No Ordinary Mexican... "It's Sophisticated Mexican Street Food"!!!

Best inexpensive Mexican in town!!! 

Cascabel Taqueria  (2nd & 80th)

What it is not...  Your ordinary Mexican restaurant serving the usual staple burritos, tacos, chunky style salsa, triangular shaped tortilla chips, guacamole and a laboring menu with too many choices. 


What it is...  Perfectly executed authentic Mexican "Street Food", and what that means is quite simple...  
Seated and served quickly in casual hip decor...  A straight forward menu offering dishes like, 2 soft tortilla taco's (lunch menu offers 3) filled with your choice of seasonal veggies, roasted wild shrimp or carne asada among others.  I have tried all three and they were great, especially with fresh lime juice and a drizzle of salsa to enhance the flavors.  Although the portions are substantial, I recommend tasting a variety.  The large tortilla chips, precisely crispy and served in a brown paper bag are a great way to sample the variety of hot sauces and salsas.  Best of all, the salsas are brilliantly served in mini squeeze bottles offered as a condiment on every table, which means they're generous.  Their spicy guacamole is amazing and the perfect accompaniment to the big chips.  They also offer great main dishes like home-made chorizo, sides of roasted corn and desserts, but it's the tacos that got me!  Oh, and can't forget an ice cold Negra Modelo...  you can go Mexican or enjoy a micro brew, wine or margarita.

I was most impressed with the presentation 
of the food, served on 
mini stainless steel oven pans, with the concept of "made to share", where the food is presented in the center of the table, or you can opt to eat at the counter, either way, it's a great way to sample authentic food.  A funky and unique way of eating Mexican! 
We've been there several times, and it has been consistently delishhhh!!!  


Just a side note: I suggest that you refrain from asking your server to alter the ingredients or any item on the menu "it is what it is"...  
I think that's why I love this place so much.  

My motto "Keep it simple"! 

I have never been impressed with restaurants that try to complicate simple or delicate dishes with too many layers or flavors.

Dinner in NYC...not so easy!

Ahhh...New York City in the Spring !  Let's go out for dinner and explore what the city has to offer. Well, not so easy for 2 foodies (a.k.a. "food snobs").  It is gorgeous weather for dining Al Fresco, so we decide to start walking up 2nd to see what piqued our interest. Just a side note:  this eating "journey" occurs a few times a week and can last up to several hours, and at times only to end up at some mediocre pizza joint because most places stop serving by this point. It's Friday, the streets and sidewalks are mobbed with people and the restaurants are jam packed.  As I'm enjoying the sights, I cant help but notice how busy all the restaurants are, wondering if it's possible that they all have great food? Uhhhh, so hard to decide, especially since I am not one of those people who is easily persuaded to "try something new" when it comes to food. There is nothing worse then the risk of having a lousy meal...can't do it !
O.k....First stop...here begins our dialogue:

ME:  Ooo babe, lets try this cute little dumpling place. It looks good, no?

JOHN:  Oh, yeah no it looks good. Check out the menu. (as we are standing in the doorway checking out the menu, no one greets us...not a good sign)

ME:   what, you don't think so... (I know the "yeah, no it looks good" sign.........IT REALLY MEANS LETS GO)

ME:   It got an "A"  (I still have no clue what the grading in the window means...cleanliness? if so, that's crazy because I've seen busy places with a "C", who in there right mind would eat in a place that has a poor rating for cleanliness!!!)

JOHN:   Babe, how about this place...love the old world Italian decor, it looks cute.

ME:   Let me see the menu (strange, but I think the menu and the ingredients say it all)....yeah, not feeling it.

As we continue our ascent, I'm not detecting a"WOW" factor on any of the patron's  faces as I observe them eating.  It seems like they're just going through the motions. I'm just really passionate about food and eating great food.  I am certain that my eating gestures elicit some curiosity to passerby's...
We stopped at several more places...20 blocks later...and nothing was doing it for me. By this point I'm hungry and almost desperate....but not quit!
Just as we're about to give up and turn around, I notice a small pizza place across the street. So, our final attempt to cross over (dodging cantankerous delivery bicycles ) to check it out.  It was on a corner, kinda remote from the "scene".  We checked out the menu offering Italian brick oven pizza (but they all say that!).
AHHH, but I begin to notice a unique difference on this menu, the ingredients, smells and "who is making the pizza" gave it away. I peaked in to see if there was any seating available, only a few table's and they were all taken.  I just had a really good feeling about this place, then I heard the cook speaking Italian to a staff member (it does help)...so we opted to sit at the bar.
YAYYYYYYYY.......We did it....discovered the Mecca of all PIZZA'S !
When it comes to food (and only food), my senses NEVER steer me wrong.
With combinations of Speck and porcini mushrooms to Truffle pate and smoked scamorza or house made mozzarella and fresh ricotta.... the perfect dough for the perfect crust...Best of all.... dessert, NUTELLA CALZONE....how can you go wrong !!!
A glass of proseco and great authentic food = The perfect ending !
SO WORTH THE 20 BLOCKS
We ate there again the next night !