Tacos Y Cemitas
On a recent episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (DDD) Guy showcased the only restaurant in Chicago which serves a torta style Mexican sandwich known as a cemitas, Cemitas Puebla.
For those not familiar with a cemitas, it’s basically a Mexican style torta sandwich. However this particular style, known as cemitas poblana originated in the City of Puebla, Mexico.
The sandwich, looked soo good, I had to find a place in Los Angeles which sold cemitas. I did a Google search and found 2 restaurants in Los Angeles. However about a week ago, I was driving around Canoga Park, near the intersection of Desoto and Sherman Way and saw a sign, “Tacos y Cemitas”. What? A cemitas joint 1 mile from my house? I have to stop, and so I did and had one of the most unusual but satisfying sandwiches in my life.
What makes a cemitas different from other types of tortas are 4 ingredients.
1. Type of cheese
2. Type of sauce
3. Type of leafy green
4. Type of bun
Generally a torta will use queso fresco which is a firm, yet creamy cheese, sliced into 1/8th inch thick slices and layered on the sandwich. The cemitas uses quesillo which is a Mexican style string cheese. The texture actually reminded me of a piece of packing twine, cut into little pieces. When I first saw the sandwich, I actually thought there was a piece of string in my food. It wasn’t until I picked it up and touched it, did I realize it was the cheese.
Most tortas are served with a salsa roja or salsa verde. Although these options are available for a cemitas, the most popular is the chipotle chile in adobo sauce. The uniqueness of this chile really sets the cemitas apart from other torta style sandwiches.
Lettuce is commonly found on tortas, but the cemitas uses papalo. This is a fresh Mexican herb, bitter in flavor. The leaves are about the size of a quarter. Papalo is often compared to cilantro, but after tasting it, I would say more like watercress. Funny though, when I received my cemitas it was missing the papalo. I went up to the counter and asked about it, and the chef, smirked and laughed, and then took my sandwich away, and delivered it back to my table with the papalo now on it. I suspect papalo is “optional”, so must be requested when ordering.
Lastly a torta is generally served on a plain bun. Cemitas are served on a sesame seed bun.
This day, I opted for the cemitas milanesa. The sandwich presented to me was very appealing. A sesame seed bun stuffed with a large thin beef milanesa, perfectly fried, with quesillo cheese, avocado, thinly sliced red onion, chipotle chiles and papalo. Some might not like the bitterness of the papalo, but I found it a perfect accompaniment to the cemitas.
Besides offering milanesa style, other cemitas offerings were queso de puerco or “head-cheese” and pata or “foot” sandwich. This is made with boiled cow feet. Next time I venture over to Tacos Y Cemitas in Canoga Park, I definitely will be ordering a cemitas again. The question becomes will it be queso de puerco or pata?
Until Next Time.....Cook On!!!
The Food Dude
For those not familiar with a cemitas, it’s basically a Mexican style torta sandwich. However this particular style, known as cemitas poblana originated in the City of Puebla, Mexico.
The sandwich, looked soo good, I had to find a place in Los Angeles which sold cemitas. I did a Google search and found 2 restaurants in Los Angeles. However about a week ago, I was driving around Canoga Park, near the intersection of Desoto and Sherman Way and saw a sign, “Tacos y Cemitas”. What? A cemitas joint 1 mile from my house? I have to stop, and so I did and had one of the most unusual but satisfying sandwiches in my life.
What makes a cemitas different from other types of tortas are 4 ingredients.
1. Type of cheese
2. Type of sauce
3. Type of leafy green
4. Type of bun
Generally a torta will use queso fresco which is a firm, yet creamy cheese, sliced into 1/8th inch thick slices and layered on the sandwich. The cemitas uses quesillo which is a Mexican style string cheese. The texture actually reminded me of a piece of packing twine, cut into little pieces. When I first saw the sandwich, I actually thought there was a piece of string in my food. It wasn’t until I picked it up and touched it, did I realize it was the cheese.
Most tortas are served with a salsa roja or salsa verde. Although these options are available for a cemitas, the most popular is the chipotle chile in adobo sauce. The uniqueness of this chile really sets the cemitas apart from other torta style sandwiches.
Lettuce is commonly found on tortas, but the cemitas uses papalo. This is a fresh Mexican herb, bitter in flavor. The leaves are about the size of a quarter. Papalo is often compared to cilantro, but after tasting it, I would say more like watercress. Funny though, when I received my cemitas it was missing the papalo. I went up to the counter and asked about it, and the chef, smirked and laughed, and then took my sandwich away, and delivered it back to my table with the papalo now on it. I suspect papalo is “optional”, so must be requested when ordering.
Lastly a torta is generally served on a plain bun. Cemitas are served on a sesame seed bun.
This day, I opted for the cemitas milanesa. The sandwich presented to me was very appealing. A sesame seed bun stuffed with a large thin beef milanesa, perfectly fried, with quesillo cheese, avocado, thinly sliced red onion, chipotle chiles and papalo. Some might not like the bitterness of the papalo, but I found it a perfect accompaniment to the cemitas.
Besides offering milanesa style, other cemitas offerings were queso de puerco or “head-cheese” and pata or “foot” sandwich. This is made with boiled cow feet. Next time I venture over to Tacos Y Cemitas in Canoga Park, I definitely will be ordering a cemitas again. The question becomes will it be queso de puerco or pata?
Until Next Time.....Cook On!!!
The Food Dude
posted by The Food Dude at
9:52 AM
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