Yola's Cafe

When I first moved to NYC, locals told me that Yola's Cafe was the only place to find good Mexican. Without hesitation, I made a trip to the walk in closet sized restaurant and ordered a veggie burrito. Big mistake. It came with mushy broccoli, carrots and refried beans. I did not go back. Then, four years later I had made plans to meet a friend at the nearby El Diablo truck. Except when we when we got there, it was closed! Disappointed and desperate, we decided to go to Yola's as it was just down the street and could maybe halfway satisfy us.

It totally did. Not only do they have tinga, (something I've only found at 2 other places in NYC), but everything was really really good! The meats are spicy and flavorful, and the salsas are fresh and homemade. The space is very cramped and claustrophobic, but they're always playing Mexican soap operas and funny beauty pageants on the TV. It's definitely best to order to go, and definitely avoid the veggie stuff!