Papacitos in Brooklyntown!
4:28 am, 20th Jan 2009
After Googling up and down to find a new place for lunch here in Greenpoint, BK, Tom and I just surrendered to walking up Manhattan Avenue. Walking along the street and looking at menus worked really well when I lived in Hell’s Kitchen and the street was Ninth Avenue, but this was a little less promising. While at home, we’d already ruled out Brooklyn Label, Coco68, Five Leaves, Lokal and River Barrel for selling over-priced yet totally unimpressive “new American” menus (although Lokal claims to be Mediterranean, but I don’t know what a turkey burger is doing on the menu).
But yeah, the prices were annoying. Isn’t that why we moved out of Manhattan?! So we could have more normal-priced food?!?!
And the odd thing about this area of Brooklyn is that it’s NOT Williamsburg-trendy. However, the prices of some of the more hipster-y restaurants are higher than better restaurants in the East Village! Location is bi and it will screw you both ways.
Anyhoo, there are tons of VERY reasonable places, but we ruled out any Polish restaurants because Tom just came back from spending Christmas/New Year with his relatives in Germany, where all day-everyday it was potatoes and pork. We also nixed the sushi place that has been advertising free hot sake for its “Grand Opening” since we were apartment hunting in September.
We finally made it north of Greenpoint Avenue and started wandering towards an outpost of Pio Pio when we saw Papacitos with its crazy Ed Hardy-looking awning across the street. We decided to go in after we saw the REASONABLE and pretty creative menu (compared to turkey burgers – seriously, Lokal?)!
It was a small place but adorably decorated with a pop pseudo-Mexican aesthetic (like Ugly Betty + El Centro). We were greeted with these signs, letting us know that Happy Hour was every weekday from 11am-4pm:
A total of 25 hours of happiness are possible per week!
Tom and I ordered chicken pozole – one of my favorite dishes because of rockin’ HOMINY!!! We also both got a trio of tacos: lime pork, carne asada and tilapia. Apparently we were crazy gluttons who ordered waaay more than people normally do (people usually EITHER do pozole or tacos). But it was all excellent, so WHATEVER!!! It definitely rivaled Tehuitzingo Deli in flavor, which I didn’t think was possible in New York. The carne asada was really the best I ever had, but the fish taco was just alright to this born-and-raised Californian.
Everyone in the restaurant seemed to know each other, since this is probably the cheapest hipster-friendly restaurant in Greenpoint. I mean, how could you beat a three dollar meal (assuming you went in and had two tacos for lunch everyday) and the soundtrack of XM Radio’s self-proclaimed “indie” channel? And literally EVERYONE seemed to know the waiter, who was nice (but a little weird, if you ask me). And in all, it was nice to have some yummy Mexican food in the neighborhood that wasn’t Chi-Mex or Tex-Mex. In our area of town, I still love The Creek in LIC more for atmosphere and draft beers and all that, but Papacitos is definitely on the list. Can’t wait to go back for burritos – “The Portland” breakfast burrito in particular, which has freaking tater tots in it! YEAAAH!!!
4 Responses to “Papacitos in Brooklyntown!”
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After Googling up and down to find a new place for lunch here in Greenpoint, BK, Tom and I just surrendered to walking up Manhattan Avenue. Walking along the street and looking at menus worked really well when I lived in Hell’s Kitchen and the street was Ninth Avenue, but this was a little less promising. While at home, we’d already ruled out Brooklyn Label, Coco68, Five Leaves, Lokal and River Barrel for selling over-priced yet totally unimpressive “new American” menus (although Lokal claims to be Mediterranean, but I don’t know what a turkey burger is doing on the menu).
But yeah, the prices were annoying. Isn’t that why we moved out of Manhattan?! So we could have more normal-priced food?!?!
And the odd thing about this area of Brooklyn is that it’s NOT Williamsburg-trendy. However, the prices of some of the more hipster-y restaurants are higher than better restaurants in the East Village! Location is bi and it will screw you both ways.
