El Maguey Y La Tuna, Lower East Side, NYC, NY
Located off the beaten path on the Lower East Side, El Maguey Y La Tuna is not unknown to me: I went few years ago for a press dinner where I was amazed by the delicious food that place serves. There, I met again Maria, the owner, who ensure that patrons feel welcome in this small restaurant where the food matters more than anything else.
Dining room of El Maguey Y La Tuna, Lower East Side, NYC, NY
We started off our meal with some guacamole, salsa and tortilla chips. The guacamole was decent, definitely not the best I had, but still. It was as if the avocado had been put through a blender, eliminating the texture that a fresh guacamole made by hand would have.
Guacamole at El Maguey Y La Tuna, Lower East Side, NYC, NY
Salsa at El Maguey Y La Tuna, Lower East Side, NYC, NY
Tortilla chips at El Maguey Y La Tuna, Lower East Side, NYC, NY
For her entrée, Jodi ordered the queso quesadilla: there were two of them that were good but there could have been some sour cream and more guacamole with them.
Cheese quesadilla at El Maguey Y La Tuna, Lower East Side, NYC, NY
Cheese quesadilla at El Maguey Y La Tuna, Lower East Side, NYC, NY
On my side, I went for the chicken mole that is one of their specialties and I was not disappointed: that mole is one of the best I ever had. I like to think that it is made with chocolate (you can taste hints of it) and so many spices that it takes time to make such an incredible dish.
Chicken mole at El Maguey Y La Tuna, Lower East Side, NYC, NY
For dessert, we tried their flan
Flan at El Maguey Y La Tuna, Lower East Side, NYC, NY
As well as their chocolate cake
Chocolate cake at El Maguey Y La Tuna, Lower East Side, NYC, NY
I personally preferred the flan, the chocolate cake being a bit dry.
I overall liked the food at El Maguey Y La Tuna: there, you can find some authentic Mexican cuisine at very reasonable prices. It is not the best Mexican restaurant in the city, but their mole is definitely a must have.
Enjoy (I did)!
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El Maguey Y La Tuna - 321 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002
