DESIGNplusTACOS | Design, tacos, and other NYC shenanigans

Taco Hunt: Zona Rosa | Williamsburg, Brooklyn

noreply@blogger.com (Mario) — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 18:27:00 +0000

The humid New York summer is upon us and we all know what that means: uncomfortable sweaty hot messes. Another side effect for me is a lack of appetite. For some reason I just don't get hungry when it's super hot. Thankfully, there are a few dishes that hit just the spot amidst the summer struggle – coctel de camaron being one of them. I usually tend to make this dish myself since it is super easy to prepare but now I think I've found just the spot to get this refreshing dish.

A few months ago I posted my coctel de camaron recipe and shared that this is one of those meals that always makes me feel at home. For those of you not familiar with coctel, it is a savory shrimp cocktail – think bloody mary meets pico de gallo. Though there are many different ways of making this dish, I tend to love very few. With this in mind, I was pleasantly surprised when I decided to give Zona Rosa's coctel de camaron a try and ended up loving it! The thick tomato sauce, diced veggies and shrimp were superbly seasoned and chilled in a way that hit just the spot during this 90 degree weather.

Another interesting dish I found at Zona Rosa were the al pastor fish tacos. Yes, you read that right. I've always had al pastor tacos and fish tacos but never a mix of the two together so I knew I had to give these a try. These tacos consisted of grilled tilapia marinated in al pastor sauce topped with grilled pineapple and though I enjoyed them, I'm not sure I'd order these again. It may be a personal preference, but tilapia tends to be a little on the bland side for me so I don't think its the best match to carry the flavorful al pastor marinade. I did however love their topping sauces and their taco presentation was pretty impressive.

Last but not least came something that also hit the spot during the heatwave: a pineapple zempasuchitl. This fresh fruit drink is the margarita's mezcal cousin and boy is it delicious! The pineapple's natural sweetness blended perfectly with the mezcal's smokiness and the spicy salt rim on the glass. Definitely a must try.

Overall, I loved Zona Rosa. I didn't get a chance to take pictures of the locale itself but it is beautifully put together. A quirky mix of industrial and tropical decor give it a really interesting vibe. Plus, their rooftop patio overlooking the Williamsburg streets makes for perfect people watching. I can't wait to go back and try their other tacos and different flavor zempasuchitls.

TACO HUNT SCORE: 3.5/5

PS - In case you missed it... we're now on Instagram! Follow us @DESIGNplusTACOS.

Taco Hunt: Empellon Al Pastor | East Village

noreply@blogger.com (Mario) — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 16:14:00 +0000

You know when you find a certain street where you seem to love everything on that block? For me, that was Saint Marks Street in the East Village, particularly the block between Avenue A and First Ave. From bars, to food and even my favorite park – you’ll find it all there! A few months ago a new taco shop opened up, Empellon Al Pastor, and I hadn’t gotten a chance to check it out until now.

We must have arrived at an awkward time for a Sunday (around 4pm) because the place was empty – the first time I’ve seen it that way. I’m not sure if their service is always as quick, or if the emptiness had something to do with it, but they were super fast. Our food and drinks started rolling out about 10 minutes after we placed our order at the bar.

For those of you not familiar with Empellon, they have a few different locations around New York – each with a different spin. This location’s specialty is their al pastor meat – slow roasted pork marinated in a spicy pineapple sauce. Naturally, I ordered one of those along with a steak and a nopales taco. To my surprise both the steak and nopales tacos were a bit of a let down. The steak was a bit too dry and the nopales were light on the actual nopal and covered in a red sauce that was a little too bitter for my taste. Regardless, their signature taco, the al pastor was clearly a shining star among the rest. The meat was rich in flavor, tender and had me wishing I had ordered a few more of those. I totally get why they named this location after it!

Another thing I enjoyed about this place was their drink selection, especially that they had a few different options of micheladas (beer cocktails). I ordered the house michelada, which was a little sweeter than I was used to but ended up really enjoying. I may be a little more adventurous next time and try their funkier options like the Michelote (elote, eh?!) or the Chambovaca (beef broth + Tecate? Oy!)

Despite my initial disappointment in a few of the tacos I ordered, I would still give Empellon Al Pastor another try – their al pastor was that good!

TACO HUNT SCORE: 3/5

Like I mentioned earlier, there are a lot of other great places to try on Saint Marks. Here are my top three bar recommendations:

1. Augurs Well

This was one of my first favorite bars in New York that I still love till this day. They offer a wide selection of craft beers and have a super laid back atmosphere, but what I love the most about this place are their bartenders. Greg, the bar owner, Daniel (who recently left back to California to pursue his master’s degree), and the rest of the staff make it a point to get to know their patrons. In a city where life can get a little lonely at times, things like that go a long way.

2. Bua

If you’ve ever walked down Saint Marks you’ll know that Bua is always packed, and with good reason. Their friendly bar tenders, delicious eats and tasty drinks make it a must-try. Not to mention they are one of the few bars on the block with a small outdoor porch. Their cucumber gimlet, palomas, and spicy Modelos are a few of my go tos! As strange as it may sound, I also love their bathroom doors. Give them a visit and you’ll know what I mean!

