(This venue is closed.) Bandera of beans, rice, and chilorio — pulled pork, Sinaloa style. In that Mexican state the meat is often simmered with and gently sweetened by orange juice; traditionally it is then fried in lard with chiles, garlic, cumin, and other seasonings. On this platter, an especially nice touch was the addition of green olives to brighten the refried beans.
Previously: The spicy Mexican soup called birria is traditionally prepared with goat or lamb, but it can also be made with beef, as shown below. My bowl, as a consequence, offered lean meat and a little skin but no chopped-to-order off-cuts — who can butcher a side of beef on the spot? — and the tortillas, though pre-dipped, had the too-regular shape of mass production. Compare the exemplary version at Birria el Güero. At that Mexico City restaurant, however, "no hay birria chica"; in Elmhurst, a fellow like me, working on his second lunch of the afternoon, can limit himself to a small order like this and have more than his fill.
Birria is best-known from the Mexican state of Jalisco; Sinaloa, this restaurant's namesake, is somewhat to the north. Awaiting a return visit, for breakfast, is a Sinaloense specialty: machaca con huevos, shredded dried beef scrambled with eggs.
Sinaloense
40-80 Case St. (Elmhurst-Whitney Aves.), Elmhurst, Queens
917-832-7797