For Cinco De Mayo this past weekend, I was very excited to try the newest taqueria in Williamsburg. Authentic tacos are all the rage in Brooklyn, especially in this neighborhood, so I was expecting a huge line down the block as is often the case with these hot new openings.
The rain must have kept the crowds away because I was lucky enough to walk right in and order. It took a bit more time to find myself a place to eat among the young boisterous crowd hanging out.
Esse Taco is especially exciting because it comes from Chef Enrique Olvera, an acclaimed Mexico City chef who owns both Cosme and Atla here in NYC.
They only offer four tacos (plus a quesadilla and a play on an iconic dessert) that cover most of the bases: chicken, pork, beef, and mushroom.
There is a $20 option to get one of each of the four options, so I didn’t even hesitate.
Corn is the focus with housemade corn tortillas (they even do the nixtamalization here) and descriptive history of corn found throughout the joint. There is even a a little ribbing for those that would like to order their tacos “Gringo Style” with flour a tortilla.
The presentation of some of the tacos, namely the pork loin al pastor, was strange. It’s advertised as a pork loin and so you get a large strip of pork (rather than sliced or chopped meat) on your tortilla. Having been to Mexico City and briefly studied the history of al pastor, this is not the way it is traditionally served. It seemed like they were going for something “different.” That’s fine, but it didn’t really make sense. It was impossible to pick up the taco and the large piece of meat just ripped through the tortilla. Flavorwise with the pineapple butter, it was good but far from the best al pastor in the city.
I found the chicken with pickled onions a bit dry, but the ribeye and mushroom tacos were much more successful. The beef (which was also served in one large piece) was smoky and soft with a nice spice salsa guacachile.
However, the oyster mushroom was the standout. Regardless of the fact that I am brought to my knees by a good mushroom dish, this was the best of the bunch. The fungus picked up the smoky complex mole-like flavors around it, including a schemer of earthy black beans, some chopped onions and herbs, and a smoky charred salsa called tatemada.
I’ll be honest, based on this one experience, I think there are better tacos out there, but it was exciting to try a brand new spot that is clearly going for the crown. And it was even better to do it on such a celebratory day when I somehow managed to beat the crowds. Price: $5.45
| ESSE TACO |
| 219 Bedford Avenue (at North 5th Street), Williamsburg, Brooklyn |
| essetaco.com |
