Cafe El Portal

Cafe El Portal Restaurant Review:

Mexican food and New York City have never been a very good match. But Café El Portal helps bring a sense of salt-of-the-earth authenticity to lower Manhattan. There’s something about the diminutive subterranean dining room that has the air of a hidden gem. The place is constantly packed with revelers, who come for the large cache of top-shelf tequilas as much as for the food. Appetizers run the gamut of sopes, tamales and guacamole, while burritos, which are rectangular shaped and impossible to eat with your hands, are packed with goodness (the spinach burrito in particular). Chorizo tacos can’t compete with real south-of-the-border fare, but are passable enough to satiate the Mexican food aficionado until the next vacation. The menu also includes the usual variety of enchiladas and quesadillas, as well as buttery corn on the cob.