3. V Bar St. Marks

Need an after work sit-down place for small bites and drinks? V Bar is your place! Their corner location on First Ave and Saint Marks makes it a perfect place for people watching while enjoying a few treats. I'd personally recommend their truffle fries – so good!

DESIGNplusTACOS is now on Instagram! Follow us at @designplustacos for photos, recommendations and more!

Taco Hunt: La Superior | Williamsburg, Brooklyn

noreply@blogger.com (Mario) — Sat, 11 Jul 2015 18:29:00 +0000

After a six week hiatus, I am back at it! Though not intentional – and tacos were still eaten during that time – life got a little busy and I couldn't seem to find the time to blog. Between work, events, out of town guests, and a surprise trip home, well... you get the point. However, I'm back and with a lot of exciting ideas.

This post is a bit of a throwback and actually from around the time when things started to get busy. You know those weeks when by the time Friday rolls around all you want is your bed? Yup, it was one of those. Luckily, friends + tacos + parks = just the fix.

I am #blessed to have friends who know just how to pick me up – and love tacos just as much as I do. When I saw Sophie's "tacos + park?" text on Saturday morning, I knew it would be a good day! We hustled our way to Williamsburg and headed toward one of our go-to places when in the area: La Superior.

One of the reasons I love this place is that it has a no-nonsense authentic menu but still feels very New York – just the right balance between the hip Brooklyn vibe and trying too hard. My type of place! We began our meal with guac and chips and Mezcalinas (mezcal margaritas). I'm kind of a guacamole snob so I wish it had been a little spicier and had more lime juice (I'm sure they could have changed that if I had asked), but overall it was fresh and chunky, just the way it should be. The Mezcalina was also delicious and I may even prefer it to their traditional margarita now. Something about the smokey mezcal made it super refreshing!

As usual, I went with three tacos: cochinita pibil, camaron al chipotle, and their newest addition, the Don Luis. My favorite would definitely have to be the cochinita pibil: slow cooked pork in banana leaves topped with pickled-onion pico de gallo – a tasty contrast in flavors between the meat and the toppings. Next up was the camaron al chipotle: sautéed shrimp in chipotle sauce – the sauce was to die for! I would not recommend this one for people who don't like spicy food as it was quite spicy even for me. Lastly came the Don Luis: pulled citrus chicken topped with an avocado salsa, which ended up falling a bit short in comparison to the other two. Though still tasty, it felt a bit basic when compared to the bold flavors of the other two.

If you haven't tried this place already, what are you waiting for? Good food and drinks, reasonable prices, and a great vibe!

PS: This place is cash only, though they have an ATM right outside.

TACO HUNT SCORE: 4/5

Another great thing about La Superior is that it is close to Crown Victoria, an awesome bar with a huge outdoor patio and taco-truck of its own (I sense another review coming soon) as well as a short walk from McCarren Park. This time we decided to head to McCarren for a relaxed afternoon and picked up some more friends along the way. Take a look at more pictures from our adventure below:

"Where's my drink?"

Looks like Pearl's guava margarita hit just the spot!

Don't hate me, Steph... This was too good not to post!

We weren't the only ones feeling the park that day.

Taco Hunt: Reyes Deli | Gowanus, Brooklyn

noreply@blogger.com (Mario) — Thu, 28 May 2015 12:43:00 +0000

Making plans in New York always seems to lead to completely different and unexpected adventures. This was exactly the case. After getting an invite to Brooklyn's Morbid Anatomy Museum from my friends Christine and Sophie and scratching my original plans, I proceeded to do what I do best: search the web for nearby tacos. Having been friends since we were teenagers and two of my closest friends in New York, I knew we were in for a day of exploring, laughing, and overall fun. I was correct!

I was pleasantly surprised to find many Mexican restaurant options in Gowanus – everything from fancy, to traditional, to street-style. After reading through a few reviews, I decided we'd give Reyes Deli & Grocery a try. The bodega-style Mexican corner store is exactly what you would expect: a small space with a few aisles of packaged food items and a small deli behind the counter. However, instead of the traditional bodega bagels and sandwiches, they serve tacos, quesadillas, tortas, and other Mexican dishes. This hole-in-the-wall spot seemed like the perfect way to start our day of exploring.

We were initially a little confused on how to order, but after finding the menu and a small counter to sit at, it was time to wait. As we sat as drank our Jarritos, we noticed a steady stream of clientele coming in and out. Based on their interactions with the men behind the counter, I could tell they were regulars… which must mean this place was worth coming back to, right?

About 10 minutes after settling in our food started rolling out. Since this was a one-man operation, our food was served one-person at a time, however hot and right off the grill. I ordered three al pastor (marinated pork) tacos (first picture on this post) and boy were they good! As soon as I took the first bite I knew I was eating authentic street-style tacos: flavorful meat with lots of color and their salsa verde was nice and spicy. To take the street-style taste to the full extreme I would have loved the tortillas to be a little greased up with the meat juice… but I'm not complaining! I usually try to order several different types of tacos to get a varied taste of their options, but at Reyes Deli you have to order at least two tacos of the same kind of meat – which means I have to go back to try the others.

