Halfway through my unwieldy huitlacoche huarache at spanking-new Cabrito, I felt like a giant tool.
I'd accidentally ordered as a vegetarian. Strike one.
So I added a lengua (tongue) taco to my order, and realized my second strike.
Semi-sorta-subconsciously, I'd eaten everything Robert Sietsema told me to.
BALLS.
Ah, well...I can leave the experimenting to the next visit, as there will certainly be one. Our little group--myself, Chocolate Bear and Soft-Spoken Feisty Lady--enjoyed the Sietsema-approved Ensalada De Verdolagas (purslane salad):
Frijoles Puercos (the only non-Sietsema item of the evening, refried beans with house-made chorizo and lardons...YUM):
Each of them had a fish taco, which met with CB's approval, and SSFL's indifference; CB also had a chorizo taco, whose brief pork-and-masa existence was met with great joy:
The huarache (which translates to "sandal") was as promised; an oblong flip-flop of griddled masa, topped (in this case) with earthy-funky huitlacoche/corn smut, a thin layer of beans, lettuce, radishes, cilantro and crema. I would have liked a little sweet corn to foil the olive-like savor of the corn smut, but that's just me.
And I'm glad I tacked on that lengua taco! The tongue and tortilla were pleasingly tender, offering little resistance to the bite, and the char and spice of the meat played well with the avocado and sprinkling of raw onion. Tongue naysayers, step off--this was hands-down my favorite of the night.
A few caveats: I am not from California (i.e. not a self-declared Taco Major). I have never been to the Red Hook Ball Fields. I cannot attest to the authenticity of any Mexican food. But I CAN say that I've had far worse meals for far more money in this 'hood, and I look forward to coming back.
And how does one round up and evening of tongue and corn smut?
Why, with Milk & Cookies, of course.
Sure, the space is small and the service a little slow (but friendly--at least on the night we were there), but the idea of trying to grapple tangles of West Villagers for the privilege of pricey gelato or club-inspired FroYo was enough to make me want to puke purslane. Quiet time and homemade cookie sandwiches, please!
Soft-Spoken Feisty Lady went with the PB&J (AKA 2 peanut butter cookies with strawberry ice cream):
And Chocolate Bear went with a Cookie Sundae (strawberry ice cream on a chocolate chip cookie):
In the interest of being able to have a little dessert later, I bypassed the ice cream and went with Milk & Cookie Big Stuff Oreo Reboot:
...I didn't get very far. I dug the soft cookies and filling, but even with a monster milk, this puppy bested me.
(Luckily, the remains were appreciated later that night by Max, whose sweet tooth mojo far out-muscles mine.)
For extra funsies, M&C has shakers of blue-glitter sugar to give your cookies, ice cream or cupcakes that extra Smurfy oomph:
You've been warned!
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Cabrito
50 Carmine St
Btwn Bedford & Bleecker St
West Village
NYC, NY 10012
Ph: 212-929-5050
Brunch/Lunch
M-Sun: 12 PM - 4 PM
Dinner
Sun-Wed: 5pm-12am
Thu-Sat: 5pm-2am
Still want to try: Jalapeño Rellenos, Heritage Pork Green-Chili Stew, Sopa de Mariscos, Al Carbon Cemita, Churros y Chocolate
Milk & Cookies Bakery
19 Commerce St.
Btwn 7th Ave and Bedford St
NYC, NY 10014
Ph: (212) 243-1640
M-Sun: 11 AM - 10 PM
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