Cariñito Tacos and its hidden agave bar are an epic one-two-punch - Review - New York - The Infatuation
"Cariñito Tacos is a Mexico City transplant, but the tacos here aren’t your classic al pastor. Everything at this Greenwich Village pop-up has some kind of Asian twist, like guacamole spiked with nam jim, or an Issan pork belly taco finished with rice powder, chicharron, and mint. Embrace the maximalist take, because these tacos, served mostly on moist corn tortillas, are delicious. And you can wash them down with beer, or a glass of whatever natural wine they’ve got open that night. photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte Pause Unmute There are no plates, only corn husks, and no outside tables, only tiny plastic stools with stacks of empty Coronita boxes. This is potentially treacherous for their glassware, but also sort of thrilling. If Cariñito feels a little temporary, that’s because it's only set to be in NYC until later this year. We hope that changes, because there’s no taco party quite like this one—especially on Thursday through Saturday nights. On those evenings, you can visit their upstairs mezcal bar for an epic post-taco one-two punch. Los Salvajes is technically for friends of friends only, but once you’ve had a bite downstairs, you might just qualify. photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte Pause Unmute Food Rundown Wine There's no list, just a bucket of bottles by the register. Tell them what color you'd like and they'll get you set up. photo credit: Kate Previte Cantones Our favorite thing here. Like peking duck in taco form, except swap the duck for chunks of fatty pork belly, top it with cucumbers and hoisin sauce, and swaddle it in the only flour tortilla on the menu. If you bring a taco purist to Cariñito, start here. photo credit: Kate Previte Issan Another must order. The Issan is also pork belly-based, but shredded pork belly this time, garnished with toasted rice powder, mint, and chicharron. photo credit: Kate Previte What She’s Having… Unique to this location, and a play on the famous When Harry Met Sally scene at Katz’s Deli, this taco’s base is smoked pastrami, which is topped with a sinus-clearing amount of Chinese mustard. This might be the wackiest combo on the menu, but it works. photo credit: Kate Previte Eggplant Laos For this veggie taco, they confit eggplant in nam jim and soy until it’s soft and dripping, and add a big handful of crispy shallots for crunch. We prefer it over the other vegetarian taco with smoky fried cauliflower. photo credit: Kate Previte Crunchy Wrap The sichuan peppercorn-spiced ground beef and pork—plus a commendable amount of Oaxacan cheese—set this Crunchwrap dupe apart from its fellow copycats. They cut it in half before serving, and finish it with an avocado cabbage slaw and pickled red onion, both of which brighten up all that meat and cheese. photo credit: Kate Previte Guaca Thai The not-so-secret ingredient in Cariñito’s guacamole is nam jim, which results in a punchier, more interesting guacamole than we ever thought possible. photo credit: Kate Previte Corn Ribs Slathered in curry butter and citrus mayo, these are fun to gnaw on in between sips of wine and bites of taco. photo credit: Kate Previte" - Willa Moore
