Tacos Morelos
EV Bites is a new monthly feature, showcasing 5 places in or around East Village you should know about. I will occasionally extend the border to Nolita and LES, and maybe even mention a name more than once. East Village in case you are not aware is an incubator for top industry talent, and a goldmine of world cuisines.
In this issue I’ll focus on Tacos. In case you’ve been living under a rock, or in Staten Island, you are missing out on a Taco renaissance. These are the golden years for taco lovers, and its just getting better and better. This crawl features 4 places and an unrelated dessert that is convenient to the crawl. The only thing to keep in mind here is that Empellon usually opens at 4 (1pm on weekends), and the dessert place may be closed in the evening. So check the times. Its best to do this on weekends.
Shrimp Tacos at Otto’s Tacos – I’ve tried every taco here over the years but I keep coming back for this deliciousness. A good example of the so many NYC mini chains today that started in East Village. Try the Horchata here as well
Carnitas at Taqueria Diana – While I prefer the Hell’s Kitchen location, this is solid enough. The sitting may be sparse but this is a walking crawl, not a sitting one
Break time – Check out The Museum of American Gangster, and the prohibition era speakeasy on St Marks
Beer Braised Tongue at Empellon Al Pastor – The namesake taco is excellent, but once I discovered the Pork tongue it was no going back. Its all in that delicious, tangy sauce they make that elevates this thing.
Cochinita Pibil at Taco Morelos – This s possibly the most authentic of the bunch, and East Village overall. Wonderful, tender, slow roasted pork on a homemade tortilla is hard to beat.
Break time – Check out whats happening in Tompkins Square Park, my favorite NY park.
Almond Croissants at Patisserie Florentine – Finish with some of the best Almond Croissants you’ll find in NYC. Though the Canelles arent too shabby either
One of these stops is an important stop on this world famous East Village tour
Enjoy!
Eating With Ziggy 