Another visit to Fonda la Chilanga (https://www.facebook.com/jonathanfondalachilangaes) near the corner of Zaragoza and Dr. Carvajal. I have a particular fondness for tacos de canasta, and they made a Facebook post saying that they were serving them today. I don’t know if they have them every day (they aren’t on the regular menu), if it’s a Saturday thing, or if it is just something for today.
They had three kinds, none of which were my favorite, chicharrón (which they do have for other menu items). There were tacos de canasta con papas y chorizo, something I don’t remember, and tacos de canasta con frijol. It was a tough decision, but I ordered three with the potatoes and chorizo even though frijol can be quite tasty if you have the right salsa.
If you haven’t had tacos de canasta (basket tacos) you’ve missed out! Not that many places offer them in Mazatlán so when you find them order quick! They’re made and layered (like their name) in a basket, typically with some type of liquid (stock/water/oil) on them to keep them moist. When you eat them they have a totally different texture and flavor profile. Soft, wet, rich – flavors that explode in your mouth! If you haven’t already, turn on Netflix and watch their docu-series called ‘Taco Chronicles’. One episode is about tacos de canasta!
Fonda la Chilanga normally serves foods you’d find in México City. Huraches, Quesadillas, Tlacoyos, and Gorditas (not the tiny ones some places sell here). They’re all made by hand to order. Today I sat at the counter around the griddle. Yes, it was 90 f. outside. Yes, the waitress told me I could sit at a table under a fan. But it was more fun at the griddle, and there was a nice breeze coming in so I was pretty comfortable. It was interesting to see them make the gorditas – they took masa, put the filling on it, then formed it into a ball. On the griddle they flattened it out and cooked it – I’d only seen them made once before and the filling was added after the masa had cooked. This way looked much easier!
So, three tacos de canasta con papas y chorizo. They weren’t enough to fill me up, even with the jamaica I ordered. So I asked for a chicharrón hurache. That got me to the full limit quickly, and then some! I really should have ordered a tlacoyo (it’s smaller) or at least have asked for half of the hurache to-go, but no … I ate it. And then I stumbled back home! Two hours later my food coma passed and I was back on my feet again!
Total bill was $140 pesos ($7 usd). Three tacos de canasta, a hurache, and a liter of jamaica. Food and service were both great. The chicharrón was a tad salty, but not enough to keep me from eating it. I did a previous review of them that you can read here: https://www.mazatlanweekly.com/2022/03/21/fonda-la-chilanga/. If you’re in Centro around Zaragoza give Fonda la Chilanga a try – you’ll be happy you did!
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