22 | BOROMAG.COM | JUNE 2015 Story & Images By Bradley Hawks Chela & Garnacha are slang terms for beer and munchies, which makes the pairing the perfect name for Astoria’s newest taco spot. “The name was actually inspired by a very vulgar song by a Mexico City band called Café Tacuba,” explains Jordin Loaeza, who co-owns the space with his parents, Jorge Loaeza and Marlene Guinchard. “I was listening to it with my dad one day, and he was like, ‘That’s it! That’s our name.’” Chela & Garnacha began accumulating fans a few years before the actual restaurant took root in Astoria. The storefront also provides the food for the popular New York City food truck, Mexico Blvd. Jordin remembers the first day the truck was on the street selling food like it was yesterday. “It was four years ago,” he recalls, “and we were at 46th and Sixth, and it started pouring down rain at 11:30 a.m. right as we were opening.” But the rain didn’t dampen pedestrians’ appetites, and soon there was a line down the block. “I started freaking out, and hollering to my dad to make more guac,” Jordin laughs. “We immediately had to cut our menu in half just to simplify production.” Born in Mexico City, Jordin and his family moved to Tuxedo, New York, when he was 13. When he was ready to live on his own, he bounced between apartments in Woodside and Astoria, finally ending up on 34th Avenue. When his family was finally ready to open a brick and mortar eatery, Jordin had already fallen in love with Astoria. Though the restaurant has allowed them to develop a more elaborate menu and offer a selection of beer and wine, the food selection is lovingly edited. And these are not your typical tacos by any stretch of the imagination. Tortillas are sourced from Poblanita in the Bronx. “Nixtamal’s tortillas were almost too pure for us,” Jordin says. “In Mexico City they never taste like that—these have more flavor.” The warm, palm-sized pastries are first layered with a delicate golden frico of Chihuahua cheese, called a costra de queso, or “scab of cheese.” Fillings then range from wild shrimp grilled with grapefruit and chiles to fried wild cod with baja slaw, carne asada with caramelized onions, grilled cactus with panella cheese, and garlic toasted mushrooms. Other menu options range from an array of quesadillas and ceviche, to a family specialty known as “intrincadas.” “My grandmother invented these crispy masa patties blended with cheese and potatoes,” explains Jordin, “then topped them with guacamole, chipotle adobo and fried squash blossoms. When my grandfather asked what they were, he listened to her lengthy explanation, and simply decided to call them intrincadas, which means intricate. They were an instant success.” Chela & Garnacha has a beer and wine license and serves a delicious Daisy (or margarita), using a generous portion of agave wine to replace the tequila. “And it won’t give you a hangover either,” the young owner says. The walls are covered in reclaimed wood, with wooden crates stacked above the counter, and tealights illuminating the lime green tabletops. Service is exceptionally friendly, and everyone seems like family. “We have a lot of customers who come here at least once a week, sometimes again at brunch,” Jordin says. The food is reason enough to get addicted. I could certainly envision myself coming here far too often. FOOD & DRINK 33-09 36th Ave., Astoria, NY 917-832-6876 www.chela-garnacha.com Dinner Tuesday through Sunday at 5 p.m. Brunch weekends at 11 a.m. Jordin Loaeza
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