“Off The Beaten Path” Mexican Food Guide

Here at NearU we LOVE the classics that are served at our local Meixcan joints. You know– the tacos, burritos, and quesadillas. However, when it comes to Mexican cuisine there are so many more mouthwatering options to enjoy! Below are three of our favorite unconventional Mexican dishes to try if you are looking to spice things up!

Flautas

Many people have probably never heard of flautas. But, did you know that if you’ve ever had a taquito, then you’ve had flautas? Most of us have enjoyed taquitos growing up as a kid (Or maybe at 2 A.M. in our college dorm using our combo mini-fridge/microwave to heat them up). However, this quick, frozen, and microwavable version of flautas does not do these cheesy, gooey treats justice. True flautas will have a doughy, flaky outside layer that is filled with molten hot cheese and whatever meat tickles your fancy. Breaking open flautas will typically result in a cheese pull of which food bloggers across the world can only dream. So, do yourself a favor and try the real deal taquitos!

Tortas

In short, a torta is a sandwich. However, it is not the sandwich you pick up from your local deli or Italian sub shop. Oh no, tortas come in all shapes and sizes, and boast a variety of toppings. You could probably have a different torta every day of your life, and you may never have the same two flavor combinations. The core of what makes a great torta is the bread. Typically, it comes on a rectangular loaf that has an almost ciabatta-like quality (A crispy outer shell that gives way to a fluffy, sweet inside). This bread is the perfect vessel to deliver all of the flavor-packed goodness into your mouth.

Sopes

What is a sope you ask? We like to think of a sope as the lovechild of a taco and a pupusa. At first sight of a sope, your instinct might be to try and pick it up and eat it like a taco. This would be your first mistake, as the sope is much thiccer than your average taco shell. This makes the sope more like an open-faced sandwich than anything else. The base of a sope is a maize tortilla that is reminiscent of a pupusa. It is about an inch or two thick and 3 inches in diameter. These little disks are the star of the dish.

Next are the toppings. Typically you will have your meat along with lettuce, tomatoes, guac, sour cream, and whatever else your heart desires. Just like the basic girls at your Sunday brunch who order avocado toast, pick that sope up and take a bite out of it.

---

Need more to satisfy your Mexican food fix? Here are some of our local burrito and taco guides to salivate over:

Burrito and Taco Guide Boston

---

Burrito Guide San Francisco