The discovery of a new “favourite place” is sometimes a very odd circumstance, and Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana is one of my odder stories. It will also be a favourite place for a long time to come.
I overheard a conversation in the office one day between one of my bosses and one of our district managers. The manager was raving about this restaurant and how great the food was and how fabulous a salesman the owner was. A little while later, my boss came down the hall, and I asked him what place the manager had been so excited about, as I am always interested in good food, especially if it is combined with good service.
So my boss began to tell me about this little authentic Mexican eatery that didn’t put cheese on its tacos, didn’t use sour cream, and didn’t buy its food from Sysco. I was intrigued. Even more so when my boss told me that the owner manned the cash register himself, and had a perfect sales spiel about the place, and offered very warm, personal service. When my boss went in and asked “What’s good?” the owner had asked him very specific questions to determine what menu item was most likely to suit him. And my boss had, indeed, enjoyed the meal.
My boss also told me the entire spiel that the owner had given, and said that the manager had told him that she got the same spiel when she went in and said it was her first visit. At that point, another of my bosses walked by and said, “Deli Mexicana? Yes, my family and I eat there all the time. The food is great!”
So, my interest piqued, I decided to try this place. I had a bit of trouble finding it, as it’s a much smaller place than I had expected, and its location, the northern endcap of a small strip center on Germantown Parkway, is not very visible from the street (especially at 45 mph).
I walked in for a late weekday lunch, about 13:45. There were several people at tables, but I was the only one in line. A nice young man greeted me and asked me if it were my first visit. I replied in the affirmative, and was treated to the exact spiel that my boss had recited to me. I ordered the brisket tacos, and asked the young man to tell me about the agua fresca. I ordered a mango agua fresca after he described this refreshing beverage in very attractive terms. When I said that I needed it to go, the young man said that was a pity, as it would be so much nicer if I could stay.
The food took a reasonable amount of time, and I was able to watch it being prepared through a glass partition. I sipped my mango drink while waiting, and found it quite refreshing. Not too sweet, and not too thick.
When I returned to my office and opened my takeout box, I found four doubled tortillas, each with a generous helping of Neola Farms beef brisket, a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, and a slice of avocado. On the side were a wedge of lime, a heap of very finely shredded lettuce, a mound of obviously homemade tortilla chips, an invitingly chunky guacamole, a bright pico de gallo, and a green sauce which I did not recognise — but which I promptly fell in love with.
I decided to try the place again, this time with my mother in tow. My mom was rather an odd choice for this place, as she doesn’t care for avocado or cilantro, but she was willing to give my newest enthusiasm a try.
This time, we went at the height of lunch rush on Saturday, about 12:30. The place was packed. It was so busy that Mom did not get treated to the regular spiel, but we still got very highly personalized service. Mom ordered the brisket tacos (sans cilantro and avocado) and a mango agua fresca, and I ordered the fish tacos and a tamarindo agua fresca. The food was just as good as it had been on my first visit. But I didn’t get any guacamole with my meal, which was a slight disappointment.
While waiting for our order, we had noticed several interesting-looking dishes being served around us. So when I decided that I was going to order a bit of guac to finish off my tortilla chips, mom asked me to get her an elote. I had also noticed a fried cheese on the menu, so I decided to try one of those. As there was no line, I asked the young man to tell me about the horchata. He said I would have to try it — and proceeded to run to the cooler and prepare me a generous sample. It was quite tasty and sweet, so I got one for dessert.
The elote was wonderful: a hot cob of sweet corn on a stick, slathered with cheese, pepper, and mayonnaise. It sounds very strange, but it was really delicious. Also a delightful surprise was the chicharrones de queso (the fried cheese). I had expected several pieces of breaded and deep fried cheese, so I was not expecting an enormous tube of crisp cheese — not breaded and deep fried, but toasted, like the cheese that oozes out of a generously made grilled cheese sandwich and bubbles on the grill.
In light of two profoundly excellent experiences, with truly superior food and outstanding customer service, I wholeheartedly recommend Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana.