Tacos may very well be the perfect food, but let's face it, the standard Meximerican fare can get a bit stale after a while. Taco the Town is here to highlight some of the more unusual Mexican finds in the valley.
This week: Molotes from Tacos Atoyac.
¿Como se dice?: Despite the number of Mexican eateries in the Valley, Sonoran-style food still reigns supreme. Stumbling upon a place that specializes in Oaxacan moles and other edibles can be a much needed break from tired but true Sonoran food.
Tacos Atoyac at 19th Ave and Glendale is the real Oaxacan deal, and has only been open for a little over a month so it still has that new taquito smell. In addition to the tacos and tostadas, Tacos Atoyac also boasts molotes, tiny little torpedo-shaped maize fritters that hide a steaming hot chorizo center. And some of the best damn horchata we've had in a long time.
(sink your teeth into all the spicy details after the jump)
La Comida: The molotes from Tacos Atoyac are corny, spicy little Mexican fritters. Imagine if a hushpuppy ate a ball of chorizo, and you have a molote. In Oaxaca, molotes are popular deep fried street food (is there any other kind?) served around the holidays, which makes sense considering they're the size of jalapeno poppers but twice as delicious.
At Tacos Atoyac, ordering a molote will score you a deep fried chorizo and potato ball for $1.50, and at those prices, you can afford to order way more than just one.
El Sabor: The molotes at Tacos Atoyac had a crispity, crunchity masa shell that was more reminiscent of a thin pastry dough than a thicker tamale-type masa. Break into the fried fritter with a fork and knife to reveal an earthy, spicy mass of chorizo and mashed potato. These torpedo-shaped fritters are then topped with a black bean puree, crema, shredded lettuce and a sprinkle of dry white cheese.
Honestly, we were tempted to order a platter of molotes and pop 'em like donut holes. If you try that out, let us know how it goes!
Know of any Mexican gems in the valley? Reveal your family secrets in the comment section.
