On any given night in New York City, you can walk down streets and find places that you’ve never seen or heard of before and be pleasantly surprised. This goes for all sorts of establishments, especially eateries. A lot come and go, as some fail, while others find success.
Mexican food, over the past couple of decades has become a staple of the American diet, with popular franchises such as Taco Bell and more recently Chipotle (a.k.a. the Starbucks of Mexican food), finding a niche. Just slightly larger than a hole-in-the-wall, located on 4th Avenue between 13th and 14th streets by Union Square, Dos Toros, a relatively modest establishment, thankfully leans more towards the latter chain than the former. In fact, it shares a lot with that establishment in terms of aesthetics and setup. It’s also dedicated to environmentalism with recyclable utensils and cups.
Its menu is also similarly spartan, although instead of the price depending on the type of meat, it depends on whether you want a burrito, a taco, or a quesadilla. The types of fillings include carne asada (steak), pollo (chicken), carnitas (pork) and basic (rice and beans). Speaking of pricing, Dos Toros is very competitive when compared to Chipotle. A burrito goes for about eight dollars, with tacos about half that. It’s also an additional 92 cents for guacamole, which is made freshly each day. Considering the size of the portions, this is a very good value.
The preparation of the burrito is interesting and different from that of other similar eateries. The tortilla is heated and then a piece of cheese is applied before your choice of filling. What this does is make the cheese melt around evenly, which while sounding minor, makes all the difference. When the burrito is finally wrapped, it looks like it is straining to keep its contents inside and is a thing of beauty.
Taking a seat at one of the few tables, you look down at this creation, unsure of whether to eat it or to pat it reassuringly. Of course unless you suffer from some rare affliction, you do the former. The first bite is tentative, but as it hits your taste buds, you are instantly rewarded by an explosion of flavor. The way the meat, rice, beans, cheese, guacamole and salsa play off against one another is simply sublime. Each succeeding bite is another step into burrito nirvana. By the time you’re done, or maybe even when you hit the half-way point, you are most definitely sated by the experience.
As you leave Dos Toros, your arteries delightfully clogged and movements sluggish, you are visited by two competing thoughts. You are both completely satisfied, but also just can’t wait to revisit this house of gastronomical pleasure.
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