Zaragoza

Cuisine: Mexican
Location(s): 215 Avenue A b/w 13th & 14th St
Phone #: (212) 780 9204
Method(s): Eat In & Delivery
Price Range: $
Food: A-
Value: A
Service/Atmosphere: C+
Overall Rating: B+

In terms of "hole-in-the-wall" spots, you really can't beat Zaragoza. The awning on the outside of this place doesn't even give you any indication that it serves fresh food, it only reads "Zaragoza Mexican Grocery" (although they do typically have a chalkboard sign outside on the sidewalk which resembles a menu).
It apparently survives on word of mouth alone because every time I walk in there, there are others like me, standing pushed up against the counter and asking "what do you have today?" The reason you need to ask this question is because the menu changes daily so they don't bother with the conventional type written menu. They cook the food offsite and keep it warm in typical cafeteria style metal hot food containers, which they are happy to open one by one as they tell you what they have for the day. Their method of heating the tortillas is via microwave. As opposed to many other Mexican restaurants, you can count on finding real, live Mexican customers at Zaragoza every time you walk in there. They are typically drinking cervezas at one of the 4 tables, bumping salsa music over the jukebox, and watching soccer on the 6 inch mini TV screen that is perched up near the ceiling. Classic setting for some cheap, heady eats. This should give you a general image of what you are getting into if you decide to come to Zaragoza. The most important point is that the food here far exceeds the restaurant's presentation.

What I liked
One of the best deals on the menu is the Tacos ($2.50/small or $3/large). I list the different types of meat in the Killed It! section, and they are pretty much in order of my preference. The carnitas tacos at Zaragoza are excellent, but as I've tried all the different taco places in the area I have slowly come to realize that, in a sense, you get what you pay for. The tacos are very cheap at Zaragoza but are also somewhat smaller than their competitors (La Lucha, Dos Toros, Mercadito, etc). They simply do not have as much girth. You are going to end up paying $1-$2 more per taco at these other spots but I am starting to think it may be worth it for the better quality and size.

On the other hand, the Tostadas ($3) are massive in my opinion. They load up your choice of meat with black beans and melted cheese on a crispy tortilla and the result is delectable. The tostada has quickly become one of my favorite things to order at Zaragoza.

Also worth mentioning are the Tamales ($3), which typically contain pork but it varies. These are similar to other tamales you may have tried. If you are not familiar, Tamales are a Mexican comfort food made of masa, which can best be described as a starchy, corn-based dough, which is steamed or boiled in a leaf wrapper with the other ingredients (like pork) already in the mix. It comes out piping hot and very tasty. This is a unique flavor if you like corn.

Lastly, the Chips & Guacamole ($4) are worth a try, even though this is not your typical guac. This is closer to a guac salsa, because it is so liquidy. The chips are freshly made and crispy, so it is still a nice side dish with your super cheap meal. They also include sides of both the green and red salsas to keep things interesting.

What Could Use Work
The one time I ordered the Veal I regretted it big time. It was extremely fatty and gross in my opinion. Additionally, this place really needs to either expand or change its layout, but I suppose that will come one day as they become more successful.

Killed It!
The Burritos ($6) are the star of the show at Zaragoza. Whether you order one with carnitas (my personal favorite), chipotle chicken, shredded beef, carne asada, ground beef or goat, you really can't go wrong. They load up your choice of meat with rice & beans, wrap it up in an extra large tortilla, and slather in green hot sauce on one side and a spicier red hot sauce on the other, with a hearty sprinkling of cheese down the center. Truly a work of art and as an added bonus it has the colors of the Mexican flag if you look closely (green, white and red), very creative!