Mi Dulce Mexico

MÉXICO 🇲🇽
(SINALOA)

The story of New York City and food from the Mexican state of Sinaloa is a short one. Most of it is wrapped up in the brief existence of Taqueria Sinaloense, which opened in late 2017 but was unable to last even a full year. It celebrated the western Mexican state with all it could, but apparently there were not enough people in the borough who felt the same.

Another taqueria in Marble Hill took the same name and sold chilorio, but it seemed straight from the can and was nowhere near as good. Luckily, for the time being, this slow-simmered pork that is fried with chilies has found a home at the very end of the menu at Mi Dulce Mexico.

This newly-branded restaurant is a new face to Veyla's Bakery Cafe, which has sat on this corner for the better part of ten years. Although passing by many times and seeing a decent gathering of satisfied customers, Veyla's never had that something extra to pull it out from the crowd.

A typical breakfast in Sinaloa would look like the huevos con machaca ($8, above) they serve here. Machaca itself is spiced dried meat, shredded and usually eaten with big flour tortillas, especially in Sinaloa. Drying meat was first done as a form of preservation, but the style is still popular even when unnecessary with modern refrigeration. While the process is usually different these days, the consistency and quality of the meat can be close to the original when the chef is good.

Substitute the standard rice and beans with frijoles puercos, beans full of pork fat and other bits. Making yourself little tacos with their warm flour tortillas and delicious homemade salsa made with chiles de arbol is a real treat. Initially the tortillas seemed handmade as well, but an inquiry revealed that they are purchased. Regardless, they are of very high quality and make a perfect wrapper, each plate is served with a warm pack of four.

As for the chilorio ($14, above), they do it just as well or maybe even better than that version that broke New York City back in 2017. First slow-simmered, then cooked in lard and fried with chiles, chilorio is unlike anything else and one hundred percent Sinaloan. It is wonderful to have it back and available in Queens.

Once again, wrapping it up in one of those tortillas is like a dream. It is such a delight that a Sinaloan chef has found a home in another kitchen. A return will be soon in the cards to see how that aguachile is looking, as the state is well known for the delicious seafood made freshly from its coast.

🇲🇽🇲🇽🇲🇽
CORONA Queens
35-58 97th Street

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