Showing posts with label tacos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tacos. Show all posts

Monday, June 12, 2023

A Tacombi takeover on 12th Street

Brandage and signage has arrived for the new outpost of Tacombi at 139 E. 12th St. at Third Avenue. 

This is the latest location for the fast-casual Mexican restaurant chain that has 15 outposts in NYC, Miami and Washington, D.C. 

Dario Wolos reportedly started the business from a van in the Mexican beach town Playa del Carmen back in 2006. 

Oh, and those Vista Hermosa Totopos tortilla chips are quite good and have been on sale at Key. 

The previous tenant here, iSouvlaki, closed last summer after a two-year run.

Monday, September 12, 2022

Jo's Tacos coming to 14th Street

Signage is up for Jo's Tacos, coming soon to 226 E. 14th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. (Thanks to Pinch for the intel!)

Not sure who Jo is at the moment.

The landlord here split the storefront in half (The previous tenant, Williamsburg Pizza, decided not to reopen this spot during the pandemic. The pizzeria's other locations remain in service.)

The other side is — ding, dong — Bong World

And remember when we asked what will pair well with a bong shop?

Monday, March 22, 2021

Planet Taco now orbiting 2nd Avenue

Planet Taco debuted on Saturday at 141 Second Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street. (Thanks to Steven for the photo!)

There are a variety of tacos grouped by geography: local offerings include the Brooklyn Taco with corned beef; Around the World features selections from Cuba, Italy and Japan; and Out of This World sports names with Saturn, Venus and Mars. There are other items, which you can find on the menu here. The Instagram account is at this link.

We're told that David Sirinek, who previously has been involved with Maoz Vegetarian and Rub BBQ, is behind Planet Taco.  

The quick-serve shop is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. 

H/T Upper West Sider!

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Invasion planned for Planet Taco

In case you missed our past from this past Friday... Planet Taco is opening soon at 141 Second Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street ... New signage is up now promising, "The Invasion Is Coming!"
And we're still awaiting official confirmation on who's behind the new venture. As we noted last month, another taco shop was prepping to take over this space last leased by Otto's Tacos. 

Otto's never reopened after the PAUSE in March 2020 ... Otto's has become a virtual brand ... now being sold via Mighty Quinn's Barbeque — only on the Upper East Side at the moment.

Photos yesterday by Steven...

Friday, February 19, 2021

Planet Taco entering 2nd Avenue's orbit

Temp delivery signage is up for the new quick-serve taco concept coming to 141 Second Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street ... say hello to Planet Taco... (thanks to Steven for the photos!)
We don't know anything about this operation at the moment. Hopefully, the tacos will be out of this world. (Sorry!)

As we noted last month, another taco shop was prepping to take over this space last leased by Otto's Tacos. 

Unfortunately, Otto's never reopend after the PAUSE in March 2020 ... and the space hit the market back in the fall. 

Meanwhile, Otto's has become a virtual brand ... now being sold via Mighty Quinn's Barbeque — just on the Upper East Side for now.

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Tacos for a former taco shop?

Over at 141 Second Ave., paper nows covers the front windows of the storefront... and the listing is no longer online. 

A worker told EVG correspondent Steven that the space will be a taco shop... perhaps similiar to the previous tenant — Otto's Tacos here between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street. That quick-serve tacqueria closed at the start of the PAUSE in March 2020, and never reopened.

As we've noted, a lot of things have come and gone here through the years, such as Good Guys, a Subway (sandwich shop), part of a Max Brenner outpost and Burritoville. (Burritoville!)

Monday, May 11, 2020

The best carnitas in Los Angeles are coming to the East Village



Signage is up now for Amigo at 29 Second Ave. between First Street and Second Street...

There's only a hint of what's to come to the space. This is a collaboration between Chef Ruben Rodriguez of Nai Tapas at 85 Second Ave. and Juan “Billy” Acosta, whose family runs the much-ballyhooed Carnitas El Momo in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles.

First, a little about Carnitas El Momo via a recent Los Angeles Times review:

Romulo “Momo” Acosta learned the art of exceptional carnitas from his father, a farmer and carnitero from Salamanca, a town about 200 miles northwest of Mexico City in the state of Guanajuato. Acosta moved to Southern California and began selling carnitas on weekends in the mid-1970s as a side gig from his job as a welder. His porcine mastery didn’t become a citywide phenomenon until his children, including his daughter, Adriana Acosta, and son, Juan “Billy” Acosta, mobilized the family business with a food truck, and occasionally street stands, beginning in 2013.

Anyway, Rodriguez and Billy met and decided to team up for what L.A. Taco says will be "arguably the best carnitas you will ever find in the U.S."

And what to expect here? Back to L.A. Taco:

An elevated taqueria without “the stereotypes” with a nice bar is the idea. The menu is going to be composed of what Carnitas El Momo is known for “because what he does is beautiful,” according to Rodriguez. He’ll be adding an oxtail taco and a smoked trout taco to the menu and they will both be collaborating on some menu items together, but that’s still to be determined.

It’s no secret that El Momo’s recipe and technique are a highly sought after treasure and when asked about it, Rodriguez answers: “It’s a very emotional thing, especially when we are talking about our food. This is how we relate to emotions, our family, our past. So I wanted to make sure he felt comfortable. [Billy] as well did his part for me to feel comfortable.”

“I will be going out there for the beginning and get it rolling” Billy explains. “I’ll be bringing a few of my crew mates to ensure the same quality and eventually I’ll be leaving a full staff running it.” The plan is to have the family’s trusted nephew, Ricardo Sandov, who has worked his way up over the years, to man the taqueria.

Amigo is hoping for a July opening date in the space that was previously home to Neapolitan Express.

Monday, February 29, 2016

Tacos in the works for East 2nd Street



A sign for Guaco Taco — in two varieties of green — arrived the other day outside 91 E. Second St. between First Avenue and Avenue A. Don't know a thing about the place at the moment. We'll check back in on the place with some details...



On the topic of tacos on East Second Street between First Avenue and Avenue A, the Taco Morelos cart has been back in action in its usual location ...



The cart had been replaced by a Taco Morelos truck during some recent cold weather... and then neither were there for several days, prompting a few concerned questions from readers...

Thursday, July 9, 2015

La Lucha has closed on Avenue A



After nearly six years at 147 Avenue A, La Lucha is no longer in business here between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street.

Here's a tweet from yesterday from the taco shop/boutique… which mentions an upcoming move to Brooklyn…


There is also a Marshal's eviction notice on La Lucha's front door.

And there isn't any shortage of tacos these days in the neighborhood… Tacos Moreles opened up around the corner on East Ninth Street in August 2013 … and Empellón al Pastor opened last fall on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place…

Monday, November 24, 2014

Oaxaca Taqueria is 'closed for renovations' on East 7th Street



Paper is up in the windows now at the taco shop at 125 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue… a note on the door points to renovations…



A tipster tells us that Oaxaca won't reopen here, that the space had quietly been on the rental market.

Oaxaca moved here from Extra Place last fall. With the foot traffic, you'd think that this was a much better spot for a quick-serve restaurant than the dead and dead-end Extra Place. However, there are so many (too many?) taco choices now in the neighborhood … someone isn't going to make it…

Previously on EV Grieve:
Oaxaca Taqueria opening a new location on East Seventh Street

Monday, October 14, 2013

Oaxaca Taqueria opening a new location on East Seventh Street



Based on the new signage here along East Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue... it appears that the fifth NYC location of Oaxaca Taqueria is coming soon...



Oaxaca Taqueria expanded from Brooklyn into the East Village and Extra Place in December 2010... This space was previously home to the Butter Lane cupcakes classroom.

...and the taco revolution continues in the East Village... with the recent arrivals of Tacos Moreles on East Ninth Street... Sembrado’s Tacos al Pastor on East 13th Street ... Taqueria Diana on Second Avenue ... El Diablito Taqueria on East Third Street... and the incoming Otto's Tacos on Second Avenue...

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Five Tacos now open on St. Mark's Place


Several readers have told us that Five Tacos is now open at 119 St. Mark's Place just west of Avenue A... One reader said that last night was the grand opening.

Wasn't open when we walked by this morning... So, a rather off-kilter shot then of the menu...


CB3 approved a beer-wine license for them. It's run by the owners of Ten Degrees Bar a few doors down...

Friday, September 24, 2010

Taco time on First Avenue



EV Grieve First Avenue correspondent Blue Glass notes that the new taqueria has opened here near 10th Street....at the site of the former Western Union. If anyone one checks it out, then please let me know how it is... Apparently there is another location in town too.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Western Union now delivering tacos

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Canadian wrestling magazine raves about Avenue A's La Lucha


I haven't been to La Lucha, the new taco eatery/wrestling boutique on Avenue A bewtween Ninth Street and 10th Street. Perhaps I will go, though, after reading this review from a source that wasn't on my food reviewing radar.... Here's an excerpt from the The SLAM! Wrestling food reviewer:

For fans of Lucha Libre wrestling and authentic Mexican food, La Lucha is a must-go destination. Happily far away from the tourist trap of Times Square, the journey to La Lucha takes you through the hip East Village, and a suggested street to take you there would be St. Mark's Place, where punk and goth fashions will prep anyone for the even more extravagant costumes of Luchadors. The restaurant itself is located at the border of the East Village and Alphabet City, which adds to its alternative mystique.

The food is some of the best Mexican food one will ever taste outside of Mexico. Please note that this isn't horrible Tex-Mex food, but real Mexican food. La Lucha's menu states in bold faced letters for all to read: "We proudly do not serve Burritos!" This was a fact that actually surprised some obese patrons seated near this writer, in WWE T-shirts, who were then perplexed as to what to order, and then complained "Who are these wrestlers? Where is Rey Mysterio Jr.'s poster?"


By the way, the SLAM! Wrestling food reviewer is Ranjan Chhibber, a former WWE TV writer with a Ph.D. in Film History...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Coming soon to Avenue A: "Best taco shop and boutique in NY!"

Friday, November 20, 2009

Taco/boutique combo ready for action



When we first reported on the new La Lucha taco/boutique coming to Avenue A near Ninth Street, the joint was expected to be opening two weeks. Anyway, fast forward five months...La Lucha opens today...

Per UrbanDaddy:

And here, the ground rules of Mexico City are in effect—no guacamole, no sides of rice and beans, and a staunch anti-burrito position. Drop by at the start of a long night and you'll get a grilled tortilla doused with six different imported chilis, created by a guy who's eaten his way around the Mexican capital. Or specials like the Mil Máscaras: a trio of tortillas piled with cecina steak, Oaxaca cheese and enough bacon to make sure you're ready for the various tequila menus of the East Village.


Meanwhile, a few doors to the north, you'll find San Loco. The battle lines are drawn.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Coming soon to Avenue A: "Best taco shop and boutique in NY!"

Monday, June 29, 2009

Coming soon to Avenue A: "Best taco shop and boutique in NY!"

Well, that seems like an odd combination. Won't all the boutique items smell like, say, tacos?

Anyway, first. I spoke with someone who works here. If all goes well with inspections, etc., La Lucha will be open in two weeks. Or so.



Only later did I see these fliers taped to their shop window on Avenue A between Ninth Street and 10th Street (just steps away from San Loco too...) I'm curious about the food/boutique combo.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Coming soon to Avenue A: Wrestling tacos

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Coming soon to Avenue A: Wrestling tacos



Well, that's a rough translation. Next to Cafe Pick Me Up ... just past Ninth Street. And a few doors away from San Loco.