La Tortillaria
68 Wales Avenue
416-546-5516
Dinner for two with all taxes tip and soda: $20

La Tortillaria, is a recently opened take-out place on the edge of Kensington Market that has received a lot of buzz. What’s so special about it? Freshly made corn tortillas.

The closest I’ve ever gotten to fresh corn tortillas was years ago, watching David Rosengarten’s show Taste on the Food Network during which his subject, the mysterious sounding masa (corn dough) and masa harina (the dried version), intrigued me. Watching him knead that dough and take perfect steaming circles out of a hefty silver tortilla press, I marvelled that corn could be flat bread.

I was once told by a friend of mine, a Texan, that enchiladas are supposed to be made from corn tortillas. I figured he knew what he was talking about, as from my recollection, Mexican food was so much better in the States. In our small office cubicle in downtown Taipei, he would go on about it so much so, that even though I’d never tried an enchilada before, in my mind it became one of my favourite foods. The buzz that had surrounded La Tortillaria seemed to be a sort of similar reverie. Were people excited not because they wanted a taco really badly, but because it reminded them of partying in Tijuana, or a honeymoon in Cancun, or touring Mexico City?

Approaching the sunny yellow facade of La Tortillaria, reminded me of travelling. Maybe it was the satisfaction of finally stumbling upon a hard to find spot in a seldom encountered area of Bathurst and Dundas. Maybe it was the soft spoken, dark-haired girl behind the counter, who lifted each lid of the warming trays to show us all their selections.

To a non-Spanish ear, the choice of fillings sounded exotic - alambre, tinga, calabacitas - and as tacos were cheap ($2.50 for one, 3 for $6.50, and 4 for $8.50), we got them all except for the chicharron (aka pork in green sauce) which they were out of. We were offered rice with each one. as the server said that’s how they usually made them, but I regret we had forgotten the beans. At the last minute I noticed a couple few trays of cheese, sour cream, and a dark sauce that looked like what came out of the bottled chipotle sauce I had at home, so I hurriedly scooped some into the carry-out boxes. My partner-in-eating also ordered a cup of pretty sounding Jamaica flower juice.

These tacos tasted very homey; like blander home cooking versus flashier resto fair. Maybe we were too used to Tex Mex, with its mounds of salsa, sour cream, cheese, guacamole, and pickled jalapenos. Perhaps sitting on a buffet tray for an entire day had something to do with it as well. The stewed chicken (tinga), was stringy and any chicken, tomato, or onion flavour was imperceptible. Then again, I’m not impressed by the stewed chicken in the empanada (which tastes about the same to me) from Jumbo Empanadas, even though it’s got die-hard fans. The chorizo and potato taco seemed to have had all the fat and spice boiled out of the sausage, yet none of hte flavour had transferred to the spuds.

The beef in the steak and peppers (alambre) was dry and tough, but did well with a dash of Thai hot sauce (which was in our friend’s fridge). My sister, who’d gotten the veggie one (calabacitas) shrugged and said it was just corn and zucchini, but the rice was nice and fluffy. I had saved the sampling of the chicken mole for last. I’d been excited to have my first taste of mole sauce - that complicated, romantic-sounding concoction made with chocolate, - and it was just okay. This chicken mole reminded me of Chinese beef jerky; stringy, chewy, sweetish, with a bit of caramel, a bit of cumin - just a hint of heat. I added hot sauce.

But I could easily overlook the failings of the fillings for the tortillas.

One bite and I simply understood what corn tortillas are supposed to taste like and just why people might get so excited about them. Pliant, with a touch of corn fragrance, and a pleasant grittiness to its texture, they make packaged store-bought ones taste like cardboard. These fresh ones were so tender and very good just on their own. Made on site at La Tortillaria, they are available in 1/2 pound ($1.75) and one pound ($3.00) bags. Just as I’d now go to the bakery for fresh baguette, when I want corn tortillas, this is where I’ll go.