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July 19, 2005

Snack Dragon Taco Shack

Snack Dragon Taco Shack is literally a tiny shack attached to the front of a deli on Avenue B between 2nd and 3rd. I've seen newsstands and highway tollbooths that are bigger than this shack. I guess my love of street food makes me hope that this would be good. Thus, every time I've walked by I would make a mental note to check it out next time.

A couple of weeks ago on a hungry night, I had no dinner plans and no dinner dates and it occured to me that it was the perfect time to try Snack Dragon. Sauntered down Avenue B and ordered a Carne Asada for $3 from the friendly proprietor (who as far as I can tell just rents the space from the deli and isn't associated with it in any way).

Long story short, damn I should have tried this months ago!! Okay, so you have to eat it while standing on the sidewalk like a hobo and it could get a little messy if you are not careful but holy mole, that's some seriously good taco. And for $3! In this day and age of the dollar dumpling (see: Momofuku, Rickshaw Dumpling Bar), it's refreshing to get something that is truly a great value in this city. And this is no small taco, it's loaded!

The simple menu consists of Carne Asada and Chicken Verde for the meat eaters, a Quinoa Pilaf for the vegetarians and a Daily Special. All tacos are $3 and include black beans, homemade salsa, monterey jack cheese, sour cream, lime and cilantro on a soft blue corn tortilla. I've tried the Carne Asada and the Chicken Verde and two different Daily Specials (a fish taco one day and another day it was a Nacharitos, which is a crispy tortilla taco with roasted pork that is slow-cooked in mole). All good, but the Carne Asada with its juicy and flavorful steak is probably my go-to taco if I can only have one.

But let me warn you, these are so good that you can't just eat one!

Snack Dragon Taco Shack, 32 Avenue B (between 2nd and 3rd, attached to the front of Ben's Gourmet Deli).

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