Brownstoner’s Brooklyn Flea Market (Ft. Greene – corner of Lafayette Ave. and Vanderbilt Ave.)

I caught wind that some of the vendors from the Red Hook ball fields now set up shop at the Brooklyn Flee Market (http://brownstoner.com/) which is located at Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School on Lafayette Avenue and Vanderbilt Avenue in Fort Green. The “Martinez Food Vendors From Red Hook” were representin’ with a menu that included huaraches, quesadillas, and tacos. There was also another vendor selling pupusas for my Salvadorean brothers which I didn't get to sample but merits another trip.

So what I am seeing in NYC is that the tortillas tend to be bigger and I guess the taco vendors at the flee market feel justified to sell their tacos at three dollars a pop. If this was LA they would be arrested, in fact if my mother was there she would cry out “BLASPHEMY!” Now to get down to the quality of the taco, it wasn’t the best and definitely not the worse - it was average. I ordered one carne asada taco (steak taco) and a carnitas taco which they gave me Al Pastor instead… hmmmmm. Why I am giving it an average rating? Well, the woman put too many toppings, I’m from the school of “less is more.” I think on a taco you should at the most have onions, cilantro, salsa, some salt, and freshly squeezed lime. I will be going back this Sunday to try their huaraches and sample a pupusa. This taqueria is definitely a good introduction for you novice taco eaters but keep in mind that tacos can taste better. Please if anyone out there finds a place that sells tongue tacos shoot me an email ASAP!

Florencia 13 (Sullivan Street between Bleeker and Houston)

Florencia 13 (Flow-rhen-cea Trez-say) on Sullivan Street in the village is named after one of LA’s oldest street gangs which is concentrated in South Central. The gang got its name from the major street Florence Avenue which runs West to East. The restaurant’s décor radiates Chicano and Pachuco lifestyle culture which is an anthropological study of its own.

The restaurant names its dishes after LA neighborboods (ie, Echo Park Enchiladas or Elysian Park Flautas). The El Sereno Al Pastor Tacos are basically Tacos Al Pastor which is a rubbed pork with marinade taco, pretty good, reminded me of home. I also tried their enchiladas and steak tacos which are good. I’ve been to some places here in NYC where their enchilada sauce came straight out of can (Que horor)! This is a good place to get your feet wet and waaaaaayyyyyy better than that in-authentic place “Benny’s Burritos,” their only down fall is they don’t serve Tacos de lengua. This place is definitely worth a try.