{"id":339895,"date":"2026-09-07T13:16:07","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T13:16:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/339895\/"},"modified":"2026-09-07T13:16:07","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T13:16:07","slug":"heres-the-uws-dish-el-mitotes-quesabirrias","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/339895\/","title":{"rendered":"Here’s the UWS Dish: El Mitote’s Quesabirrias"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>El Mitote\u2019s quesabirrias. Photos by Yana Krasnitskaya<\/p>\n

By Yana Krasnitskaya<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve frequently heard people complain that it\u2019s hard to find good Mexican food on the Upper West Side. Sometimes, after biting into a subpar burrito or a limp, under-stuffed taco, I find myself agreeing, but then I come across an example that proves the exact opposite \u2013 as was the case recently, when I popped into El Mitote<\/a> on Columbus Avenue.<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t know exactly what I would order, but the menu, which features Guadalajara-style tacos and other dishes (\u201cHecho como en Mexico!\u201d as the website advertises \u2013 \u201cMade like in Mexico!\u201d) interested me, and the restaurant itself had always looked like fun, with an outdoor seating area that spills onto the street, and a cozy, colorful interior that I\u2019d peek at when I walked by. In other words, it looked like the kind of place that I\u2019ve always associated with New York City \u2013 a neighborhood spot you can drop into, order a drink, (in my case a margarita), and know that you\u2019ll have a good time.<\/p>\n

As a bonus, and as I discovered on this particular evening, El Mitote also has some exceptional food. I was particularly blown away by the quesabirrias ($24).<\/p>\n

Quesabirrias are a hybrid of sorts \u2013 a cross-section between a quesadilla and a birria taco, the latter a traditional dish from the Mexican state of Jalisco (of which Guadalajara is the capital). Birria is a slow-cooked stew flavored with traditional Mexican spices such as ancho chiles, cloves, cinnamon and Mexican oregano. It\u2019s typically made from goat, but\u00a0 sometimes lamb or, in El Mitote\u2019s case, beef, which is slow-cooked in this heavily spiced broth until it is fall-apart tender (my favorite kind of beef).<\/p>\n

For birria tacos, the meat is simply folded into a tortilla. But quesabirrias go a step further. First, the tortillas themselves are soaked in the broth, then they\u2019re toasted and stuffed not only with the slow-cooked meat, but also with cheese, most often the mild, mozzarella-like queso Oaxaca, which is named after the southern Mexican state in which it originated. The leftover cooking liquid is served on the side for dipping. The resulting dish is, in a word, delicious, and despite the cheese, not at all heavy.<\/p>\n

In fact, the tanginess of the meat in El Mitote\u2019s quesabirria \u2014 from the vinegar that is an integral part of the cooking liquid \u2014 created a flavor profile that hit all the notes, especially when paired with the mild, melted cheese. The crunch of the corn tortilla, griddled and replete with the rich scent of chiles, stood out even when I dipped it into the broth; if I\u2019d closed my eyes, I would have felt myself transported to an open-air restaurant on the side of a road near Guadalajara and the small town of Tequila where I\u2019d first tried quesaburrias on a trip in 2019. I washed it down with a classic margarita on the rocks, no salt, and I was in heaven.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>El Mitote\u2019s flautas, left, and guacamole.<\/p>\n

When I told my dining companions that I couldn\u2019t get enough of the quesabirrias and that I was planning on spotlighting them as this week\u2019s\u00a0 \u201cUWS Dish,\u201d one of them objected. \u201cBut what about the flautas! That salsa alone is to die for!\u201d<\/p>\n

And it was hard to argue with her, so here\u2019s a pitch for the El Mitote\u2019s flautas, as well: The three perfectly rolled corn tortillas are stuffed with shredded chicken and served with two salsas \u2013 one roasted tomato, and the other tomatillo-avocado one (which had a picante bite that surprised me). The flautas were everything I look for in a savory snack: crispy, crunchy and a perfect foil against which to taste and compare the two salsas.<\/p>\n

And then there was the guacamole. It\u2019s chunky, lime-y, and streaked with just enough cilantro to add an herbaceous note; with apologies to cilantro lovers, I have to confess that I usually hate the stuff, but there wasn\u2019t enough of it in El Mitote\u2019s guacamole for my taste buds to revolt. The chips that accompanied it were light, crisp and addictive. The three of us devoured two or three bowls of them (and I won\u2019t even mention how many margaritas).<\/p>\n

At some point during our meal my friend pointed out that all the people working in the restaurant were wearing black T-shirts that said \u201cSOMOS UWS!\u201d\u00a0 \u2013 which translates to \u201cWe are the Upper West Side.\u201d<\/p>\n

And yes, they are; after all El Mitote \u2014 which in Mexico refers to a noisy party or a commotion \u2014 has been serving the neighborhood since 1992, and has been featured in publications like Eater<\/a> (and, yes, West Side Rag<\/a>) many times over the years \u2013 primarily calling out its authenticity and the fact that it\u2019s a women-run business<\/a>. Unfortunately, owner and founder Cristina Casta\u00f1eda passed away<\/a> earlier this year, but her legacy lives on in the vibrant atmosphere and the delicious food being served at El Mitote.<\/p>\n

If anyone ever complains to you \u2013 as they have to me \u2013 that New York City \u2013 and specifically Upper West Side lacks good Mexican food \u2013 take them there. They\u2019re just one margarita and plate of quesabirrias away from being proven wrong.<\/p>\n

The Dish: Quesabirrias ($24)<\/p>\n

The Restaurant: El Mitote, 208 Columbus Avenue (between West 69th and 70th streets). Open daily, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Walk-ins only.<\/p>\n

Read all Here\u2019s the UWS Dish columns\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Subscribe to West Side Rag\u2019s FREE email newsletter\u00a0here<\/a>. And you can Support the Rag\u00a0here.<\/a><\/p>\n