Midtown Lunch

Ever since Toloache Taqueria opened on Maiden Lane (btw. William & Gold), we’ve been treated to a slightly fancier take on Mexican food than is found at Chipotle or other options in the Financial District like Sabor de Mexico or the taco trucks that have started parking down here. I’ve sampled the tacos and burritos, which until a recent price break overshot the $10 mark, but the tortas have always beckoned. As I discovered, at $8 they’re probably the best gut-filling bargain to be found there. 

The sandwiches don’t really look that large, and aren’t equal to say an Italian hero, but it’s a normal size to fill you up and not put you in a food coma for three hours afterward. And you get a generous bag of tortilla chips and a cup of nice salsa alongside it which ups the bargain factor.

There are a few torta options to choose from, including one with brisket and white cheese, a grilled chicken model with lettuce and tomato, and a roasted vegetable version. I followed my slightly-clogged heart to the puerco version, which has Mexican chocolate glazed pork, tomato, chipotle cabbage slaw and a reddish sauce spread on the bun after it’s toasted.

I don’t know if it was the extreme hunger talking when I dug into this, but it was a really good sandwich. Yes it’s a dollar or two more than what you would get at a taco truck, but the flavors were a lot more intense and I appreciated the bread that was well-toasted in a sandwich press. The pork was super juicy and the chocolate flavor shone through, with the slaw adding a nice crunch, although not a bunch of flavor.

I’ve heard good things about the brisket torta from Toloache, but if you eat pork, I’d say give the pig version a shot.

Toloache Taqueria, 83 Maiden Lane (btw. William & Gold), (212) 809-9800