Tacos Morelos Introduces the All-Carb Taco

Look, Ma, no meat or cheese — and no gluten, either!

There’s no doubt that the general population has been manipulated into a carb-hating frenzy. First came the deplorable Dr. Atkins, followed by the South Beach Diet, which saw the overweight downing massive quantities of bacon and eggs, while eschewing a single piece of toast, and then acting all pious about it. Of course, the diet works — but then any diet works, doesn’t it, if you can only stick with it.

The anti-carb hysteria has seen bread baskets removed from 90 percent of the city’s restaurants, and what used to be mountains of mashed potatoes on your plate have been reduced to a tiny schmear hidden under your steak. Chinese restaurants rarely give out rice anymore, and the macaroni in your Italian meal is often reduced to a startlingly small mass.

But many foodies have refused to conform. After all, research suggests that carbs can make you happy, and, calorie per calorie, a plate of rice adds less to your main frame than a plate of meat. As a way of silencing that rumble in your stomach, carbs are much more efficacious than proteins, and much cheaper, too.

So it was with some pleasure that Counter Culture stumbled upon one of the world’s great monuments to carbs at the restaurant reviewed this week, Tacos Morelos. That monument is found among the tacos placeros (market tacos). This particular market taco features only starches — a corn tortilla, heap of yellow rice, and puck of potatoes. Yes, the thing is rather bland on its own, which is why you’re encouraged to spoon on the fiery homemade salsa and pico de gallo provided.

Apart from this oddity, the restaurant features all sorts of other amazing dishes. Photos follow.

Chicken in smoky salsa mora sauce

The magnificent cheese enchiladas

The rich pork pozole is served with a pair of free tostadas.

My dining crew on a recent visit to Tacos Morelos

Tacos Morelos
94-13 37th Avenue
Jackson Heights, Queens
347-832-0193