Anyhoo, there are tons of VERY reasonable places, but we ruled out any Polish restaurants because Tom just came back from spending Christmas/New Year with his relatives in Germany, where all day-everyday it was potatoes and pork. We also nixed the sushi place that has been advertising free hot sake for its “Grand Opening” since we were apartment hunting in September.
We finally made it north of Greenpoint Avenue and started wandering towards an outpost of Pio Pio when we saw Papacitos with its crazy Ed Hardy-looking awning across the street. We decided to go in after we saw the REASONABLE and pretty creative menu (compared to turkey burgers – seriously, Lokal?)!
It was a small place but adorably decorated with a pop pseudo-Mexican aesthetic (like Ugly Betty + El Centro). We were greeted with these signs, letting us know that Happy Hour was every weekday from 11am-4pm:
A total of 25 hours of happiness are possible per week!
Tom and I ordered chicken pozole – one of my favorite dishes because of rockin’ HOMINY!!! We also both got a trio of tacos: lime pork, carne asada and tilapia. Apparently we were crazy gluttons who ordered waaay more than people normally do (people usually EITHER do pozole or tacos). But it was all excellent, so WHATEVER!!! It definitely rivaled Tehuitzingo Deli in flavor, which I didn’t think was possible in New York. The carne asada was really the best I ever had, but the fish taco was just alright to this born-and-raised Californian.
Everyone in the restaurant seemed to know each other, since this is probably the cheapest hipster-friendly restaurant in Greenpoint. I mean, how could you beat a three dollar meal (assuming you went in and had two tacos for lunch everyday) and the soundtrack of XM Radio’s self-proclaimed “indie” channel? And literally EVERYONE seemed to know the waiter, who was nice (but a little weird, if you ask me). And in all, it was nice to have some yummy Mexican food in the neighborhood that wasn’t Chi-Mex or Tex-Mex. In our area of town, I still love The Creek in LIC more for atmosphere and draft beers and all that, but Papacitos is definitely on the list. Can’t wait to go back for burritos – “The Portland” breakfast burrito in particular, which has freaking tater tots in it! YEAAAH!!!
this is awesome! thanks for posting this! i love cheap food.
You actually mention Tehuitzingo!! NO ONE knows about that place. Too bad we didn’t meet you before you moved from HK. I LOVE Mexican food. Did you ever try Tulcingo Del Valle one block down from Tehuitzingo? Yum yum!!
Nice to know there is hope for Mexican food lovers all over the city!
(In case you have no idea who I am, which is very possible… I met you at the AW show on Wed/21st @ the Parkside, Rob is my man)
Hey Jenn, thanks!!!! Of course i remember you, my fellow pink-haired girl! Yes, Tehuitzingo is great, but TimeOut New York wrote about it twice in September. The last time i was there in October, a couple on what was clearly on one of their first dates walked in totally satisfied with themselves for finding one of those “fabulous hidden hole-in-the-wall restaurants in New York City’s historical Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood”. The man proudly (and obnoxiously, and LOUDLY) proclaimed “YEAH, I know. It’s craaazy, isn’ it? It’s in the back of a deli!!!” while his new lady friend looked at him with admiration, clearly very impressed with her new culture-saavy, alpha-male boyfriend.
Just when i thought it couldn’t get any worse, two salesmen-type guys walked in with swishy windbreakers and khakis, and asked (EVER-SO-LOUDLY) if there were any “hala-pee-noh” chips. The regulars looked up from their usually undisturbed taco meals and returned to their chorizo in a collective sigh of yuppie hatred.
I’ve never had that experience, thankfully. Whenever I’m in Tehuitzingo I’m the only one there with maybe one regular. Really, I’m all for those places getting more business so they stay open. I’ll beware of the khakis!
Time Out and every other paper in the city clogged up another of my favorite restaurants in the HK hood, Gazala Place. Freakin’ excellent Israeli food!! Also, TO outed my fav Vietnamese restaurant in Chinatown, Doyers.
I forgot to mention one more excellent Mex restaurant. El Maguey y La Tuna, a couple doors east of the Parkside Lounge. If you haven’t tried it yet go there the next time you’re in the LES. Muy bien!