My friend Sophie ordered the spicy chicken tacos, which she described as "Spicy… in a good way!" and Christine ordered a vegetarian torta, which is basically a Mexican cross between a sandwich and a burger. A standout moment during our visit was when they asked for crema fresca and were given the whole container – without having to pay a dime extra. As Sophie and Christine excitedly put it, "Girls love crema fresca!"

After about 20 minutes of stuffing our faces and hogging three of the four stools available, we wrapped up and got ready to head to our next location, The Morbid Anatomy Museum. On our way out we spotted the perfect treat to keep us cool during our walk: paletas (frozen ice pops)! If you haven't had a Mexican paleta yet, you're missing out! I savored on a green limon one while Sophie and Christine both nibbled on arroz con leche ones. Based on the shot below, I think you can tell we enjoyed them!

Overall, Reyes Deli was a pleasant surprise that I can't wait to visit again! Their low-profile appearance and tasty eats make them a hidden gem, waiting to be discovered by unsuspecting taco lovers.

TACO HUNT SCORE: 4/5

PS - Though Gowanus is a little out of the way, don't be discouraged to visit Reyes Deli because of it – make a day of it! Like us, you can take a walk to the Morbid Anatomy Museum or a short bus ride to Prospect Park. Trust me, you won't regret it.

Know of other fun things to do in Gowanus? Share them in the comments below or on Twitter/Instagram at @mromja or using #DesignPlusTacos

Take a look at a few more shots of our day below:

We made a new friend!

Is a caption even needed?

We got a little too excited at the sight of the museum.

This is the entrance at the Morbid Anatomy Museum where they have a gift shop, cafe, and small artifacts.
The main museum is upstairs and we weren't allowed to take pictures.

Hello there, babies!

"The Dog Beach" at Prospect Park

This pup was having the time of his life!

After a day long adventure, we decided to take a nap near this waterfall. Yes, it was lovely!

Recipe: Tacos Dorados + Salsa Verde

noreply@blogger.com (Mario) — Sun, 17 May 2015 14:59:00 +0000

As you may recall, a couple weekends ago I threw a Cinco de Mayo party for which I cooked one of my all time favorites: tacos dorados de pollo (crispy fried chicken tacos) with salsa verde and bunch of other toppings. I love making these for any occasion since they are pretty simple to make, nearly impossible to mess up and always a crowd-pleaser. I was expecting a handful of friends and drinks would be flowing so I cooked around 90 of these. Based on the fact they were all gone before the sun set, I think they were a huge hit! Cook these for your next gathering or for any day you feel like eating a good meal using my recipe below.

Tacos Dorados

Taco Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts
1 pack corn tortillas (30 count)
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic
salt
vegetable oil (for frying)
Ziploc bags (to pre-heat tortillas)

Salsa Verde Ingredients:

8-10 tomatillos
4-6 jalapeños
1/2 batch cilantro
1 clove garlic
1 avocado
salt (to taste)

Other toppings (optional, but I use them all):

Lime
Queso fresco
Lettuce (chopped)
Tomato (chopped)
Crema fresca/sour cream

Heads up: I realize this looks like a long recipe but it is actually quite easy… I just like to talk a lot ;)

I love this recipe for so many reasons but my favorite one is that it reminds me of sitting around my family's dinner table enjoying it with my parents and siblings. These are so easy to eat that we'd usually stay at the table for quite some time, having random conversations and loosing track of just how many we'd eaten. Now that's what I call family time! Anyhow, let's dive right in!

Tacos Dorados:

Start by filling up a pot about 1/2 way with water (or just enough to cover both of the chicken breasts all the way). Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil. While you wait for the water to boil, chop half of an onion into large chunks (quarters is fine) and drop into the pot along with one tablespoon salt and the cloves of garlic. Stir the contents of the pot to make sure the salt dissolves in the liquids. Once the water is boiling, drop in the chicken breasts, reduce to medium heat, and let cook for about 30 minutes while occasionally stirring. After the half hour has gone by, remove one chicken breast from the pot and cut in half to make sure it is fully cooked. Turn off the stove once you've confirmed the chicken is ready and let it cool on a plate for about 10-15 minutes.

Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, start pulling it into small pieces and placing in a medium bowl. Don't go crazy pulling too thin, but just enough so it won't make your taco too fat – the fatter the taco, the harder to roll. (Does that sound a little dirty or is it just me? lol) Continue to do so until the two chicken breasts are fully pulled.

Now you're going to pre-heat your tortillas to prevent them from cracking while you roll them into tacos. Separate into batches of ten making sure none of them are stuck to each other and place into Ziploc bags. Ten is the ideal number because it will prevent the tortillas from sticking to each other and is realistically about how many you can roll before they cool off. Once you're ready to roll, microwave one batch of tortillas for 45 seconds - 1 minute. Then place one tortilla flat on a plate or cutting board and add a small handful of chicken in a row slightly off-center. With your fingers, squeeze the chicken into a line and tightly roll the tortilla into a taco roll. Repeat the process with ten tortillas at a time until you are out of chicken/tortillas, placing the rolled-tacos into a container with a lid.

#ProTip: You can do everything up to this part ahead of time and leave the covered tacos in the fridge overnight. Not only will this speed up the process day-of but also make frying easier since the tortillas will cool and retain the rolled taco shape, preventing them from unrolling in the pan! (Thanks for the tip, Mom!)

