Taqueria El Chato's trompo tacos are a fantastic midnight snack - Review - New York - The Infatuation

"A crunchy, cheesy vampiro from Taqueria El Chato’s second location is MacDougal Street's solution to late-night hunger. This taqueria stuffs tacos, vampiros, and quesadillas—all served on housemade tortillas—with perfectly cooked meats, like lengua, steak, or chorizo. And because this counter-service spot from the Aldama team is open until 1am and a block and a half from Washington Square Park, it’s ideal for a quick, late-night bite south of 14th Street. photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte Pause Unmute At least one trompo taco is essential on every visit. The bright, annato-stained pork belly and flank steak-combo has a perfect smoky char, and acidic sweetness from charred pineapple that balances things out. Order it as a vampiro, where the tortilla is crisped up and topped with a layer of bubbly cheese. Food Rundown Trompo Every visit to Taqueria El Chato should include at least one taco from the trompo. Flank steak and pork belly are marinated and spit-roasted al pastor-style. The nicely charred meat is seasoned with tons of annato and roasted chili, and just a little pineapple for sweetness. photo credit: Kate Previte Lengua El Chato’s lengua is supremely tender—like, the tortilla is firmer than the meat here. This one is best spicy, so load it up with puckering salsa roja. photo credit: Kate Previte Chorizo We find their chorizo goes best as a vampiro—the cumin and chili powder-forward sausage meshes excellently with a crunchy tortilla that somehow manages to not crumble. Mushroom We love when taquerias put some thought into their non-meat options, and El Chato nails their mushroom. Cooked in a spicy, smoky chili oil, they’re full of flavor. photo credit: Kate Previte Asada The one meat we’re not wild about at El Chato is their carne asada. Sure it's cooked nicely but also bland, and served with really sweet grilled onions that overpower the beefy flavor. We see this taco as more of a vehicle for their salsas. photo credit: Kate Previte" - Will Hartman