Hops Into Town Story & Images By Bradley Hawks 42 | BOROMAG.COM | OCTOBER 2014 FOOD The 5 Napkin Burger may have been recently wiped off the menu at 35-01 36th Street, but it looks like its replacement—Tacuba— just might be able to reverse the curse of the expansive space in the heart of the Kaufman Astoria Arts District. Previous incarnations of the location have had a difficult time filling the 3,400 square foot dining room with a steady clientele, but that’s nothing a little tequila and some killer tacos can’t fix. Chef Julian Medina and the partners behind Coppelia, Yerba Buena, and Toloache have finally ventured out of Manhattan— and their first cantina off the main island has landed in Astoria, Queens. Throw in Head Mixologist, Artemio Vasquez—formerly of East Village hotspot Please Don’t Tell—and we couldn’t be more ready for this fiesta. Beverages range from a Michelada that boasts six peel and eat shrimp alongside your choice of draft cervesa mixed with fresh lime and hot sauce, to raspberry gimlets, mojitos, a hollowed pineapple floating with Fidencio Mezcal, jalapeño, cilantro, cucumber, agave, and fresh lime—and even a watermelon filled with jalapeno-infused margarita and St. Germain, packing enough punch to serve a party of four. The food is no less of a party than the bebidas, and you simply have to start with a choice of two empanadas for $7. These fritters are out of this world, and the chopped steak picadillo empanada features a hardboiled egg encased in a buttery pastry filled with savory beef and a piquant gravy. Huitlacoche—a protein-rich fungus that grows on corn and tastes similar to a mushroom—blends with queso for a thick fondue that erupts from the pastry pouch. Crisp jicama, earthy beets, and pistachios are tossed with queso fresco in a tangy tamarind vinaigrette, and bowls of volcanic rock arrive filled with an aguachile of lobster and shrimp, cucumberlime agua, jalapeño, avocado, red onion, and cilantro. Ceviche and cilantro-spiced shellfish abound in several varieties. Huevos dominate on the weekend brunch menu, and can be served with mole enchiladas and steak, over soft corn tortillas, or with Grand Marnier french toast. Dinner entrees feature fried snapper, a blend of fajitas, as well as a delicate chile relleno stuffed with quinoa, kale, mushrooms, and cheese. Plump shrimp are sautéed with Mexican chilies and served with a sweet watermelon BBQ sauce. Quesadillas are kissed with truffles. But the real feature at this cantina are the twofer tacos. Tortillas arrive loaded with succulent clumps of lobster and spicy aioli. Zucchini, corn, and crispy hibiscus flowers are heated up with jalapenos. Suckling pig, skirt steak, octopus, and even garlicky pineapple shrimp can fill these gourmet handfuls. But the taco to try for an authentic taste of Oaxacan culture that dates back to the mid-16th century is the one filled with crispy grasshoppers, guacamole, jalapeños, tomatillo salsa, onion, and cilantro. These little guys pack a bombastic crunch that can be initially shocking to the unfamiliar palate, but after two or three bites you will soon see how men and women can snack on these by the handful—almost like a hollow, salted pistachio.
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