Next, place a frying pan on the stove and add enough vegetable oil to cover the pan and about 1/3 the height of a taco (usually about half a bottle). Heat the oil on medium heat for a few minutes or until hot enough to hear crackling when you place a taco in the oil. Once hot enough, lay enough tacos next to each other to cover the pan. Fry the tacos for about 2 minutes (or until the side in the oil is crisp and golden) and then turn them to cook the opposite side for another 2 minutes. Once the tacos are evenly golden, remove from pan and place in a napkin-lined container to drain excess oil. Repeat process until all your tacos have been fried. Ta-da! That's it.

Salsa Verde:

The salsa verde I usually make is a slightly thicker, creamier version of the traditional one. I've never gotten any complaints! :)

To start, wash all your vegetables and remove peels (tomatillos) and stems (jalapeños). The quantities here are a bit flexible, depending on how spicy/thick you want your salsa to end up. Once everything is nice and clean, place the cilantro, garlic and 2 tablespoons water into the blender. Blend for a short while until these are a bit choppy. Next, add most of your tomatillos and jalapeños into the blender and blend until everything is nice and smooth. The consistency should be like that of a fruit smoothie. If it's too watery/not spicy enough, add some more tomatillos/jalapeños to even out. Next add salt to taste (add a little at a time to avoid over-salting) and continue to blend to mix the salt evenly.

Most people and restaurants leave it at that but I like to add one extra ingredient: avocado. Scoop the whole avocado into the blender and continue to blend. You'll immediately notice the salsa will turn a brighter color and thicker consistency… you'll love it! Taste for salt one more time and modify accordingly.

Again, this post ended up looking pretty long but the process is actually quite easy – especially if you prep everything the night before. You can go all out with traditional toppings like me, or keep it to a few. As long as you have tacos and this salsa recipe, you'll be ok!

Let me know how your tacos turn out! Show me pictures on Twitter or Instagram at @mromja or using #designplustacos.

If you haven't done so already, make sure to check out the full recap of my Cinco de Mayo party along with some party tips and tricks here.

The Branding of Booze + Passion Projects

noreply@blogger.com (Mario) — Thu, 07 May 2015 12:32:00 +0000

Last week my co-worker and friend, Emma, invited me to an event titled The Branding of Booze hosted at Brooklyn Winery by Vine Pair. My thought process was as follows: Branding? Booze? HECK YES! The event took place yesterday, May 6th, and though I had initial hesitations when 5pm rolled by – let's face it, after a long day of work sometimes you just want to go home – I was very glad I decided to go after all.

Full disclosure, I wasn't planning on writing about this event. However, early in the conversation an ongoing theme became apparent which I knew I had to write about: passion projects.

The event was a Q&A with founders of three very different Brooklyn-based alcohol brands yet they all shared a similar vision around product, branding, and following through with passion projects. Speakers included: Brian Leventhal of Brooklyn Winery, Marshall Thompson and Eric Feldman of Braven Brewing Company, and Jahil Maplestone of Descendant Cider Company and was moderated by Adam Teeter of VinePair.

Having recently started a passion project of my own (this blog), I was able to relate with them on several occasions. Passion projects are one of those things that you want to do "just because" – regardless of the logistics and outcomes. You do them because it's something you genuinely enjoy and love doing. For this same reason, people (myself included) tend to over think it and sometimes never even start. Below are five tips and takeaways from The Branding of Booze event for anyone wanting to start working on a passion project, "just because."

1. Do It Because You Want To

Passion projects take a lot of work, energy, and most of the time even cost some money. However, the feelings of pride and accomplishment that come along with starting something you are passionate about are priceless. These projects don't always make sense in writing and people may even question why you're doing it in the first place which is why you have to become comfortable saying, "I'm doing it because I want to." Of course, we all know there is a lot more behind this phrase – like that feeling in your gut telling you to do it and knowing that if you don't you'll regret it. It was great hearing how all three brands started as small passion projects that didn't quite make sense – all four founders were previously in very different fields like law, tech, and marketing. Stop worrying about what others may think and do it for yourself.

2. Be Authentic

Figure out who or what your passion project is and let that shine. Identify key characteristics that will help answer questions down the line. If you want to be quirky, bold, simple then make sure everything related to your project stays true to those characteristics. Whatever you do, be sure to stay true to yourself and not try to be something or someone you're not. That's not to say your project can't change down the line. A good example would be VinePair's co-founder who mentioned that when they first started, VinePair was a totally different concept which evolved over time.

3. Talk About It

Tell people about your project even before you start. Mention it to friends, family, co-workers – anyone you can. Many times people try to keep their passion projects secret for fear of being judged or someone stealing their idea. However, talking about it will only open more doors and help make you more accountable for actually getting started. I had been thinking about starting this blog for a while now, but didn't start mentioning it to people until January. Fast forward a few months and people were actually checking in on my status. "How's the taco blog coming?" and "Have you launched it yet? Let me know when you do!" were some of the questions and comments I started getting. Let's be honest: that felt good and ultimately encouraged me to finally do it.

