Don Paco Lopez Panaderia

Where: 

2129 3rd Ave.

New York City, NY 10035

(212)876-2700 & (212)876-0700

Map

Website

Food:

We stopped into Don Paco Lopez for a quick snack last Thursday night.  We were craving traditional Mexican pastries, and we were not disappointed.  We bought three different pastries, shown below.

Of course, we bought one concha ("seashell"), and it's the one on the right with the chocolate ripple design on top.  Conchas are usually very airy and light, with its sweetness coming from the topping, which is made of sugar.  All panaderias have conchas, usually coming in different topping flavors, including chocolate, vanilla and sometimes strawberry.  Be warned, however, that the taste among the three is usually minimal.  Any of them, however, are good.  Conchas are best eaten when dipped into hot chocolate because it soaks up much of the liquid. 

The next pastry that we bought looks like a square turnover with cheese inside.  Both the cheese and the crust were light, and it should be noted that the pastry had much more bread than cheese.  It wasn't very sweet, but it isn't meant to be, so this pastry also goes well with a cup of hot chocolate or milk tea.  

The one at the very top is called a "chamuco" it is shaped like a cheese danish but the bread is thicker and less buttery than that of a danish. Also, the middle is a vanilla sugar filling. 

They had many other varieties, among them: orejas ("ears") - flaky and sweet, mantecadas, cuernos ("horns"), semitas and churros.

As with many panaderias in New York City, the space is limited and therefore it's a pick-up-and-go kind of place, rather than a sit-and-eat one.  Likewise, it also has a small stock of mexican groceries like salsas, cheese, tostadas, mexican chocolate, mexican candy, dried peppers, etc. 

Note that this panaderia has another, larger location in Brooklyn:

4703 4th Ave. 

Brooklyn, NY 11220

Taqueria y Fonda La Mexicana

Where: 

968 Amsterdam Ave 

New York City, NY 10025 

(Between 107th and 108th)

Map

Food:

As soon as we sat down they brought over a set of three different kinds of salsas and freshly made chips. Two green salsas: one with avocado pieces in it along with fresh diced onions; the other made of tomatillo (green tomatoes) and jalapeños. There was one red salsa. All of the salsas were very good. We also ordered horchata, which was very good and, unlike most places, it had fresh ground mexican cinnamon in it. 

To start, we ordered their guacamole. When we ordered they asked whether we wanted it with jalapeños, which probably meant whether we wanted it spicy. We love spicy food so we said yes to the jalapeños. Since it was a saturday night they were very busy but once they brought the guacamole we were very impressed. The guacamole came with the avocado base at the bottom and the other ingredients on top, such as diced tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and the "jalapeños" (which were really serrano peppers because they were thinner than a jalapeño normally would be and was also a little spicier). Overall one of the best guacamoles we've had with the right amount of seasoning. As a sidenote, our picture doesn't do it justice because we mixed in the ingredients before we took the picture; when it came the ingredients were nicely arranged on top. 

As for our entrées, we ordered one torta with carne enchilada meat and one order of their pork pipian. The torta, a Mexican style sandwich, came with a number of ingredients stuffed inside a roll of bolillo bread, which is essential to making a good torta.  The carne enchilada meat is pork which has been marinated in a chile sauce and grilled.  It's placed inside the bun with refried beans, avocado, tomatoes, onions, lettuce and cheese.  Overall, this dish is highly recommended, and it's a great value for the size and quality that you get. Note that you can get the torta with other meats like chicken, ham, carne asada, etc.    

The pork pipian was fork tender pork with a sauce made from pumpkin seeds and spices. The dish came with a healthy serving of rice, beans and romaine lettuce salad with tomatoes, onions, and cilantro.  On the side, they offered five hot tortillas.  The pipian was very flavorful and filling, and would be a good dish for those who don't like spicy foods. They also have chicken pipian. 

  

Venue: 

Before going, you should know that this restaurant is small and that the decor is not fancy. However, they have extra seating available in a separate space adjacent to the main restaurant/ delivery pick-up area.  

Conclusion:

Overall, highly recommended because the food is authentic, tasty, and the prices are cheap for Manhattan and comparable to Mexican restaurants outside of Manhattan.  We regret not going to this restaurant sooner and we will return very soon.

Check it out for yourself: Menupages