Around Town: Asian-inspired Street Food
Street food offerings in our metropolis, ever-morphing gastronomically, are showing a surge of creativity: two new interesting Asian-inspired places have opened recently.
Windows to the World - Birriosa
Birriosa: Dim sum a la Mexicana
Dumplings don’t have a name in Spanish much less a place in Mexican gastronomy. But the guys at Birriosa, an unusual, homey proposal in the heart of Santa María la Ribera, have successfully fused the two. Alex Dungla and his life and business partner sell house-made dumplings, filled with tender beef birria and served in its broth. Though fashioned and folded as Cantonese-style wontons, they are served like the classic northern Italian tortellini in brodo; the pasta is cooked to a pleasing ‘al dente´ and the broth is rich and redolent of chile and aromatics. And, brilliantly, they come right out of the kitchen window of their home; mom can be seen inside lending a helping hand. A small table or window ledge serve as perches for hungry passers-by,and many orders are prepared for take-out. A vegetarian version is available as well. A satisfying order of 5 goes for $75.
Dr. Enrique González Martínez 13, Santa Maria la Ribera
1 ½ blocks from Metro/Metrobus Revolución (see map)
Open Wednesday – Saturday 12 – 5 p.m., Sunday 1 -6
Dumplings de Birria at Birriosa
Saigoncito: Vietnamese Banh Mi & Summer Rolls
A Viet Roll at Saigoncito
Nestled amidst a line of ordinary puestos, on a nondescript street that juts off of Alvaro Obregon is Saigoncito. It is if not the first, certainly the only successful purveyor of Banh Mi, the French-inspired Vietnamese sandwiches. The menu is kept to a wise minimum: pork or chicken. Previously marinated meat is sauteed to order then pickled and raw vegetables and sauces are heaped on a roll. Flavors are distinctly “Viet”. The cost is a reasonable $95. Summer (or “Viet”) rolls consisting of shrimp, rice noodles and aromatics rolled in a rice wrapper, are refreshing and a good deal at $45. Wash it all down with a lightly sweetened Thai milk tea.
Calle Valladolid, near Av. Alvaro Obregon, Roma Nte. (see map)
Open daily 1 -10 p.m.
Banh Mi @ Saigoncito
