Hot Tamale Rating: 4
(1=worst, 5=best)
Stepping down from the street into Taqueria del Distrito Federal, you enter another world thousands of miles away. Sitting in Taqeria, you could easily imagine yourself in a cozy corner restaurant in the capital of Mexico, forgetting that you're still in the capital of the United States.
The authenticity of the atmosphere simply can't be matched – green, white and red tiles wrap around the walls, similarly colored streamers line the ceiling, and a variety of photos from classic Mexican cinema along with a wide array of handicrafts and other cultural artifacts proudly hang on the congested walls. Aside from the standard kitsch or sombreros and souvenirs, there are a number of genuine relics, including a shrine to the Virgin of Guadalupe, complete with lit candles and burning incense.
Taqueria is a truly mom'n'pop, or shall we say mami y papi, no frills place. If you've come looking for the amenities you may take for granted at other establishments, such as air-conditioning, attentive wait staff, and complementary water, you've definitely come to the wrong place. But what's ostensibly lacking in service, the Tex-Mex-Trio unanimously agrees is more than made up in the quality, value and deliciousness of la comida.
The first item to catch our tastebuds was the thin, green salsa. The waitress explained that it's made out of avocados, and the trained tongue would also suggest copious amounts of cilantro – not to spicy, but decidedly flavorful. Thankfully, our entrees arrive promptly, keeping us from filling up too much on the chips and salsa.
Jason ordered the Alambre Espanol, a stir-fry of sorts, made up of ground chorizo sausage, bite-sized slices of well-seasoned chicken, fresh onions, thinly slice fresh jalapeños, fresh diced tomatoes, smothered with melted cheese and served with beans and rice. "Fresh" and "spicy" were the key adjectives describing Jason's meal.
As a warning to those with weak palettes, intolerant of spiciness (you know who you are!), be mindful that the homemade dishes at Taqueria come hot and only hot! Be sure to ask your server whether the dish you intend to order is hot or not. You'll thank us!
Having mopped up the residual grease and beans with soft, homemade corn tortillas, Jason finished his meal with a clean plate and sweaty face – indications of a good, hot, and spicy meal.
Taking advantage of this being a taqueria, Jaime ordered a plate of three tacos; tripa (beef tripe), chicarron (pork skin) en salsa verde and pork al pastor. Besides a generous portion of meat, the tacos all came dressed with cilantro, avocado and raw onion and shared the plate with slices of radish and cucumber and wedges of lime. The tripas lacked the crispiness that Jaime prefers, but still contained loads of tripey goodness. Tender and spicy, the pork al pastor brought back memories of south Texas taquerias and did not suffer by the comparison. The chicharron, though, beat the other two tacos, hands down. Slippery and soft bits of pork skin doused in an aggressive green sauce more than held their own against the raw onion sprinkled in the taco and, unlike its meaty brethren, required no additional spicing. Jaime washed everything down with a glass of Jamaica (iced hibiscus tea). The sweet/slightly sour tea paired with the spicy food beautifully.
Would Jaime get it again? If we went back, he would try and get a burrito of the chicharron.
After the shocking self-discovery of her own unrefined tastes for sophisticated flavors, Anna decided to play it safe at Taqueria del Distrito Federal. And it doesn’t get much safer than fried tacos aka “Tacos Dorados.” Three fried corn tacos filled with pork hidden below a fluffy blanket of lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, and sour cream. The meal was filling and tasty. It was also one of the unspicy meals on the menu, so if you aren’t feeling very adventuress, and don’t enjoy a kick to your food, Tacos Dorados are the way to go.
Since margaritas, or anything alcoholic, are not on the menu at el Distrito, Anna drowned her sorrows in a big glass (ok, styrofoam cup) of cold and refreshing Marañon. After hitting up the card catalogue at her local public library (ok, google), Anna found out why Marañon tastes nutty yet sweet – it’s made out of a nutty fruit. Marañon, also called a cashew fruit, has its origins in Brazil.* The TexMex trio recommends trying and sharing amongst your friends all of the freshly made, Latin American beverages.
Freshness, zestiness, and spiciness were the themes that connected all the dishes. There was no denying that the ingredients, especially the vegetables, were all freshly prepared, and hadn't been sitting around all day pre-sliced and -diced. Tempering the spiciness and washing down the good food with homemade, cinnamony-sweet horchata, the Tex-Mex-Trio and friends left Taqueria del Districo Federal quite satisfied and well satiated!
*cashew apple = cashew fruit = marañon = merey = caju = cajueiro Notes: This Brazilian fruit looks like a squishy apple with an odd-looking stem growing out of it. According to botanists, though, the grayish "stem" is actually the fruit, and it encloses the kidney-shaped cashew nut that we're familiar with. The cashew apple is the yellowish-orange part that's attached to the fruit. Cashew apples are juicy but somewhat astringent due to a high concentration of tannin. Be careful of the grayish fruit that encloses the nut. It contains toxic oils.
(1=worst, 5=best)
Stepping down from the street into Taqueria del Distrito Federal, you enter another world thousands of miles away. Sitting in Taqeria, you could easily imagine yourself in a cozy corner restaurant in the capital of Mexico, forgetting that you're still in the capital of the United States.
