New York City, Taco Town

"Despite considerable evidence to the contrary, conventional wisdom has long held that New York City simply isn't a taco town. Pablito's Taqueria, in Sunset Park; Taqueria Al Pastor, in Bushwick; the Birria-Landia truck in Jackson Heights; Taqueria Sinaloense, in the Bronx, with its shrimp-packed tacos gobernador -these places aren't secrets. Their businesses thrive; their customers are profoundly well served. Recently, however, something has shifted:"

"Santo Taco, one of the newest of the newcomers, opened this spring, in a sliver-slim SoHo space that previously housed La Esquina's taqueria, whose primary function was as a street-facing decoy for the glamorous restaurant hidden downstairs. La Esquina abajo remains open, but Santo Taco, unlike its predecessor, is very much its own raison d'être. A renovation has sleeked up the interior, but it's primarily an outdoor restaurant."

Conventional wisdom long maintained that New York City was not a taco town, despite thriving taquerias across boroughs such as Pablito's Taqueria, Taqueria Al Pastor, Birria-Landia and Taqueria Sinaloense. A recent wave of ambitious, modern taquerias has shifted that reality and brought notable taco activity into Manhattan neighborhoods. Santo Taco opened in SoHo in a narrow space formerly housing La Esquina's taqueria and emphasizes outdoor, walk-up ordering with sidewalk seating. The operation features a goldfinch-yellow pineapple-cucumber agua fresca and a centerpiece steak trompo shaved from a vertical spit. The meat is seasoned simply with salt and can be balanced by dusky masa and a tangy, pond-green avocado salsa.

Read at The New Yorker