4. Make Friends

I am fortunate to have a few friends who also have blogs and other passion projects who have given me advice on how to get started, what platforms to use, how to think of content ideas – the list goes on. Their advice has been extremely helpful in getting started and figuring out how running a blog works. Surround yourself by people who's passion projects are similar to yours and ask questions. Most of the time people will be more than happy to offer you advice that can be of real value. After all, who doesn't love talking about their passions? Their drive and enthusiasm will help keep you going.

5. Just Do It

Getting started is the hardest thing to do. During the Q&A an audience member asked what advice the panelists would give to anyone trying to follow their passions. Braven's Eric Feldman immediately responded, "Just do it." Though it may sound easy, it's a lot harder than it sounds. Between figuring out exactly how to execute your passion, making the time for it, and worrying about how others may react, it may seem impossible. However, "just doing it" is the only way you'll get started. Stop worrying about all the details, start small, and go from there. You don't need to have all the details in place, those will come with time. Every passion project is different and the outcomes may vary but one thing they all have in common is that they all started as an idea which someone finally decided to execute on. That's pretty awesome.

When I finally decided to make my blog public and post it on my social channels, I honestly thought nobody would read it or even care… and I was fine with that. However, I am beyond lucky to have awesome people (like yourself) cheering me along with this little passion project of mine. Between text messages, emails, and Facebook likes, I couldn't have asked for a better response! Thank you! :)

I hope these tips will be of help to you as I know they sure resonated with me.

Do you have a passion project you're working on? I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below or on Twitter via @mromja!

Cinco de Mayo a la Instagram: The Party Guide

noreply@blogger.com (Mario) — Tue, 05 May 2015 11:10:00 +0000

How do you know if your party was a hit? People chatting, laughing, and having an overall good time are good indicators. But lets be real, it's really all about the number of Instagram posts it gets! This past weekend I decided to put a few party tricks to the test at my Cinco de Mayo celebration. The set up was pretty great: friends, food, drinks and sun… what more could we ask for?

Something you should know about me is that I love to host parties and take them pretty seriously. I know, I know... some people may say I'm crazy, but I love the satisfaction of knowing that you put something on that brought friends together to have a good time. That's why whenever I do throw a party, I try to make them memorable in one way or another. Whether its Cinco de Mayo, your birthday, or just another excuse to celebrate life, these three tips will help take your parties to the next level:

It's all about the food and drinks

Call me predictable but people love taking pictures of their food – especially if it's tasty! I decided to whip up a big batch of tacos dorados de pollo (deep fried chicken tacos) with lots of topping options, including my salsa verde and guacamole. This is the perfect party dish because you can prep them in advance, they're easy to eat while socializing, and are just as good once they get cold. If you're like me and tend to like salsa on the spicy side, you better have good drink options to wash off the burn. I went with fresh watermelon margaritas and palomas. Both of these are super easy to make in large batches and are sure to leave your guests wanting more! To make sure everyone's food pictures had that extra touch, I used little patterned paper trays instead of paper or plastic ones. Remember to consider those extra little details!

BTW – Stay tuned later this week for recipes. ;)

Selfies are always better with props

As the lady who rang me up at Party City said, "It's always nice to be silly and pretend to be little kids again." She was totally right and could probably tell I went a little crazy down the Cinco de Mayo aisle: furry mustaches, party necklaces, plastic sombreros, and more! After a few drinks, everyone was all over them. My favorite party favor ended up being bubbles – talk about a good photo opp! Not only do props make selfies more acceptable (lol), but they're also great ice breakers and give people who don't know each other yet an easy way to start a conversation.

Don't forget the #hashtag

Instagram is our modern day scrapbook, collecting our memories for when we want to go back and take a look. Hashtags are a great way to aggregate content from all of your friends, making it easy to look up different chapters in your life. Pick a hashtag that is unique, relevant to your event or occasion and easy to type on your phone. #NobodyLikesASuperLongHashTag. We used #DesignPlusTacos and here are some of my favorite shots from the night:

Overall, I think the party was a huge success! I'll let the pictures below speak for themselves.

Do you have other party tricks I should know about? Comment below or tweet me @mromja.

Don't forget to check back later this week to learn how to make tacos dorados and salsa verde!

Taco Hunt: Los Tacos No. 1 | Chelsea

noreply@blogger.com (Mario) — Fri, 01 May 2015 11:27:00 +0000

After several different people recommended "the taco place inside Chelsea Market," I knew I had to give Los Tacos No. 1 a try. I must admit that although I have been in New York for a year now, this was the first time I visited Chelsea Market – and boy was I glad I did! For those of you who aren't familiar, Chelsea Market is a hybrid indoor shopping center meets foodie heaven slash rustic art installation. Basically, my new favorite place.

When we first walked into the market I was a bit overwhelmed since there was a lot going on. People shopping, people eating, people talking, people walking... so many people! Luckily for me, my friend Brittany was no stranger to the busy market and led the way until we arrived to our destination. As you can tell by the picture below, we weren't the only ones in the mood for tacos. We waited in line for about five to ten minutes as we caught up on our weeks and tried to figure out what we wanted to eat. Unlike many other taquerias, Los Tacos No. 1 only serves three different meat options (carne asada, pollo asado, and adobada) and a vegetarian option (nopales) offered in either tacos, quesadillas, or mulas.

