No matter what cuisine I am trying out in Manhattan, the one that I always seem to love more than anything is Mexican. I don't know why, but as someone who grew up loving spice, it seems to resonate with my taste buds and a good cause for my happy faces as I have grown up. So naturally I was excited to try out La Gringa Taqueria, which has two super convenient locations on Christopher Street in the West Village and Grand Street in Williamsburg.
(Per D. Miles Media)- "La Gringa is an authentic west coast style Tex-Mex taqueria with a Caribbean twist (La Gringa’s signature sweet plantains in most menu items)." On top of their yummy food, La Gringa is also staying on top of the "green" game when it comes to taking care of the environment. They re-purposed used materials for their tables, chairs, and many other items throughout our restaurant. Even their napkins, plates and utensils are made of biodegradable materials.
Furthermore, they care about what you put into your body just as much as how delicious the food is that they are making. (Per the website) "All of our tacos and burritos are served up with delectable free-range chicken, our meats exclude harmful chemicals such as hormones or antibiotics, and our bean are strictly organic, nothing out of the can, goodness. To top it off we make our sauces in-house daily." These factors are very important today for anyone's health, and I personally love how they take that extra step to make sure they are looking out for their customers. Oh, and there is free WIFI. Another plus. Yay.
The Christopher Street location that I visited could look like your run of the mill taco joint, however the walls are adorned with beautiful art and portraits that really liven up the place and give it a fresh energy. There is also a backyard in the back, which is more suited for the warmer months but is a great place to kick back with some friends while munching on their delicious items.
Now onto the food. They have two different types of burritos you can order- regular ones and their "naked" lines. The word "naked" in this sense means that they are stripped of the tortilla. I chose the former and a burrito that I would recommend trying is their Grilled Chicken Burrito with a Flour Tortilla, Sweet Plantains, Fresh Pico De Gallo, Monterey Jack, Black Beans, Spanish Yellow Rice with Veggie Stock and 2 of their Homemade Sauces (I would recommend the crema). I have had many burritos in my lifetime but I have never had one with plantains in them. Originally, I thought it would make the burrito too sweet, but surprisingly it just added onto the depth of flavor overall. Especially with all the other ingredients inside, it is one of the best burritos I have had in a long time.
If you are looking to just get a quick appetizer with some friends, I would try their great line of Nachos, in particular their Pulled Pork or Steak Nachos, topped with Torch Melted Monterey Jack, Fresh Pico De Gallo, Black Beans and 2 of Our Homemade Sauces. Packed with a ton of flavor that makes the conglomerates version seem tasteless compared to what they provide. I am not much of a drinker but they do have a great assortment of beers to wash the burritos, tacos and nachos down from Corona to Can Modelo and my personal favorite... Mexican Coke! I love the sugar cane that they put in it.
Something that the Brooklyn location is doing every Friday is a "Movie Night" where you can come with your friends, get some food, and watch a classic cinematic masterpiece right at La Gringa itself. It is a great way to get your friends together and enjoy the best of both worlds (food and movies) all under one roof. I would highly recommend trying La Gringa Taqueria out the next time you are in The West Village or Williamsburg, as you will not be let down. For more information, check out their official site.
Happy Eating Everyone!
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