Market antojitos

El Rey del Taco offers a mixed
bag of Mexican street food inspired snacks

by BARTEK KOMOROWSKI

I have yet to visit a place better endowed in street food than Mexico City. It seems that wherever you go in this sprawling metropolis, you will find little stands hawking some tantalizing antojitos, or snacks, on every corner—a dream, especially late at night, after a few rounds of Modelo Negra or one of the other excellent Mexican beers that the SAQ denies us.

Longing for a reminder of the taste of Mexico, I recently hit up El Rey del Taco for a midweek lunch with my friend Charlotte and, of course, my stolid roommate Einar Volcanosson. El Rey is part of a cluster of new Latin American businesses that have sprung up in the Jean-Talon Market. Its neighbours include Tortilleria Maya, (relocated from it’s old Mile End digs), a churro stand, and an exotic drink stand. During the warm months, El Rey deploys an outdoor grill from which you can grab a bite to go. Or, if you prefer, you can grab a seat at one of the several outdoor tables under the large awning. Latin American tunes blare in this shady refuge, giving it a pleasantly festive atmosphere.

Charlotte ordered tamales—rolls made of masa (cornmeal dough), stuffed with a mixture of meat, cheese and chilies, wrapped in a cornhusk or a banana leaf and steamed. El Rey’s tamales were served unwrapped, stuffed with unspecified meat and accompanied with rice. The first impression wasn’t very good. The tamales were soggy, sprawling unattractively over the plate. The taste proved to be as flaccid as the appearance. Flavour CPR was urgently needed but the necessary tools—limes and salsa—were not available at our table. We beckoned the staff to bring these. After some delay, we received a bowl of quartered limes and two homemade salsas—one a green tomatillo salsa, the other a chipotle salsa. These helped somewhat.

Einar ordered a huarache, which means sandal in Spanish. Huaraches—crispy, fried, oblong pancakes made of masa, typically topped with melted cheese, fried meat and other goodies—are probably my favourite Mexican street food. El Ray offers a choice of toppings; Einar chose pork al pastor—a mix of pork and pineapple, slathered in a rich chilli marinade and grilled on a Middle Eastern style vertical spit, like the familiar shish taouk and shawarma (Lebanese immigrants brought the concept to Mexico). The huarache itself was pleasantly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The generous pile of al pastor topping wasn’t straight off the grill but refried, which is okay in my book because it further caramelizes the meat and the pineapple, deepening the flavour. It was quite tasty, especially after being doused with the homemade green salsa—satisfyingly salty and meaty, punctuated with the sweet pineapple.

For myself, I got a gordita—a thick puck of masa, usually fried or grilled, then sliced open on one side and stuffed. The filling can be just about anything. The gordita I received was large and stuffed with a mixture of pork, lettuce, onion and cream. It was topped with a red salsa, upon which there was a smiley face made of cream—a charming detail that did not escape me. Unfortunately, the overall blandness of this concoction did not escape me either. A good dousing in limejuice and salsa made it okay but didn’t stop me from staring longingly at Einar’s huarache.

The friendly lady that served us suggested that next time we should try the four-cheese gordita. Hoping that a large dose of milk fat would provide the satisfaction I failed to receive from my meat gordita, I ordered this item. What I got a few minutes later was indeed a corn encased cheese bomb. With a few squeezes of lime and a couple of spoons of salsa, satisfaction it did provide. Vegetarians take note.

My lunch experience at El Rey del Taco didn’t quite take me back to the taste of the streets of Mexico City. But it was an inexpensive and filling meal in an enjoyable setting. It seems the trick here is to order the right thing. The huarache, or any item topped with pork al pastor, would probably fit this billing.