Originally I was going to try a taco in each of the meat options but in a moment spontaneity (what I like to call "panic orders") decided to switch one of them for the vegetarian option. All three tacos were made with fresh hand-made tortillas and topped with the usual condiments: onion, cilantro, salsa roja, and a salsa style guacamole. I'm not usually a huge fan of chicken tacos but their pollo asado (grilled chicken) taco ended up being my favorite. The chicken was nice and juicy with a slight smokey, almost burnt taste that I loved. A close second, and Brittany's favorite, was the carne asada taco – full of flavor and you could tell the steak was fresh as it melted in your mouth. I really wish I could write more about them, but they were just too good to remember all the details! In hindsight, I wish I would have stuck with my original lineup and ordered adobada instead as the nopales taco ended up being a bit of a let down. Though I usually love grilled nopales, these were way too bland for my taste – maybe they forgot to add seasoning before cooking? Maybe it's just my personal taste?

Despite the nopales letdown, their flavorful meat tacos were tasty enough to keep me a happy camper. Can they really live up to their "No. 1" name? I can't guarantee it, but they're certainly up there! As I stood there (the seating options were limited so we ate at a communal standing table) savoring my tacos I told Brittany, "I'm not sure what it is but these tacos remind me of my family barbecues." Yup, they're that good!

Overall I would certainly recommend Los Tacos No. 1 and am definitely planning on going back myself. Their location inside Chelsea Market and being steps from The Highline make it the perfect destination for a weekend adventure, especially now that the weather is getting better and better. As you'll notice in some of the pictures below, we had a fun time!

TACO HUNT SCORE: 4/5

Think you'll make Los Tacos No. 1 a part of your next weekend adventure? Let me know via Twitter and Instagram @mromja and using #designplustacos.

PS - DESIGNplusTACOS is still new so if you like what you see, please pass it along!

Check out that line… and that guy's sweet shirt! #stylin'

She could be a taco model… amirite?! (from left to right: adobada, carne asada, pollo asado)

Failed attempt at a jumping picture – but check out that cobblestone!

The feeling you get after eating good tacos. ;)

Design Plus Tacos, eh?

noreply@blogger.com (Mario) — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 01:20:00 +0000

What is DESIGNplusTACOS you may ask? Good question! If you've ever met me in person you'll know that I am obsessed with two things: design and tacos. Somehow I always end up talking about these topics and people really seem to enjoy it. Whether it's with friends, colleagues, or random networking acquaintances, these topics never fail to get a good conversation going.

Having moved from San Francisco to New York last year I always get asked the same question, "How does the Mexican food here compare?" I usually complain – which has led to journey of endless tasty recommendations and acquaintances. (If any of you are reading this, hello!)

Around New Year's I decided to task myself with being more creative and brainstormed several options for accomplishing this. As the time stamps for previous posts will tell, that's around the time this blog was born. Fast forward a few months of procrastination and debate whether or not people would actually read this, and I am finally making it public!

Long story short, DESIGNplusTACOS is a personal lifestyle blog where I'll share tidbits of my life. You can expect design inspiration and event reviews, stories of my never-ending hunt for New York's tastiest tacos, and general tips and tricks for New York life (coming from a New York newbie). I guess it doesn't really matter if people read it or not, but if you made it this far, thank you and I hope you enjoy the ride!

Taco Hunt: Chavela's | Crown Heights, Brooklyn

noreply@blogger.com (Mario) — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 16:47:00 +0000

On Presidents Day my good friend Brittany and I decided we would go explore Brooklyn. After a few Google searches, we settled on visiting The Brooklyn Museum in Prospect Park. Two subway rides and a freezing walk later we finally arrived – only to discover the city-run museum was closed due to the national holiday. Well, shit. On to the next best thing: tacos, of course! Another Google search and a 15 minute walk led us to Chavela's, a traditional Mexican restaurant in Crown Heights.

As soon as we opened the door I felt like we had been transported to my grandparents' kitchen. Colorful tile, weird little nic nacs, and the scent of Mexican goodness filled the room. Despite being the prime brunch rush (as apparent by the crowd near the door) we were cheerfully greeted and sat within ten minutes.

Now to the good stuff: the food. Though I was pretty tempted to try their tacos, their brunch menu was too good to pass up – $12.99 for an entree, pan dulce, and coffee! I must admit, I had not had pan dulce (Mexican sweet bread) in New York since moving here and I was pleasantly reminded why its a staple in every Mexican kitchen: soft, sweet, and the perfect treat to dip in your coffee. I meant to take a picture but it was in our stomachs before we knew it!

For my entree I went with chilaquiles verdes: crunchy deep-fried tortilla triangles bathed in spicy tomatillo salsa, topped with queso fresco and accompanied with refried beans, marinated pulled chicken, and huevos estrellados. Let me just say, OMG. I am usually a pretty tough chilaquile critic since my mom's are the absolute best and I make some pretty mean chilaquiles myself, but Chavela's were just perfect! The right balance of soft and crunchy tortillas, perfectly seasoned and with a spicy kick. Damn, they were good!

Their drink menu was also a winner: all the classics and a few funky twists. I went with the Don Pepino: a refreshing mix of El Jimador tequila, cucumber and cilantro served in a Tajin-rimmed glass. Light, fresh, and delicious! Brittany, who is a long time michelada fan tried their Modelo michelada and was not disappointed by the spicy drink either.

