Sidebar Summer 2018 - 8

MONTGOMERYBAR.ORG

RESTAURANT REVIEW

El Primo Taqueria...

more than tacos... with Produce,
Panaderia (bakery), and Tenda (shop) too!
By Denise S. Vicario, Esq.

I

f you like Mexican food and have an open mind, El Primo
is just the place for you! Located on Markley Street in
Norristown in an unassuming shopping center, El Primo has
a little something for everyone -- or perhaps I should say a lot
for everyone! A colorful, crowded, and pleasant taqueira located
behind the colorful, crowded, and copiously
stocked El Primo Produce has some of the
freshest and most authentically delicious
Mexican cuisine you'll ever taste.
The décor is vibrant and lively, the dining
area nestled within an authentic Mexican
grocery store. There is Mexican artwork on the
tables, hand-painted scenes on the walls, and
piñatas (for sale) for every conceivable party
theme.
To start your culinary adventure, an
assortment of daily agua frescas are available
each day, and are freshly made in the store in
front of the patrons. We tried the melon, mango
and papaya agua frescas, and all were crisp and
fresh - and a tad sweet. If you do not enjoy
sweet, fruity drinks a good tip is to order a bottle
of club soda which cuts the sweet and adds some
delightful effervescence to your agua. Horchatas
and teas are available and vary daily, and the selection of Mexican
sodas is plentiful too!
Of course, the standard tortilla chips are placed on each table,
but at El Primo they are super fresh and lightly covered with a thin
bean sauce and lightly topped with a crumbled queso -- something
a little different, just like the entire experience. Also, there is a great
salsa bar overflowing with fresh cucumbers, cilantro, lime wedges,
radishes, peppers, and a selection of saucy salsas ranging from
smoky to smoking.
Since my guests knew I was writing this review, our party of
five (5) requested that our server bring us an assortment of the
best things to try; little did we know the treat ahead. A delicious
assortment of sopes, tortas, tostadas, memelitas, and a most
delicious quesadilla arrived simultaneously at our table. All the
ingredients were fresh - and each contained a selection of beef,
chicken and pork.

8 SIDEBAR

1719 Markley St.,
Norristown, PA 19401

The carne asada with onion and pepper quesadilla was crisp
and flavorful. The queso was just right: warm and melting, but
not runny. The additional selection of quesadillas is unique with
tortilla flavors such as pumpkin flour instead of wheat flour.
The torta with fried chicken Milanesa was huge, and could
easily feed a party of two (2). The chicken was
tender and juicy and the cabbage slaw crunchy and
bursting with flavor to balance the beans that had a
little kick to them. It is no surprise that on the day
we dined at El Primo Tacqueria, the titanic tortas
were heading to every table from the open-aired
kitchen.
The Memelitas Caseras (house memelas) were
an unexpected treat. Memelas are toasted cakes
made with masa dough. Not at all like a tamale,
but delicious nonetheless - the assortment was
topped with delicious salsas, shredded cabbage and
sliced avocados.
The sopes, also on the fried masa dough, were
delicious with a good amount of beans, lettuce,
salsa, and sour cream. The pork sope was a
standout with the green salsa and crumbled queso.
The staff is friendly and attentive, and most
willing to explain the menu although that is not
really necessary since the it contains pictures and good descriptions
of each item. The food is reasonably-priced and most items range
from $4.00 to $13.00 - with the exception of the hearty cazuelas,
which are pricier. For the uninitiated or unadventurous there are
plain grilled chicken items, soups (sopas), basic quesadillas, and
even hot dogs.
Desserts change daily and range from a very fresh fruit cocktail
(no jarred fruit at El Primo Produce!) to the expected flan, churros,
and tres leches cake, to the unexpected and non-sweet chicharron
(fried pork rinds).
Parking is plentiful in the adjacent shopping center lot, and the
bathrooms are just fine too! So grab some delicious lunch, dinner
or even breakfast, and pick up some fresh produce (or a piñata)
while you're there.
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