Tag Archives: Torta

Chopped Beef Torta – Los Reyes de la Torta, N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ

Posted on by

Picture in your head a restaurant called “Frank’s Eats.” Across the street, picture “Le Bistro.” Without any further information, you already know a lot about each of these establishments. You already know quite a few of the things on each menu, you know how the lighting will differ, and you can probably guess how likely you are to leave each establishment with heartburn. My point here is that the name of a restaurant says a lot. While in Phoenix not too long ago I was looking for a place to grab a sandwich and came upon the listing for Los Reyes de la Torta. The Torta Kings. This wasn’t a signal of the menu or the cleanliness, this was a signal of attitude. This was a restaurant founded by two or more individuals with such faith in the quality of their food that from day one they announced themselves as the reigning sandwich sovereigns of Phoenix. This is, to say the least, a bold claim.

While I have not eaten every torta in Phoenix there was nothing at Los Reyes de la Torta to lead me to believe they were not all that they claimed to be. The chopped beef torta was piled high with grilled steak, cheese, onion, tomato, jalapenos and avocado. The flavors produced a fine harmony, and a wide, soft telera kept everything under control. I admire the kind of people who run Los Reyes de la Torta. They do something, they do it very well, and they aren’t afraid to let you know about it.

Carnitas Torta – Taqueria Castillo B, McAllister St, San Francisco, CA

Posted on by

This sandwich was quite a pleasant surprise! When I order a torta I expect a particular construction and style, the center of which is a large fluffy roll. As you can plainly see in the above photo that is not what I got. This sandwich was served on a thin roll grilled crispy. The carnitas and the guacamole were decent enough but unspectacular and the sour cream was a bit heavy handed but all together this sandwich was a nice change of pace from the standard. I have been accused in the past of holding too fast to the traditional idea of what makes a sandwich and I have always offered in my defense that I do not object to things done differently, only things done poorly. This sandwich is a perfect example, it was not at all what I was expecting but it was quite good.

Mexican Sandwich – Juquila, Shrewsbury Ave, Red Bank, NJ

Posted on by

mexican sandwich final

Though I recognize and celebrate the incredible diversity in the sandwich world, the basic pattern for a standard sandwich-shop is meat, vegetable and cheese. There is a lot of room in there to do a great number of things but what I have found is that too often this template is fleshed out to excess. Two or three types of meats are used as a base, all manner of vegetables are included and the cheese is piled on. I do not mean to claim that this cannot result in a tasty sandwich, indeed I have had my fair share of delicious substantial sandwiches. But often in these kinds of arrangements something is lost. Smaller, more subtle ingredients are drowned out or lost beneath the cheese. The more ingredients involved in a sandwich the lighter the touch required, the more care needed to ensure a proper balance of things.

I very nearly missed this sandwich entirely, as I scanned the menu for any kind of torta I completely missed the more direct ‘Mexican Sandwich.’ An associate pointed it out to me and so I got to see what it had to offer. I will praise the simplicity of it. It neatly sidesteps the issue I described above, being a simple construction of chicken, oaxaca cheese and avocado. The oaxaca cheese is a great cheese and is underutilized in the sandwich world. It has an understated flavor that goes with rather than over the other ingredients. I would sing the praises of avocados but I fear I would not come close to doing them justice and besides, I have no doubt you’re aware of how tasty a ripe avocado is. The chicken was undoubtedly the low point of the sandwich and is the main reason I’m going on about sandwich complexity rather than how good this sandwich was. Seasoned and grilled on the flattop the chicken had that sharp chemical taste that comes from an abundance of overcooked adobo. So while I will praise the restraint present in the construction of this sandwich, I am unable to praise the sandwich itself.