Salvation Taco Review: Yes to torta but no to tacos
In kids movies when I was young, one of the insults you can hurl at a dude was, “You throw like a girl!” But the truth is that kids learn cuss words way faster than that, and no one says that. A more realistic chant is, “You fucking suck!” Kids learn fast yo, cuz life is not rated PG and you grow up fast. Sometimes you gotta get with the program, no matter what the program is. There was some news for those into lunching in Midtown last week. The folks behind The Spotted Pig and John Dory Oyster Bar opened a taco restaurant called Salvation Taco! Hip hip, horray! But I discovered that if all you’re into are tacos, then you will be disappointed with the portion sizes at Salvation Taco. You better fix up your expectations really fast and get used to reality. Flavorful, fast, and small, these tacos are like a Thai hooker. Wait what? I can’t go there?! Ok Ok, maybe a better comparison would be to an amouse bouche. That’s no fun tho.
In case you wanted to call my bluff, that picture above is of THREE tacos and an iphone. I mean… I know it always looks bigger from the bottom but sometimes you look at it from the top. You know what I’m saying?!?! and I think you do… As I said earlier, these are very flavorful and pack a good punch. You could easily finish the tacos in two or three bites. My guess is they custom make these tortillas because you know, how else do you get ’em this small? At $3 or $4 dollars a piece, I would call these some of the most expensive tacos in New York City. Salvation Taco is inside of a hotel (The Pod Hotel) so maybe that is why.
Not all is lost though because Salvation Taco makes tortas. The three variation currently on the menu are: lamb tongue, braised short rib and confit chicken thigh. They’re $8 or $9 dollars and they represent a real value compared to the taco. I mean, you can actually be sorta full with these things. If you get the lamb tongue, you also get the benefit of burping up lamb-y goodness the rest of the afternoon. Money can’t buy you class but $9 does buy lamb burbs. Worth it yo. It’s a buy.
Obviously the tortas at Rinconcito Mexican are bigger and a better value if you look at it purely from a quantity stand point, but the quality at Salvation Taco prolly is the trump card. And while it’s cheaper than a chorizo torta at O’hare in Chicago, I would say the one from Torta Frontera is bigger. I will say though, Salvation Taco listed a chorizo torta as an option on the breakfast menu so perhaps that’ll make its way onto the lunch menu as well. We’ll have to see. Right now if you visit Salvation Taco, be sure you get the torta and skip the tacos, unless you just want an appetizer.
Salvation Taco145 E 39th St.New York, NY 10016212-865-5800
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