Some Things to Look Forward to at Tacuba

The WHA staff is pretty excited about the opening of Tacuba, Chef Julian Medina’s newest restaurant. We plan to be there on opening night—September 16, tomorrow– and are looking forward to the tasty eats we’ve heard about over the months. Here are some of the things we’ve learned will be on the menu, and indeed we want to try them all.

• Guacamole ($11) will be made tableside with avocado, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and Serrano chiles, and will come with house-made chips and a roasted tomato salsa.
• Camarones Para Pelar ($15) features poached shrimp dusted with tajin seasoning (dried chile peppers, salt and lime) and coated in a watermelon barbecue sauce.
• Peruano ($13) is a Peruvian style ceviche made of fresh fluke, rocoto leche de tigre (spicy tiger’s milk), red onion, crunchy corn nuts, authentic Peruvian corn, and sweet potatoes.
• Empanadas (fried) include Chicken Tinga, Chopped Steak Picadillo, Shrimp and Huitlacoche, and Mexican cheese ($7 for two). They come with a salsa de rocoto and jalapeño.
• Carnitas tacos ($13) feature suckling pig, fresh made guacamole, and tomatillo salsa, topped with chopped onion and cilantro.
• Pulpo y Chorizo ($13) mixes octopus, chorizo, melted Mexican cheese, pickled habanero, red onions and a chipotle salsa.
• Calabazita con Jamaica ($10), features zucchini, sweet corn, crispy hibiscus flowers and pickled jalapeños.
• Mariscada en Molcajete ($26) consists of a plate of shrimp, octopus, clams, tilapia and cilantro rice in a garlicky mojo de ajo sauce.

The drinks side of things include a variety of tequilas and mezcals. With the Tequila Trio ($12, $16, $35) you’ll get to taste Blanco to Reposado and Añejo.

Head Mixologist Artemio Vasquez (formerly of East Village hotspot PDT) has created a variety of cocktails for sharing, and many focus on fresh fruit.

• The Pina ($12 each, $20 for two) is served in a whole pineapple filled with Fidencio Mezcal Jovan, pineapple juice, jalapeño, fresh cilantro, agave, and lime juice.
• The La Sun-­Dia is made with Cazadores Blanco, jalapeño infused Cointreau, St. Germain. Watermelon, fresh lime and tajin seasoning served in a hollowed out watermelon ($40).
• The Coco Loco ($15) is a young coconut infused-­‐Lunazul Blanco, Tanqueray Gin, Vermouth, coconut water and fresh lemon, served in a young coconut, and can also be shared.
• The Michelada ($8) starts with your choice of beer, and comes with six peel & eat shrimp, Valentina hot sauce, fresh lime and a tajin rim.

Beer is also offered on tap as well as bottled. All margaritas and cocktails are available by the glass and pitcher.

Tacuba Cantina Mexicana, 35-01 36th St., Astoria, NY 11106, (718) 486-2727, tacubanyc.com

4 Comments

DrummerGuy September 17th, 2014

That’s an impressive-looking tequila selection!

Reply

Mexican restaurant Tacuba opens in Astoria | QueensCourier.com September 17th, 2014

[…] The restaurant’s menu includes Mexican favorites such as tacos with homemade corn tortillas, various flavors of empanadas, guacamole and peruano, to name a few dishes. Take a look at more of the menu at We Heart Astoria. […]

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Wes September 15th, 2014

Are those entrée prices? If so, that’s amazing- I worried this would be another S-Prime type place, as far as price point, but I’m happy to be wrong about that.

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Tacuba Cantina Mexicana Opens Tomorrow in Astoria | Brownstoner Queens September 15th, 2014

[…] Mexicana, Astoria’s newest Latin American restaurant at 35-01 36th Street. The folks at We Heart Astoria broke down the menu, which includes guacamole, peruano (a Peruvian style ceviche), empanadas, […]

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