It’s easy to go crazy for something as delicious as melted cheese and crispy chips made into the perfect vessels for more dips or spill overs from tacos. Gringos in Jersey City, NJ makes it even easier to fall in love by offering some of the most delicious taco flavors on that side of the Hudson. Just take a look at some of the goodies on the menu. From Pig Out to We Found Nemo to the Chicken N’ Waffle, you’re bound to find something that fits your style. Or, if you’re like me, every single one is calling your name and one trip is not enough.
This was, in fact, my second, and a returning favorite was the first to be ordered, the Queso Fundido. Molten chihuahua cheese with cerveza, chorizo, and the slightest hint of jalapeños. Nothing to do with the dog breed, chihuahua cheese originates from the Mexican state of Chihuahua and is known for its melting properties. A white cheese, it is my absolute favorite for queso’s. Salty and mild, it is the perfect flavor to add in the smokiness and spices of chorizo and heat of jalapeno to. The real kicker is the addition of beer, or cerveza, for that sweet and nutty hop that makes you wonder if these queso makers are pure geniuses. 10 out of 10 love the queso fundido, and worth every calorie to start off a meal at Gringos!
P.S. I have tried to make queso at home and ended up with a large ball of gunk but making cream cheese at home is one of my favorite things to do and writing this has reminded me it’s time to make another round of Mina’s Homemade Cream Cheese. It would be a shame not to bring this easy and tried and true recipe to your attention here.
Before we get to the tacos, let’s start with something a little different- the Smothered Chimichanga. Grilled chicken, rice, pico, peppers & onions, cheese smothered with red chile sauce served alongside a side of chips and salsa. Of course Gringos has several sauces to choose from but the pineapple sounded refreshing and it was. Enough so to ask for more. The star here, the chimichanga, is essentially a deep friend burrito. Whether an accident or not, I am pretty glad that whoever happened to drop a burrito into a deep fryer did so because it leads to a warm and juicy mashup of the inside. The vegetables and the chicken are mixed all together but almost individually hugged by the cheese. This is not anything new, as it tastes like a burrito, just warmer and fried-er. Slap on chile sauce and more cheese to melt over it and each bite is it’s own little fiesta.
I think a close up better shows what it’s like to enjoy this smothered mess. Rice intertwined with rice and vegetables and the sauciness of the pico and melted cheese that is love at first bite:
OK time for some tacos! The featured image of this post stars the taco that I must recommend anyone try. Da Lobsta soft taco topped with chili poached Maine lobster, roasted corn, grilled pineapple, pico, scallions, and cilantro for a burst of summer flavors. Lobster might just be my newest obsession because, whether it be a roll, surf and turf, or now in a taco, I cannot get enough. This lobster is surprisingly juicy and fresh, not something I would assume at a Mexican restaurant. The poaching method with seasonings must be what gets the lobster just right for these tacos. Add roasted corn and grilled pineapple and you have one of the most fresh, summertime tacos possible! While perhaps not the most adventurous on the menu, these might just be the most extravagant and are definitely worth trying. The forementioned salsa goes with these tacos perfectly as an aside should you indulge in some as well.
The Gringos, another reoccurring order, features angus ground beef, gringo’s seasoning, cheddar & jack cheese, pico, shredded lettuce, and creamy crema, served on a hard shell. This is the ultimate taco of tacos. It has it all- beef, cheese and the right veggies and spices. This is my go-to type of taco for a Taco Tuesday night, oftentimes made in a salad or bowl form as well. Absolutely delicious and a must order considering it is the namesake of the restaurant, you know it better be good.
Gandhi’s Tuna Tar-Taco filled with #1 ahi tuna, guacamole, pineapple pico, sesame seeds, spicy mayo, scallions, microgreens served on a crispy wonton shell. Similar to my love for lobster, my love for ahi tuna continues to grow. Not sure what “#1” ahi tuna is but it was the meaty and buttery texture you would expect in a true piece of ahi tuna. Not usually something I enjoy in a taco, this was quite good! I’ll be honest likely my least favorite as the flavors were quite different than the appetizer and the chimichanga. It did not go all together quite right but separately it is a solid taco!
And if you are not getting a side of rice and beans at any of your Mexican eat outs, you’re doing it all wrong. Nowhere else is it as good as this:
