Mexican Food in CT

[storrsroars]

Who here has even heard of chilaquiles? Who knows what birria is? Or even sopes? Mulitas? Who knows the difference between tostadas and tostones? What are your best experiences in the northeast regarding Mexican food, from basic to gourmet? Anyone spend some significant time in a particular region of Mexico and knows of a specific dish that they wish they would have access to in the northeast?

I know all of the above very well, but that's primarily because I lived in Mexico for a year.

Alas, my favorite Mexican place in New England (Forest Cafe in Cambridge) closed more than a decade ago and honestly wasn't very good the decade before that, but amazingly was waaay ahead of "authentic" Mexican trends as far back as the 80s. I haven't lived in NE since 2001, and my only exposure to Mex in CT since that time has been in Danbury and was "meh". The Green Grunion truck does decent biz though serving two-fisted size burritos.

As @imno1 noted, you're not going to get rich with a food truck and may not even make enough for "comfortably austere". Maybe you can net $40K with hustle and luck. And that's after dropping $70-$90K to get off the ground. I used to run the food biz incubator here in Pgh that was part of the late, lamented Public Market. I know the business fairly well as many food trucks got their start in our commercial kitchen. But if you're interested, I can hook you up with Hector, who's pretty much built 2/3rds of the food trucks in service around here.

If you were going to do breakfast, chilaquiles would be a great start. When I had my coffeehouse and was doing my Latin America themed brunches, I developed a decent following for chilaquiles, which were always on the menu. I made both red and green, with shredded chicken and fried egg. Most people here had never heard of it, but it became my most popular dish. Downside to serving from a food truck is that they're not a one-handed food, and require a plate and spork (mulitas are also sloppy as hell, so you'll be going through a lot of napkins, lol). I'll tip you off to a jicama slaw I served as a side for pretty much everything that people loved as it was different and very flavorful.

Personally, at a sit-down Mex place I always look for huachinango alla veracruzana (red snapper Veracruz). I've never seen anyone try to make a burrito out of it. That, along with a fairly simple calamari in chipotle were probably the two dishes I ate most in Mexico, not counting taqueria staples.

I do know you can get goat leg at Restaurant Depot in CT. Pretty big frozen pieces so you'll have some butchering to do for your birria. Not too sure the white folk will go for it though. You might also be challenged finding green plantains for your tostones (and Mexicans refer to it as platanos fritos, with tostones being a more Caribbean name). But, with yellow ones you get tajadas (a.k.a. platanos meduros fritas).

Ah to be young and have the energy to even consider this is something I miss. If you go for it, best of luck!

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Boxcar Cantina in Greenwich actually had really good NM food way back when they first opened. But that was eons ago. Anyone been there recently?

Still very good but I haven't been there in about two years, though.

As their rent goes higher and higher, so do their prices, but their food is super fresh and surprisingly "clean" for Mexican food: IFIC, most of, if not all of their food is organic. Excellent wait staff too, attentive, but warm and give you space when needed.

You can feast there and not feel like crap the rest of the day or the next.

 

[Austin316]

Senor Salsa (Fairfield)
Tacos la Rosa (Willimantic)

 

[Magic32]

Surprised I didn't see Agave Grill in Hartford. I don't even need the excuse of a game to go there.

 

[Apollo]

The food truck line down in New Haven...lots of really good Mexican food there

 

[alexd]

I think Port Chester, NY probably has the best representation of the various levels of authentic Mexican food in the Northeast. They have a lot of street food type places and a few higher end places.

Yes!
I always eat and drink at Mary Ann's in Port Chester before shows at the Capitol Theater. There are other Mexican places in PC with fancier names, but Mary Ann's food is amazing.

 

[Deepster]

El Sarape in Hartford is great. Nothing to look at and not in the best part of town but the beef tongue tacos are amazing.

 

[CP76]

Casa villa in Stamford is my favorite spot

 

[HuskyHawk]

I lived in the San Jose area in the late 90s. Back then I loved the “fresh mex” places. There was nothing like that when I got to MA. Now they are all over. Local places run by actual Mexicans, not just the chains. I know chilaquiles because I had them for breakfast in Playa Del Carmen.

The street taco game is also vastly improved now. Both food trucks and sit down places. And while Tex Mex is still the most common, you can find legit Mexican places serving regional Mexican cuisine in MA. A great one opened in Southie when I lived there. This place in Falmouth is on par with anything I had in CA. Anejo Mexican Bistro & Tequila Bar, Falmouth, MA.

In short, it’s not the wasteland it was 20 years ago. I think you’ll be ok.

Edit. Forgot this place. View Menus - Temazcal Tequila Cantina - Boston. I’ve only been to the Seaport location, it’s a perfect pre-concert location. Food is good, if overpriced. The tequila and Mezcal selection are solid though.

 

[Stinger92860]

I watched a DDD episode last night titled Real Deal Mexican.

Real Deal Mexican

The restaurant in Cleveland looked amazing. momocho

 

[Rocktheworld]

I lived in the San Jose area in the late 90s. Back then I loved the “fresh mex” places. There was nothing like that when I got to MA. Now they are all over. Local places run by actual Mexicans, not just the chains. I know chilaquiles because I had them for breakfast in Playa Del Carmen.

The street taco game is also vastly improved now. Both food trucks and sit down places. And while Tex Mex is still the most common, you can find legit Mexican places serving regional Mexican cuisine in MA. A great one opened in Southie when I lived there. This place in Falmouth is on par with anything I had in CA. Anejo Mexican Bistro & Tequila Bar, Falmouth, MA.

In short, it’s not the wasteland it was 20 years ago. I think you’ll be ok.

Dang that place does look legit

 

[bendm]

The Green Grunion | Danbury CT

The Green Grunion, Danbury, Connecticut. 5,625 likes · 1 talking about this · 393 were here. "The Green Grunion" is primarily a San Diego style Burrito truck that provides the fine people of th

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best burritos i ever found in CT...otherwise i'd resorted to calling the cuisine "Connexican" ie an abomination.

 

[UConn_Top_Dog]

My mother in law is Mexican and I only eat at her house for Mexican food. When we went with her to visit her family in Mazatlan, all we ate for breakfast was chilaquíles. They are delicious, I love it, but we got pretty sick of it after a week and started craving pancakes eggs and bacon. But for most people who don’t have Mexican family, I’m sure it would be a unique treat. There are taco trucks in New Haven that serve up authentic tacos, not sure about posóle, bírria, tamáles, móle, and those types of traditional dishes. I know for a fact there are more restaurants serving authentic Mexican now in CT than there was a decade ago.

 

[CCSUblue]

Xicohtencatl Restaurant in Great barrington. Known for its mole.

 

[Palatine]

You can get great Mexican food almost anywhere in America. There are some really good Mexican restaurants in Vermont. I've had great Mexican everywhere from New Mexico to Maine to Chicago to Seattle even Atlanta.

Heck there are 36 million folks of Mexican heritage in this country. But it doesn't stop there. I live in DC and most of the Mexican restaurants are run by El Salvadorians but our favorite Mexican restaurant is run by Colombians. The biggest factor is freshness. Fresh ingredients make great Mexican food.

The real question is where can't you find great Mexican food in America. Ironically, I think that Miami which is a heavily Hispanic community may be one of the tougher places to find super Mexican food. But the Cuban food there is unreal.

 

[UConn_Top_Dog]

My mother in law is Mexican and I only eat at her house for Mexican food. When we went with her to visit her family in Mazatlan, all we ate for breakfast was chilaquíles. They are delicious, I love it, but we got pretty sick of it after a week and started craving pancakes eggs and bacon. But for most people who don’t have Mexican family, I’m sure it would be a unique treat. There are taco trucks in New Haven that serve up authentic tacos, not sure about posóle, bírria, tamáles, móle, and those types of traditional dishes. I know for a fact there are more restaurants serving authentic Mexican now in CT than there was a decade ago.

To add to the above, chilaquíles are great for breakfast or brunch, but if I had to pick my favorite I would say I like a more hardy tortilla like huaráches, or tacos léngua, tacos al pastór, tacos carne asáda, and sopa posóle nice and spicy.

If you need a taste tester let me know, I’ll be happy to fill my belly!

 

[dvegas]

Back to thread...lots of different styles of Mexican food in Norwalk. Support your local businesses!

El Mexicano on Wall Street in Norwalk is muy authentico. Just leave your weapons in your car and dont be surprised to be patted down or wanded depending on the time of day, or day of the week....

And PS Maria who runs Rincon is smoking hot and a gr8 person...

 

[uconngb]

Boxcar Cantina in Greenwich actually had really good NM food way back when they first opened. But that was eons ago. Anyone been there recently?

I go there frequently. Was gonna suggest it until I saw you already did. All locally sourced food. Their salsa is amazing.

 

[uconnfan68]

Another food thread

I would like to get a sense of New Englanders’ experiences/tastes/preferences regarding Mexican food in CT/MA.

Several of you know that I live in San Diego. I’ve been out here for going on 5 years and will probably be here another few. I have been blessed to meet an amazing Colombian/PuertoRican girl out here who loves to cook (and clean!), and we sure plan on moving back to CT/MA in the next few years if all works out with us. Not in a particular rush to leave SD lol. She grew up in Miami but moved to CT when she was about 14 and her family is there now in I believe the Cheshire area; I’m a Jersey/UConn/Boston kid.

