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| - **2.5 stars*
Mexican cuisine is a favourite of mine for the same reason why Vietnamese is - fresh ingredients are key in these two cuisines be it the avocado or the bean sprouts. Unfortunately, the Mexican food we get in North America is as about Mexican as Manchu Wok is Chinese.
But tucked away in the melting pot that is Kensington Market, one will find a plethora of Latin American food on the cheap. So when I heard that Pancho Y Emiliano had opened up shop, I just had to stop by and try it. Even if it was just to satisfy my hankering for churros.
The first thing I notice about the menu is that it is divided geographically, which represents the hometowns of owners Jose Luis Lopez (Coahuila - North), Serena Prontack (Oaxaca - South) and Carlos Rivera (Central Mexico). This is reflected on the menu with:
- Tacos norteños, which use flour tortillas instead of the usual corn variety
- Tamales, wrapped in banana leaves (couldn't help but associate it with Chinese sticky rice)
- Quesadillas, cooked on a comal (flat griddle sans oil)
A quick glance in the fridge and you'll see the usual array of Mexican soft drinks. The bottled sangria-flavoured soda caught our eye though we were mildly disappointed in our bottle of grape juice; I think I would've fared better with a can of my usual Jumex.
I tried the Chilaquiles, a traditional Mexican dish made of crispy tortilla triangles (tortopos), simmered in a mole sauce with scrambled eggs. This dish is quite foreign to me so I tried it for experiment's sake. The verdict: I like my tortilla chips crunchy as opposed to soggy :p
Ever since I tried the tamales at the Stop's Night Market last year by SupiCucu, I've been hooked so naturally I ordered a Pork Tamale and boy was it delicious. A starchy, chili-ajo pork-filled packet of joy, all neatly bundled up in a fragrant banana leaf. Yummy!
We also ordered tacos of course! The Beef Barbacoa (where the word barbecue is derived from) and the Baja Fish Taco. The flavours were a little too subtle for me and I would've loved a bolder taco.
On the lighter side of things, a Ceviche Tostada, made with fish which was refreshing. The tostada held up to the juices.
Though we were both feeling pretty full by the end of the evening, we made some room for a few churros - how could you not when it's 3/$4 and made fresh? And when there's the option of dulce de leche - I go for it! You can also get chocolate and strawberry or be a purist and just eat it in all its cinnamon-sugar-rolled goodness.
The space itself is not very big, with just one communal table spanning the restaurant which seats about 10. We were just a party of 2 and found it a bit of a riot to make table space for all our dishes on the table.
Pancho Y Emiliano, so named for two Mexican revolutionaries is trying to start a revolution of its own - one where the restaurant is more than just a place to showcase food. Rivera tells me that he also plans to use the space for future cultural events including live music. And if you're flying solo, you can always crack open one of the many interesting books (such as the taco encyclopedia) that they've started amassing as part of their collection.
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