Justin Fox Burks
Jamie Ramos at Fuego Maya’s
I have a major crush on Macon Road. The section between Homer and
Wells Station is especially flirty with its taquerias, panaderia, taco
stands, grocery stores, and street vendors.
Fuego Maya’s, 4308 Macon (763-3893)
Accepts credit cards
Fuego Maya’s is very crisp and clean with a living-room feel to it.
Murals of Mayan temples cover the bright-green walls, and perfectly
color-coordinated plastic plaid tablecloths cover the tables. The menu
does not feature the typical numbered specials. Rather, it offers a
variety of tacos, tostadas, gorditas, and huaraches. There are also a
few unusual items such as bacon-wrapped shrimp and fish tacos. Patrons
start the meal with plentiful chips (nice and warm) and fresh but mild
salsa. The standard white cheese dip is also available, but it is
creamier and, dare I say, cheesier than usual. And no meal would be
complete without the fresh and flavorful guacamole. All of the dishes
come with generous helpings, particularly the beans and rice. If you
have any room left after your meal, try some of the “Mexican Candy”
(figs, sliced pineapple, and papaya covered in sugar) available at the
counter.
El Ranchito Taqueria, 3916 Macon (452-4655)
Cash only
El Ranchito is small and easy to miss, but don’t! (And don’t mistake
it for the Ranchito Tax Service next door.) Inside, there are five
small tables covered in blue-and-white checked tablecloths and a few
stools at a side bar. A large counter opposite the door provides a
window into the kitchen where you can see a couple of guys cutting meat
from large bones and smoking whole chickens on the grill. Offerings
include goat and pork meat sold by the pound and menudo sold on
weekends. (No, not the band — the soup made from tripe known to
cure hangovers due to its spicy nature.) The standard menu is just one
page long and has several items blacked out. (FYI, it isn’t uncommon
for the items that aren’t marked off to be unavailable.) There’s no
cheese dip or free chips and salsa.
Now for the good news. They aren’t going to be out of everything! I
especially recommend the burritos, the tortas, and plates. The beans
are not standard-issue. They are served in a bowl, soup-like, and
feature hot dog chunks and a hunk of bone for flavor. What El Ranchito
lacks in salsa and cheese dip, they more than make up for in hot sauce
(red and green). The best part about your chip-less meal will be the
NOT-so-stuffed feeling you have after eating.
Tamales Monterrey, Best Z Market, 3888 Macon
(864-9414)
Cash only
Justin Fox Burks
Tamales Monterrey’s Mexican corn
On Friday and Saturday evenings, keep your eyes open for a
rainbow-striped umbrella in the parking lot between Mike’s Taqueria
Express and Caminos de Michoacan. A man and woman can be found standing
underneath it selling Mexican corn and tamales. Mexican corn comes
smothered in mayonnaise, rolled in cotija cheese, sprinkled with
cayenne pepper, and doused with lime juice. It’s made to order, and I
really can’t think of a better way to spend $3. Adjacent to the corn
stand is a pick-up with coolers full of pork and chicken tamales
resting on the tailgate. They sell for $7 a dozen.
Mike’s (Taqueria) Express, 3874 Macon (273-4988)
Accepts debit cards
Mike’s parking lot tends to attract vendors. I’ve seen pit bulls for
sale as well as Latin music CDs. I recommend an afternoon visit for
first-timers. Look for the grey building with the chicken painted on
the side. When you walk in, bypass the many botanas, grab a drink, and
then head to the back of the store where you’ll see a counter with five
stools, a giant menu hanging from the ceiling, and two terribly sweet
women cooking up made-to-order tacos, tortas, burritos, quesadillas,
alambres, and carne x libre. (The latter is meat without bones.)
There’s no cheese dip or sides of rice and beans here, so try a variety
of tacos or do halfsies with a friend on a couple of burritos. The
platters are big enough for two, and the chicken barbacoa is a
must-try.
La Fiesta Market, 3662 Macon (324-7199)
Accepts debit cards
Justin Fox Burks
Mike’s (Taqueria) Express
This market is clearly the go-to place for anyone attempting to
recreate a meal they had farther down the road. They have an abundance
of exotic produce (e.g., tamarind, cactus flowers, etc.) and meat
(e.g., chorizo, fajita seasoned beef, and who knows what else).
However, at this market you can also score giant $25 pinatas, guava
paste, a few pastries, and standard offerings, such as cereal,
tortillas, juices, and household cleaners. The personal-care section is
a real stand-out with offerings such as Chile con Romero (pepper and
rosemary) Shampoo, which is guaranteed to prevent hair loss.
Caminos de Michoacan Panaderia
& Taqueria, 3896 Macon (458-5550)
Accepts credit/debit cards
The more popular panaderías (bakeries) in Puerto Rico are
meeting places and community centers where the neighborhood gathers,
especially for breakfast and lunch. Caminos de Michoacan certainly
seems to fit this bill. Opening at 7 a.m. every day except Wednesday
when they are closed, it offers a bright, happy space for up to 70
people.
Bakery cases filled with treats (eclairs, small sugar cookies shaped
like hearts and stars, giant sugar cookies with squiggly happy faces or
sprinkles, gingerbread pigs, croissants, and chocolate donuts with
sprinkles, to name a few) line the wall. A separate cooler once used
for flowers houses parfaits and flans. Large pizza pans are stacked on
a shelf underneath where customers can serve themselves with a pair of
tongs. Caminos de Michoacan also does special-occasion cakes. Laminated
cards with theme options can be found at the counter, and there are
several sample cakes lining the tops of the bakery cases. (My favorite
was a cake surrounded with ice cream cones.)
The taqueria offers gorditas, tortas, tacos, burritos, platillos,
quesadillas, mariscos (seafood), and caldos. The caldos, or soups, are
their specialty. Try the “Caldo de 7 Mares,” a super-special seafood
soup with shrimp, octopus, fish, clams, crab, calamari, and more. And
don’t forget to try the horchata — a spicy, milky treat.