Our latest installment of Quick Bites brings us to the UWS for kosher burritos!
THE VIBE
Who knew there was such a pent-up demand for kosher Mexican food on the Upper West Side? Not this atheist goyim. But then I went to the brand-new Mexikosher on West 83rd, on a Monday at around 5:30, and the spot was slammed. Maybe not lines-out-the-door busy (though per Yelp that's already happened), but there was a constant crowd of locals at the counter, ordering up $17 burritos with abandon and chatting effusively with the patient staff about how grateful they were that such a place exists.
Turns out that Jewish social media has been abuzz about this place for months, ever since Top Chef and Los Angeles kosher hero Katsuji Tanabe first announced he was coming to New York. The Japanese-Mexican Tanube is not Jewish, but he worked in high-end kosher kitchens for years before opening Mexikosher LA. In interviews Tanube has said he was drawn to kosher cooking both because he admires the strength of the Jewish community and enjoys the challenge of bringing creativity and big flavors to a cuisine with stringent guidelines.
Tanabe has a large personality, and is not afraid to put poster-sized photos of himself on the walls of his restaurant, next to cheeky signs like "No We Don't Have Hummus". Mexikosher itself, however, is small, with only about ten stools positioned at several different narrow counters. If you don't feel like cramming yourself in somewhere, every order is served in take-out containers, and the neighborhood certainly doesn't lack for picnic possibilities, with the benches of Central Park West just a block away and any number of stoops even closer.
(Scott Lynch/Gothamist)
THE BITES
The Mexikosher menu is basically a create-your-own-adventure affair—you choose your format (burrito, nachos, tacos, rice bowl, "salad" for the carb-phobes), type of meat (from porkless carnitas—it's beef and duck—to carne asada), and a vast array of appealing toppings.
I devoured two separate entrees there, and both were terrific. The Carne Asada Burrito was packed with yellow rice, nearly-refried black beans, and a huge pile of just-grilled and quite tender marinated flank steak. There are lots of pickled vegetables in the toppings area—I got the yellow beets and red onions in my burrito—and they add a nice acid punch to things.
I also got a loaded-up box of nachos, with crisp, thick corn chips laden with rice, beans and Birria, which is a mixture of braised and chili-rubbed lamb and beef. The creamy and kicky guacamole is $1.50 extra, but it's very good and your helpful counterperson scoops with a generous hand. And don't skimp on the housemade sauces by the register—I liked the spicier ones (Sweet Chili, Mango Habanero) the best, but the creamy not-actually Bacon Chipotle also did its job well.
Tip: You can skip the scrawny, sticky Hot Wings—too much mess for too little flavor.
THE VERDICT
The cost of kosher meat elevates Mexikosher prices several dollars above, say, Dos Toros, but portions are hefty and there's no chance you're leaving here anything but stuffed. The food is also really good. If you keep kosher and ever crave a gloppy mountain of first-rate Mexican food, this place is a godsend.
Mexikosher is located at 100 West 83rd Street, just west of Columbus Avenue, and is open Sunday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Thursday until midnight, and Friday until two hours before sundown. Closed Saturdays and other Jewish holidays and fast days, so if you're traveling far to get here, call ahead to make sure they're open. (212-580-6200)
