Tortas and Tacos Al Pastor Cart
History of Tacos Al Pastor
Al pastor, or shepherd style is one of the most eye-catching of all Mexican specialties. A spit of red-hued stacked sliced pork rotates on a trompo, a vertical rotisserie. If this sounds like shawarma or gyro to you, there is a reason for it. Thanks to the immigration of Lebanese immigrants to Mexico in the late 1800’s, these culinary techniques came along. Instead of using lamb or beef, pork is the meat of choice.
Al Pastor in NYC
In New York, many places don’t offer al pastor on the traditional trompo. Instead, the marinated pork is often chopped up and griddled on a flat top. Maybe this is a product of perceived lack of demand, less desire to spend on an extra piece of equipment or convenience. In Jackson Heights and Corona, Queens, a few brick and mortar places offer al pastor meat that is shaved off of the rotating spit. Among them are Taqueria Coatzingo and Aqui en Bella Puebla. In East Harlem, Taco Mix is a well-known spot that specializes in al pastor meat.
Although the increased amount of rotating al pastor spits is a positive, not all of them are created equal. We had an unbelieveable al pastor experience during out trip to Tulum in 2015. For the first and only time to date, we saw the use of charcoal to heat the rotating marinated pork. Importantly, the meat here was densely packed and cooked at a high temperature, which resulted in less greasy slices with a crisp outside texture. After our trip, this set the bar much higher for any al pastor that we would eat in the future.
First Experiences at the Al Pastor Cart
In Summer 2017, we noticed a new cart that set up on the corner of Junction Boulevard and Roosevelt Avenue on the border of Jackson Heights and Corona, Queens. During the day, this corner is packed with several carts with vendors hawking Ecuadorian food. After 10PM, the Ecuadorian vendors leave and Mexican vendors set up shop for the late night clientele. A large cone of achiote-stained red marinated pork surfaced in front of a heavy duty rotisserie. Much like the place in Tulum, the meat was densely packed an the rotisserie operated at a high temperature.
Immediately, we could tell this cart was something special. From the first order of tacos, we could taste a stark difference in the meat from the nearby vendors and restaurants. There was also another key difference here - the use of a single tortilla. A single taco is usually made up of two shells. However, the flavors of the shaved pork are much more vibrant through only a single layer of tortilla. Our love for this cart grew, as each night the experience was a little different.
On some nights, the taquero who mans the trompo will impale a pineapple at the top of the spit. In a playful style, he slices a piece of pineapple and catches it with the filled taco. We could watch him all night long! Over time, we noticed that they set up on a limited schedule. Their amazing al pastor became a craving, turned addiction that is not often satisfied and even more rarely matched anywhere else!
A New Offering at the Al Pastor Cart
One night, we had just finished up an order of tacos al pastor at the cart. Just after paying, someone asked for a torta, the first time we had noticed this as an option. A few minutes later, we saw a large roll filled with a generous portion of shaved pork, sliced avocado, cilantro, onion and pineapple. As delicious as the tacos were, we wished that we had the stomach space for that torta! On the next visit, we immediately asked for a torta. The bread was fresh, fluffy, slathered with a little bit of melted butter and then griddled. This added an extra layer to the already phenomenal flavor combination of sweet, savory, salty and creamy. This was truly love at first bite. Anytime we were around and hungry late nights on weekends, the al pastor cart was a must-visit.
Disappearance and Re-Emergence
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