo, Mexican, onions, pescado, pickled, queso fresco, Quick Post, salsa verde, Soho, taco, tacos, taqueria, tongue, tortilla, vealComment

Soho Taco

Dining Out, Lunch, Manhattan, Quick Post, SohoKerry Alaric Cheeseboroblack bean, black beans, cabbage, chipotle, dining in, fish, jalapeno, La Esquina, lengua, Lunch, market, mayo, Mexican, onions, pescado, pickled, queso fresco, Quick Post, salsa verde, Soho, taco, tacos, taqueria, tongue, tortilla, vealComment

LA ESQUINA | 114 Kenmare St. | 646.613.7100 | esquinanyc.com | | | | | | La Esquina on Urbanspoon

[mappress mapid="235"]

SO, WAS FINALLY INSPIRED TO revisit SOHO for a PHUDE excursion when I read in the New York Post that a restaurant called Antojerla Popular was serving a burger with pan-fried crickets as the protein and calling it a "Grass-Whopper". Alas, when I finally made it down to the place to try some, they had run out of them for the week.

So I wandered the neighborhood, hoping I'd come across a food place that was familiar to me from it's long popular reputation or from recent hype. Within minutes I was across the street from Soho local favorite La Esquina on Kenmare Street. It's been there for years, serving throngs of diners in its small space throughout the day and into late night.

La Esquina

They serve all manner of traditional MEXICAN fare of the "street food" variety, including quesadillas and tortas. This being my long-overdue first visit, I had to try their tacos. Always preferring to eat eccentrically, I ordered the Lengua (veal tongue, salsa verde, pickled onions, cilantro, jalapeño, queso fresco, black bean) and the Pescado a la Brasa (grilled market fish, shredded cabbage, shaved onions, chipotle, salsa verde).

Lengua Taco

Pescado a La Brasa Taco

Both tacos were excellent. The veal tongue was nicely seasoned, and had the proper texture somewhere between steak and liver. The crisp fresh veggies and other well-balanced accompaniments served both tacos expertly, brightening the earthy yet slightly sweet gaminess of the tongue, and rounding out the subtle flavors of the nicely grilled, firm, flaky fish with herbaceousness and a kick of heat.

Again, all tasty enough to wish I lived closer. I'd definitely would be a regular customer, especially with the amenable price point. But as I still have the excellent Cascabel Taqueria just a couple a blocks away, I fear my next visit may have to wait until I go back to try that cricket burger. I assume it want be all that filling, and I definitely want to see how many ways I can mispronounce the Quesadilla de Huitlacoche (Mexican truffle, roasted corn, epozate, mushrooms, queso Chihuahua or Oaxaca) when I try to order it.

Should make for a good show.

La Esquina

Bun Apple Tea!

KACNYC

LA ESQUINA | 114 Kenmare St. | 646.613.7100 | esquinanyc.com | | | | | | La Esquina on Urbanspoon