Hipster Mexican
Northern Liberties is a treasure trove of delicious, no frills fewd, courtesy of the hipsters that live in this area. This neighborhood reminds me of Williamsburg, Brooklyn during its process of gentrification. Miss Ratatouille and I visited this grungey brunch den Cantina Dos Segundos, also called “Hipster Mexican” by its street name.
After some coaxing, I convinced Ratatouille to try the menu special of Tuna Ceviche. This is a refreshing traditional Coastal Latin America starter that gets your stomach enzymes churning. The lime juices that mask the fishiness of tuna cleans the palate to prepare one for the main course. I loved the combination of raw carrots and jicama that added crunchy freshness to the mix. I only wish the tuna matched the veggies’ level of freshness, as it tasted slightly fishy. I suspect they’re bought in bulk and frozen in batches, but in fairness freshness is a challenge for all ceviche (or sushi) places not next to the shore.
The Huevos Rancheros is one of the best I have ever tasted, mostly because the slow-cooked beans are so well made. I am usually not one to go gaga over beans, especially because they are tough, cheap, and infamous for GI embarrassments. Butttt, these white beans were probably slowly stewed over a long period of time, creating this wonderful purée of rich legumey goodness. This perfectly balanced the spicy salsa lathered over the over-easy eggs. The tortilla also stood out to me as a fresh, doughy, solid base. Sided with a batch of savory potatoes, making this an overall wonderfully crafted brunch plate. I had asked for guac on the side, but honestly, I didn’t need it. The guacamole was pretty good, but it didn’t add much to the already amazing Huevos Rancheros here at Cantina. This feels like a statement to the current food craze over guac that allows Chipotle to get away with charging $1.80 extra (and cause that ridiculous Norovirus outbreak in Boston). So hooray for Hipster Mexican and its no-guac-necessary-deliciousness! And to top it all off, they have guava mimosas here…hehehe.
