The Mija Chronicles

Mexican food and culture, on both sides of the border

The glorious, messy Mexican torta

by

The other day, I was really craving a torta. This doesn’t happen to me that often (I’m much more of a tlacoyos girl) but this craving was undeniable: I needed a stack of meat, melted cheese and avocado piled between layers of soft bread.

Since I don’t eat tortas that often, I don’t have a favorite variety. I asked my Facebook friends which type I should choose. The response was swift. “Cancún!” said my friend Hugh. “Anything with quesillo!” said Alejandra.

There are about 10 torta stands within walking distance of my house, but I wanted the best. So I went downstairs and asked the portero which one he preferred. He made a vague motion across the street. “Allí,” he said.

The only thing I’d seen across the street was a fonda, so I thought he meant across the street and down the block. I peered over the parked cars and didn’t see anything. And then, walking toward the corner, I saw it: a torta shop tucked next to the fonda, behind a tree, with a cheery sign.

The sign looked like someone had taken a bite out of the side.

Standing inside the cramped space, I kind of felt like being in a panadería for the first time. There were so many flavors! So many different meat and cheese combinations!

The long torta menu at ¡Tortas! in the Col. Roma

Even more options on a second torta menu at ¡Tortas! in Mexico City

I ordered the Cancún — a mix of chuleta, cheese and pineapple. (Thanks, Hugh.) But the shop had run out of chuleta. So I thought a bit and instead went with the Holandesa, which was the same as the Cancún, except with pierna. Of course it came with all the other torta fixins, too: beans, avocado, tomato, and a shmear of chipotle salsa.

I can’t tell you how excited I was when I took this thing home and unwrapped it. The greasy paper. The oozing cheese. The smell. I was so excited, in fact, that I managed to take only two pictures before taking a bite.

Since then I been thinking about tortas much more often, and I’m thinking this might be regular thing for me.

Next time I’m at the tortería, what kind should I get?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Well, I’m Canadian and we love “our” ham and pineapple pizza, so I’d go with Hawaiian!

    I love tortas.

    • Susan: Mexicans love pineapple on their tortas! I don’t know if you could read the fine print on the list, but at least four varieties contain piña. Hawaiian pizza is really popular here, too.

    • Yes, I think you’re right. Maybe I’ll start from the top of his menu and work my way down. And then I’ll make sure to run four miles afterward… or only eat half of the sandwich, and give the other half to hubby.

      Chuleta is pork chop.

  3. The greatest torta I ever had was in 1992, when I was in Mexico City for the first time, and alone.

    I was strolling arond the neighborhood in, I think, Colonia Júarez, a bit east of the Zona Rosa. I was befriended by a young couple who’d opened a pollos arrostizados a la leña shop. The Señor was in need in firewood, and in his main job as a helicopter pilot, had spotted some logs in the heights by the Ajusco freight RR station.

    So we drove up to gather them. It was killing effort for me, at an elevation of over 9000 feet above sea level. I think it was New Year’s Day, and I hadn’t recovered yet from the flight and a family party the night before.

    We got the logs loaded and headed down to the city. The pilot was starving and so was I. He pulled in under a viaduct overpass and there was Tortas El Monje Loco. The giant tortas that we ate fulfilled our needs.

    To be continued sometime on my blog… http://mexkitchen.blogspot.com/

    Saludos,
    Don Cuevas

  4. Mmmm! That one looks good. We have about half the options that your place does — and I thought there were already too many to pick between! My favorite is a simple milanesa de pollo; Cameron prefers the Cubano (he says “¡cinco clases de carne!” is his favorite four words in Spanish). Mm, now I want one…

  5. Yeah, I was wondering what chuleta was also. There is a Mexican Cantina here in Daytona Beach that has a torta on the menu. I’ve ordered it twice. The first time it was on a round kind of flat bread, the second time it came more like a burrito. By the way, I have a good novel for you, or anyone. Mexican High by Liza Monroy. It’s about a young, budding journalist who moves from Washington to the Zona Rosa. A lot of real eateries around Zona Rosa, Condesa, Polanco, Roma, Historic District are mentioned thoughout the book.

  7. Tortas are awesome! I mean, any similarity to a sandwich (yes, both have bread and some fixings) is per coincidence…the amount of ingredients the torta gods pack in between two slices of a delicious white roll is astounding. The great thing for us as veggies is that tortas are vegetarian-friendly too! Of all the places in Mexico we’ve been to so far, Mexico City has the best street food for veggies (so many potato and bean fillings are possible in tacos, quesadillas, etc) but everywhere so far we have been able to grab a tasty torta! Thanks for the great posts, I just have to remember to read them when I am already full! 🙂

  8. Most of the tortas listed on the menu are new to me. I really want to try the Cancun torta! As for my favorites, I’m partial to Tortas Ahogadas and Tortas Gema. And I love tortas de Milanesa!

    You should also try a torta de tamal or maybe a chile relleno torta. They’re not that bad! 🙂

  9. A torta de pierna is hard to beat. In fact, you were with me when I had my first torta de pierna at Covadonga. There’s a place on Durango I like going to for their huevos con chorizo torta (for breakfast) and their torta de pierna for lunch. And now I’m craving a torta.

    • You know, I’ve been wondering since I wrote this post whether I got the wrong type of pierna. I keep reading that it’s supposed to be shredded, oven-roasted meat. Mine was more like deli slices. Next time I go back to ¡tortas! I will have to specify.

  10. Yum, I love a torta. Here in SF, I can get them just as tasty as the ones in Mexico, so it’s one area where my friends don’t have to listen to me and my “This would taste so much better in Mexico…” spiel. I agree with the comment that suggests you should try them all. 1 down, 20 more to go 😉

  11. I my opinion the foundations for a good torta, are these: the bread, the mayo, the avocado, and the chile, it doesn’t matter how do you fix your torta, if any of this foundations is missing or fails all the torta fails.

    The bread must be lightly fried with butter, even with the veggie tortas; and it doesn’t have to be very salty. A lack of mayo and avocado ruins the pleasure, a very spicy torta too.

    Any combination that includes sausage and cheese works perfect for me.

  12. Lesly, I came across your website from David Lira’s “Mostl Mexico City”. As a chilango, born and raised in the city, I am always moved to almost tears when I read and see the food I love and miss. Thank you for making my day by posting delicious food so close to my heart (literally). I hope to visit DF soon! Keep up the good work!

  13. I just run into your blog. I’m Mexican, 100% Chilanga, and like reading about foreigners who have made their home in my town. Finding a good torta is like finding the keys to paradise. My personal favorites are Tortas at the Santo Domingo bakery in Coyoacán. Av. Universidad intersecting with Miguel Angel de Quevedo. I always order Pierna Española con Quesillo (con poco chipotle). Try it next time you’re around. You’ll not regret it.

    • Hi Laura: Thanks for the tip! I’ll mark down the Santo Domingo bakery on my list. Mouth is already watering. 🙂

  14. Hi Mija, I am visiting DF and staying nearby in Condesa… where can I find this glorious torteria?

    • Rachel: I’m responding too late, I know, but the torta place has since closed. It was on Sinaloa near Salamanca; now there’s a healthy sandwich place there.