Tacqueria Sofia — Nice Lady
Bushwick is littered with Mexican taquerias. They sport names like Taqueria Vaqueros, Taqueria Izucar, and Taqueria Milear (notice a theme?) Their colorful façades run the line between beautiful and ostentatious. The kitchens vary, ranging from the windowed counter at Acatlan to the backroom at GDDII to the stacked-on cooler case at Taqueria Sofia. The menus all look the same — a mix-and-match of meats packed into different forms of masa. They’re not always clean, they’re not always polished, and maybe someone’s abuelita is cleaning giant corn kernels in the dining room. But none of this detracts from the experience or more importantly the excellence of the food.
This is certainly true of the small dining room at Taqueria Sofia. The proximity to the kitchen, the plastic tables and chairs, and the avocados hanging out on dining tables only contributed to the Latin Grammy atmosphere pumped out from the the giant television on the wall. Ordinarily the overbearing television would be a serious detriment but the ridiculousness of the award show kept life in the empty room.
The food far exceeded these (admittedly low) expectations. My favorite was the very well seasoned steak fajitas with onions and red peppers next to perfectly fine piles of rice and beans. The seasoning was complex beyond simple salt but not a crutch to cover up the beef flavor.
The trio of tostadas we ordered were pretty excellent as well. The tongue took the day of the three, its perfectly soft and deeply savory meat contrasting perfectly with the crispy tostada. The al pastor was delightful in its excess of pineapple and subsequent sweetness. The chorizo was acceptable but, overcooked and under seasoned it solidly took bottom billing. The lettuce, crema, and tomatoes while not “authentic Mexican” were admittedly clutch when paired with the super-crunchy tostada bottoms.
The most fun surprise of the meal was the chalupas. I’m very certain they’re not true Mexican chalupas (check out Empellon Al Pastor for the real shape of the beast). However, as far as cheese, salsa, and lettuce on a tortilla goes they were a damn tasty six bucks. The salsa offerings, green and red in tandem on our chalupas, were typically delicious on everything.
Taqueria Sofia typifies the Mexican taqueria in Bushwick. Store-bought corn tortillas, salty meats, and vibrant salsas. What sets them apart for me is the excellent tongue (top three I’ve had), the tasty steak, and the fact that nothing else dropped the ball. They’re providing an above-average food experience at very good value. The only true cost there is atmosphere but I’ll argue it isn’t every night one must eat in dimly-lit mood-magic restaurants. On occasion it’s ok to sit in fluorescent lights, see too well the face of your loved one, and giggle at the antics of the entertainment industry in all its finery. Award season isn’t that far away and I would not be sad to find myself taking it in on plastic seats with a mouthful of chalupa.
