Taco Time: Where There’s Smoke - Porcino Cocina & Humo
Porcino, whose cooks do fabulous tacos and tortas with pork, is a cool, laid-back locale on a quiet street in the ever-groovier San Rafael neighborhood. Born during the Pandemic, the project is the baby of a Chilango couple, previously non-professional cooks Luís Zamora and Elizabeth Paredes, who bring a lifetime passion for food, specifically Mexican, to the table. Elizabeth relates that “There are many places that serve pork in the city but they always do specific dishes that don’t change –carnitas, al pastor, that kind of thing. We interpret Mexican dishes utilizing U.S. techniques such as baking and smoking; we rescue our family traditions but put a new spin on them.”
Porcino owner Luís Zamora
House favorite taco (and ours too) is the Barrigón, a meaty, aromatic tortilla on which lies a slab of walnut wood-smoked pork belly topped with pickled red onion, tomatillo purée and sliced fresh tomate verde.
Also popular is the Tatemado, which is a take on pulled pork that has been baked and smoked in avocado wood, then topped with salsa tatemada (toasted) and crowned with verdolagas (purslane) to add a citric touch.
El Navideño is based on that Christmas-time favorite baked lomo en adobado a pork loin slathered with chile ancho and spices and baked until tender; here it’s Christmas all year round.
The menu judiciously sticks to tacos and tortas though a couple of desserts are offered, including a wonderful “Impossible”. Drinks are varied and include hard cider, ginger beer and a number of craft beers.
Elizabeth adds that “…we try to take risks”; Porcino does indeed play with fire.
El “Tatemado” taco at Porcino
Porcino Cocina y Humo
Serapio Rendon 56, Colonia San Rafael (see map)
Telephone 55 66235415
Open Wednesday - Saturday 1 - 9 p.m., Sunday 1 -6, closed Monday, Tuesday
