Taco Time: Castacán, Yucatecan Pork Done Right
Castacán, named for the carnitas-style crunchy pork belly as it is done in the Yucatan, is an infinitely likable new taqueria designed for lovers of that southern regions’ renowned pork concoctions. It’s set on a quiet corner of Roma Norte and features décor recalling mid-century urban taco joints once common in the capital, complete with hand-painted signs, tubular folding chairs, tiled walls and pass-through-to-street service. But the populist façade belies an enlightened 21st-century sensibility: ingredients, principally the Berkshire pigs, free-range chicken and corn are grown on small farms, and are free of contaminants. “Happy pigs,” proclaims Andrés, the acting chef who worked for years with Gabriela Cámara, of Contramar fame and a partner in the venture. While Castacán doesn’t claim to be an all-inclusive Yucatecan restaurant, the regions’ two principal porcine gifts, cochinita (chile/achiote/citrus marinated) and lechón (baked suckling pig), the latter topped with the eponymous crispy confit, are beautifully rendered. An array of salsas includes a smoky house, traditional habanera as well as Asian-style mango and middle Eastern yogurt. A well-executed, aromatic sopa de lima as well as frijoles con puerco and ensalada de nopales are offered on the judiciously short menu, as are pigmeat-filled tortas and one vegetarian option.
Castacán
Puebla 387, corner of Acapulco, Roma Nte. (see map)
Tel. 55 9357 0596
Open daily 12 – 7 p.m.