Overall, Chavela's was the perfect way to turn a silly mistake of a morning into a delightful unexpected surprise. I can't wait to go back and try the rest of their menu as I am sure it will be just as great as their brunch!

TACO HUNT SCORE: 4.5/5

Have you tried the tacos at Chavela's? If so, let me know what I should try during my next visit!

Recipe: Coctel de Camaron

noreply@blogger.com (Mario) — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 16:42:00 +0000

My mom grew up in Ensenada, Baja California so she is a huge seafood fan and even better cook. Every summer when the kitchen gets too hot to want to cook anything warm, my mom would whip up some delicious coctel de camaron: a savory shrimp cocktail – think virgin bloody mary meets pico de gallo but better. After my sister sent me a picture saying, "Look what we had for dinner," I couldn't resist but to make some of my own.

The other day I was feeling a bit homesick (missing my mom's cooking) and over the East Coast winter so I decided I would combat both of those with this delicious meal. The nice thing about coctel de camaron is that it works as a small appetizer or as a full meal, depending on the occasion. I usually like to eat it out of a cup, topped with avocado, lime, and Valentina salsa. To add some crunchy fun to the mix, you can eat with saltine crackers or tortilla chips.

Try out my recipe below and let me know what you think! Disclaimer: this is the lazy version because let's be honest: who was time to work with raw shrimp? Don't let my mom hear that...

Coctel de Camaron

Ingredients:

1 lb peeled and pre-cooked shrimp
1 bottle of Clamato tomato cocktail (1 quart)
Valentina hot sauce (or your favorite)
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped cucumber (peeled)
1 cup chopped tomatoes
2-4 chopped jalapeños (I use pickled jalapeños, but fresh work as well)
1 avocado
2 limes
Salt and pepper (to taste)

First start by prepping your shrimp: defrost and depending on the size, chop in half. I got my shrimp at Trader Joes which came bagged and frozen but if you have a grocery store with a meat department, I would recommend you go to the butcher and ask for that precooked shrimp instead since it will likely be fresher.

Next chop up the cilantro, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, and jalapeños into small pieces and mix in a large bowl. Squeeze one of the lime's juice into the bowl and mix some more. Your kitchen should start smelling pretty magical by now. Pour half of the Clamato into the bowl as well as the ketchup, shrimp, and olive oil. Slowly stir everything together while pouring in the remainder of the Clamato. Add salt and pepper to taste. YUM!

Like I mentioned earlier, I like to serve in a cup and usually wait to add the avocado (in squares) until served to avoid it browning. If you're going to serve right away, you can also mix the avocado chunks into the larger bowl.

Once served I add Valentina salsa, more lime juice to taste, and eat with some saltine crackers on the side. That's it! This is a super quick and simple dish which is pretty difficult to mess up and will surely become one of your summer favorites.

Do you think you'll try this at home? I'd love to hear and see how it turned out! Send some pictures my way via Twitter @mromja.

Tips for Surviving Your First East Coast Winter

noreply@blogger.com (Mario) — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 16:37:00 +0000

It has been almost a year since I moved to New York and have experienced so many new things, including my first East Coast winter. Having been born and raised in California, winter meant a totally different thing to me. Snow, slush, and single-digit weather? Clearly I had no clue what I had signed up for. However, I've come to realize that its not all bad. With the right attire and a positive attitude winter can be a little more bearable.

Now that winter is (hopefully) almost over, I look back and think: what would I tell myself now if I had to relive my first East Coast winter all over again?

Get the right gear.
Let's face it, winter apparel can get pricey real quick but it's an essential part to surviving the chilly winter. Wool coats, puffy jackets, ear muffs, beanies, gloves, scarves, and snow boots are just some of the things you should have in your arsenal. My two life-saving items this winter were my navy overcoat and my ear muffs. Overcoats allow you to wear lighter layers below that you can rock indoors and earmuffs keep your ears warm without having to commit to wearing a beanie all day. A good trick is to buy these things right when winter season is about to end and save them for the following year – there are bound to be sales.

Go out and do things.
When the weather started getting really cold my initial reaction was to stay indoors as much as possible. Wake up, go to work, go home, go to sleep, and repeat – the human equivalent of hibernating. This got old really fast and put me in a grouchy mood. When I finally started braving out in the cold, I realized it actually wasn't that bad. Dinners, happy hours and coffee shops can definitely help make the winter blues go away. After a few weeks I realized that the trick was not to go home right after work, instead coordinate to go out with friends and co-workers directly from the office. We've all been there – once you get into your warm apartment there's no getting you out!

Walk on the sunny side of the street.
Yes, this is cheesy and I mean it in both the literal and metaphorical sense. The side of the street where the sun is shining really is a little bit warmer! It won't be a huge difference but when it's 4 degrees outside, every bit counts. More metaphorically, look at the bright side of winter. Sure, it's painful and makes getting around difficult but it is also beautiful and can make any ordinary scene extraordinary if you take the time to look for it. I made it a personal mission to take lots of pictures of the snow and post them on Instagram. By doing so, I realized that I am so lucky to live amongst so much beauty – something not everyone can say.