Having been out here for a bit, I’ve had some wild Mexican food that really is nothing like what I had as a kid in the northeast, where you get a shredded beef burrito or chicken enchiladas on flour tortillas at some place that mainly serves white people. When my people from the northeast come to visit, they’re obviously blown away... probably like having Midwest relatives coming up to the Tristate and having some real pizza... or heading south for some real fried chicken. My girl and I know that, if we were to start a food truck or something with some real Mexican food one day, roll up to breweries and serve, it could be wildly successful as a relatively niche cuisine in New England. I know that most people have been missing out on real Mexican food and would go crazy for some of the stuff I’ve been fortunate to enjoy out here. We want to start working on recipes sooner than later, and eventually turn this into a business venture when our hypothetical kids are in college and/or we are over our careers.

Who here has even heard of chilaquiles? Who knows what birria is? Or even sopes? Mulitas? Who knows the difference between tostadas and tostones? What are your best experiences in the northeast regarding Mexican food, from basic to gourmet? Anyone spend some significant time in a particular region of Mexico and knows of a specific dish that they wish they would have access to in the northeast?

Thanks everyone

Ever eaten off the street carts in Tijuana?

 

[UConnKev]

I went to college in Las Cruces, New Mexico. I still order green chile straight from Hatch, NM. As far as Mexican restaurants go. Our goto is Sayulita which isn’t authentic but very, very good for what it is. Coyote Flaco is solid but not spectacular. For traditional tacos look into Tacos mi Nachos in Meriden or Aztec Grill in North Haven

 

[UConn_Top_Dog]

To add to the above, chilaquíles are great for breakfast or brunch, but if I had to pick my favorite I would say I like a more hardy tortilla like huaráches, or tacos léngua, tacos al pastór, tacos carne asáda, and sopa posóle nice and spicy.

If you need a taste tester let me know, I’ll be happy to fill my belly!

Out of coincidence my mother in law invited us over today and she made chíles rellénos. I totally forgot about that dish. Definitely another personal favorite of mine. For those who don’t know what chíles rellénos (pronounced CHEE-les ray-EN-os) are it’s baked poblano peppers in a red chili broth stuffed with crumbled melted Mexican cheeses. Heaven in your mouth.

 

[UConnKev]

Another food thread

I would like to get a sense of New Englanders’ experiences/tastes/preferences regarding Mexican food in CT/MA.

Several of you know that I live in San Diego. I’ve been out here for going on 5 years and will probably be here another few. I have been blessed to meet an amazing Colombian/PuertoRican girl out here who loves to cook (and clean!), and we sure plan on moving back to CT/MA in the next few years if all works out with us. Not in a particular rush to leave SD lol. She grew up in Miami but moved to CT when she was about 14 and her family is there now in I believe the Cheshire area; I’m a Jersey/UConn/Boston kid.

Having been out here for a bit, I’ve had some wild Mexican food that really is nothing like what I had as a kid in the northeast, where you get a shredded beef burrito or chicken enchiladas on flour tortillas at some place that mainly serves white people. When my people from the northeast come to visit, they’re obviously blown away... probably like having Midwest relatives coming up to the Tristate and having some real pizza... or heading south for some real fried chicken. My girl and I know that, if we were to start a food truck or something with some real Mexican food one day, roll up to breweries and serve, it could be wildly successful as a relatively niche cuisine in New England. I know that most people have been missing out on real Mexican food and would go crazy for some of the stuff I’ve been fortunate to enjoy out here. We want to start working on recipes sooner than later, and eventually turn this into a business venture when our hypothetical kids are in college and/or we are over our careers.

Who here has even heard of chilaquiles? Who knows what birria is? Or even sopes? Mulitas? Who knows the difference between tostadas and tostones? What are your best experiences in the northeast regarding Mexican food, from basic to gourmet? Anyone spend some significant time in a particular region of Mexico and knows of a specific dish that they wish they would have access to in the northeast?

Thanks everyone
[/QUOTE

My all time favorite Mexican restaurant was called Chopes. It was in the middle of no where but had the absolute best chile relleno I’ve ever had.

 

[XLCenterFan]

Cisco’s in Newington. Tiny spot but awesome.

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And there’s so much good Puerto Rican food in Hartford. I know it’s not Mexican, but it has that Latin flavor. Park Street and some of the surrounding neighborhoods is basically mini San Juan.

 

[glastonbury50]

Mexican imo is one of the foods where the really good Mexican isn't THAT much better then the subpar Mexican.

 

[tjhusky]

Jalapeño Heaven is branford is decent.
Nothing I have had in CT as good as food I tried traveling to Albuquerque or Dallas.