www.tulcingorestaurant.com
I might be a more devoted blogger if every restaurant was as inspiring as Tulcingo del Valle. Ryan and I met Demond at this 10th Avenue gem for a pre-show bite before Mrs. Warren's Profession, and it dutifully provided more than a bite--indeed, bites overflowing. (The play, by the way, was good, and I especially enjoyed Shaw's feminist monologues and the political undercurrent of the dialogue.) I never truly found a Mexican restaurant that satisfied my comfort-food-from-home cravings while in Boston (for gourmet Mexican, or fare from southern Mexico, does not taste of home). But now I can catch a train to Hell's Kitchen every time I need an enchilada fix, at least until I discover a place closer to my digs in Queens.
Tulcingo del Valle is a combination bodega/grocery/restaurant, with an extra dining room in an adjoining storefront (that was closed on the Sunday evening we visited). We sat next to soda refrigerators and under a TV that played telenovelas and world news in Spanish. The chips and salsa are not free, sadly, but are crunchy, fresh, and spicy; you'll have to go elsewhere for margaritas, but Tulcingo does serve beer, wine, and sangria (Demond had a Negro Modelo). We perused the expansive menu and were delightfully surprised by the size and quality of our plates: Demond had enchiladas Suizas with chicken and verde sauce; I had queso blanco enchiladas with mole; and Ryan had what he likes to call "the Mexican chicken," or the pollo a la mexicana plate. I loved the beans and rice, which came with a lump of guacamole, and even the mole was a bit spicy--much to my liking. Although I arrived hungry I couldn't quite finish my enchiladas, and I'm excited to go back and try many more vegetarian options. All three meals, plus appetizer, one Coke, and one beer, came to just over $50.
And the best perk? The check arrived, from our highly competent waitress, with three tiny boxes of Chiclets. ¡Dios mío! I might not have to move back to Texas after all.
4 petals
spicy, tasty Mexican; plentiful; cheap; off the beaten path (no tourists!); beer and wine
Photo by me.
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