I'm not going to say I was the happiest person this winter but I definitely tried to stay appreciative of new experiences and had fun with it. Perhaps one of my favorite memories yet was having a snow ball fight in the middle of the street on our way home from happy hour followed by making snow angels on my rooftop. Take that, winter!

Do you have other practical tips for East Coast winters? Share them below or on Twitter via @mromja!

Taco Hunt: Taqueria Lower East Side | LES

noreply@blogger.com (Mario) — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 16:00:00 +0000

After a fun night of celebrating a friend's work promotion, the only thing that could cure my hangover was going to be a greasy dose of tacos. This time I kept it local and visited Taqueria Lower East Side on Orchard Street with my friends Christine and Suzanne. The LA themed restaurant says "keeping it real" is what they're all about – only authentic and nothing else. Their menu proudly boasts "Los Diez Mandamientos" stating that nachos, fajitas, and ultra fruity margaritas will not be served under their watch. Consider me sold!

I was really digging the vibe when we first walked in. Traditional Mexican decor with pop culture references – you can tell they're not trying to be the latest hip place in town. Unfortunately, when it came time to eat I was a bit underwhelmed. I ordered three tacos and an agua de jamaica (hibiscus juice) and they weren't necessarily worth writing home about. Two of the tacos, barbacoa (marinated lamb) and cabeza (slow steamed beef head), were on the dry side and too salty. To be fair, I've noticed a lot of places struggle to knock these particular two out of the park. My third taco, nopalitos (grilled cactus), was a pleasant switch and ended up being my favorite. The cactus tasted fresh and the serving size was pretty generous. Almost redeemed. However, have you heard of a taqueria with better vegetarian tacos than their meat options? As my mom would say, "que vegetariano ni que nada!" I tried translating this but can't seem to find the proper words… essentially, just no.

I guess my overall impression could be described as "meh." Hold up. Did I really just give my first meh? Guess so. #SorryNotSorry – though I actually feel a bit messed up about it. lol

TACO HUNT SCORE: 2/5

I probably won't be giving them another visit any time soon but what do you think? Did I just order the wrong thing? Do you have a Taqueria LES favorite? Let me know in the comments below or tweet me at @mromja!

PS - That first picture were the tacos dorados de queso (deep fried cheese tacos) that Christine ordered. One of my all time favorites. I should have gone vegetarian for the day. Next time!

Taco Hunt: Tacombi at Fonda Nolita | Nolita

noreply@blogger.com (Mario) — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 22:06:00 +0000

For my first review I decided to check out Tacombi at Fonda Nolita after a friend (thanks, Steven!) recommended I give it a try. Having checked out their website and other online reviews, I must admit I was a bit skeptical… the "authentic" flavors meet the hip vibe? Sounded too good to be true. Regardless, after enduring a slightly painful (hint: 20 degree weather with crazy winds) walk from the East Village to Elizabeth Street in Nolita, it was time to see what all the fuss was about.

Immediately after walking in we were transported to a traditional Mexican mercado (street market) complete with concrete floors, puestos (vendor booths), brick walls covered in white paint and hand-lettered logos, and not to be forgotten... a taco-vending combi! If you're not already aware of the play on words used in their name, "tacombi" is a blend of taco and combi: an old-school VW bus. You read that right, a real-life taco-vending bus indoors! My grandpa, who has owned a combi in Mexico since the seventies would be all over this!

After getting over the initial oohs and ahs, my friend Suzanne and I were promptly seated toward the front of the restaurant and offered both the weekend breakfast menu and regular lunch/dinner menus. Both menus consisted of a wide selection of traditional offerings: tacos, antojitos (small cravings or appetizers), aguas frescas, Mexican beer, cocktails, and more.

Alright, time to talk about food! As always, I was a bit indecisive since I wanted to try everything, but ended up going with three tacos and a michelada. First up was the pollo adobo taco: pulled chicken seasoned in a tomato and chile sauce topped with a salsa verde and avocado. The chicken was nice and juicy thanks to the sauce it was seasoned in and although the flavors were a bit mild, the salsa verde was the perfect topper. Next came what ended up being my favorite, the barbacoa taco: slow-cooked pulled brisket topped with diced onion and cilantro. I added some of their Vista Hermosa chile de arbol salsa and a squeeze of lime and let me say, it was tasty! My last pick was the crispy fish tacos: battered fish with a chipotle mayonnaise sauce topped with pickled cabbage. My mom's side of the family is from Baja California so when it comes to fish tacos, my standards are set pretty high. Clearly, this is also true for the folks at Tacombi. Though I wish this taco would have included diced tomatoes like I'm used to, everything else was pretty spot on – perfect golden crisp, fresh fish, and paired great with the chile de arbol salsa – a close second place to the barbacoa taco.

Overall Tacombi was the perfect mix of authentic Mexican flavors packaged in a creative and modern way. Despite my initial skepticism, I am sold and would definitely recommend this place for a quick bite, gatherings with a small group, or after work drinks and appetizers!

TACO HUNT SCORE: 4/5

So, what did you think? Did you like the review? Are you going to give Tacombi a try? Do you already have a Tacombi favorite? I'd love to hear your feedback in the comments below or you can tweet me at @mromja.

Thanks for reading!