The authenticity of the atmosphere simply can't be matched – green, white and red tiles wrap around the walls, similarly colored streamers line the ceiling, and a variety of photos from classic Mexican cinema along with a wide array of handicrafts and other cultural artifacts proudly hang on the congested walls. Aside from the standard kitsch or sombreros and souvenirs, there are a number of genuine relics, including a shrine to the Virgin of Guadalupe, complete with lit candles and burning incense.
Taqueria is a truly mom'n'pop, or shall we say mami y papi, no frills place. If you've come looking for the amenities you may take for granted at other establishments, such as air-conditioning, attentive wait staff, and complementary water, you've definitely come to the wrong place. But what's ostensibly lacking in service, the Tex-Mex-Trio unanimously agrees is more than made up in the quality, value and deliciousness of la comida.The first item to catch our tastebuds was the thin, green salsa. The waitress explained that it's made out of avocados, and the trained tongue would also suggest copious amounts of cilantro – not to spicy, but decidedly flavorful. Thankfully, our entrees arrive promptly, keeping us from filling up too much on the chips and salsa.
Jason ordered the Alambre Espanol, a stir-fry of sorts, made up of ground chorizo sausage, bite-sized slices of well-seasoned chicken, fresh onions, thinly slice fresh jalapeños, fresh diced tomatoes, smothered with melted cheese and served with beans and rice. "Fresh" and "spicy" were the key adjectives describing Jason's meal.
As a warning to those with weak palettes, intolerant of spiciness (you know who you are!), be mindful that the homemade dishes at Taqueria come hot and only hot! Be sure to ask your server whether the dish you intend to order is hot or not. You'll thank us!
Having mopped up the residual grease and beans with soft, homemade corn tortillas, Jason finished his meal with a clean plate and sweaty face – indications of a good, hot, and spicy meal.
Taking advantage of this being a taqueria, Jaime ordered a plate of three tacos; tripa (beef tripe), chicarron (pork skin) en salsa verde and pork al pastor. Besides a generous portion of meat, the tacos all came dressed with cilantro, avocado and raw onion and shared the plate with slices of radish and cucumber and wedges of lime. The tripas lacked the crispiness that Jaime prefers, but still contained loads of tripey goodness. Tender and spicy, the pork al pastor brought back memories of south Texas taquerias and did not suffer by the comparison. The chicharron, though, beat the other two tacos, hands down. Slippery and soft bits of pork skin doused in an aggressive green sauce more than held their own against the raw onion sprinkled in the taco and, unlike its meaty brethren, required no additional spicing. Jaime washed everything down with a glass of Jamaica (iced hibiscus tea). The sweet/slightly sour tea paired with the spicy food beautifully.Would Jaime get it again? If we went back, he would try and get a burrito of the chicharron.
After the shocking self-discovery of her own unrefined tastes for sophisticated flavors, Anna decided to play it safe at Taqueria del Distrito Federal. And it doesn’t get much safer than fried tacos aka “Tacos Dorados.” Three fried corn tacos filled with pork hidden below a fluffy blanket of lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, and sour cream. The meal was filling and tasty. It was also one of the unspicy meals on the menu, so if you aren’t feeling very adventuress, and don’t enjoy a kick to your food, Tacos Dorados are the way to go.Since margaritas, or anything alcoholic, are not on the menu at el Distrito, Anna drowned her sorrows in a big glass (ok, styrofoam cup) of cold and refreshing Marañon. After hitting up the card catalogue at her local public library (ok, google), Anna found out why Marañon tastes nutty yet sweet – it’s made out of a nutty fruit. Marañon, also called a cashew fruit, has its origins in Brazil.* The TexMex trio recommends trying and sharing amongst your friends all of the freshly made, Latin American beverages.
Freshness, zestiness, and spiciness were the themes that connected all the dishes. There was no denying that the ingredients, especially the vegetables, were all freshly prepared, and hadn't been sitting around all day pre-sliced and -diced. Tempering the spiciness and washing down the good food with homemade, cinnamony-sweet horchata, the Tex-Mex-Trio and friends left Taqueria del Districo Federal quite satisfied and well satiated!
- Location and Atmosphere: 4
- Service: 2
- Cost and Value: 5
- La Comida: 5
Rating:
Close to metro, lots of cool kitsch, but not A/C.
No complementary water, you really need to ask for everything.
Generous portions, nothing over $10.
Unique green salsa, incredible food, interesting beverages!
Hot Tamale Rating: 4
Couldn't justify a "5" due to service, but an excellent restaurant nonetheless!*cashew apple = cashew fruit = marañon = merey = caju = cajueiro Notes: This Brazilian fruit looks like a squishy apple with an odd-looking stem growing out of it. According to botanists, though, the grayish "stem" is actually the fruit, and it encloses the kidney-shaped cashew nut that we're familiar with. The cashew apple is the yellowish-orange part that's attached to the fruit. Cashew apples are juicy but somewhat astringent due to a high concentration of tannin. Be careful of the grayish fruit that encloses the nut. It contains toxic oils.
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