Enter through the painted glass doors of Torteria San Cosme and it’s as if you’ve never left the street. Depending on the day, it’s warmer and drier, but the bustle of Kensington Market is sustained. The sunlight floods the +tongtong designed shop and the façade of the open kitchen is disguised as a large torta stand, straight off the avenues of Mexico City, or “D.F.” to the locals. A team of efficient sandwich assemblers works nonstop until their product is sold out.
Arturo Anhalt, chef and owner of Milagro restaurants, launched Torteria San Cosme almost on a whim — alongside his girlfriend and manager Katie Nicholson — when he caught a glimpse of a “for lease” sign one day while shopping at Sanagan’s. The idea, however, had been percolating for well over five years. “I think people are tired of tacos,” he says matter-of-factly. “Mexican food is way beyond the tacos!”
Arturo Anhault (right) and chef Oscar Welsh (left) who was the original chef at Milagro Yonge St. and also owns a couple of torterias in Mexico City. (IMAGE: JASON FINESTONE)
Tortas, Mexican sandwiches stuffed with a vast assortment of toppings inside soft, puffy telera bread, are a ubiquitous street food in many parts of Mexico. Ribera San Cosme, the shop’s namesake, is an avenue in Anhalt’s native Mexico City. A hub for street food, the Mercado San Cosme lies along this road, where Anhalt’s father would take him to explore the diverse culinary landscape when he was young. Of course, tortas were a frequent indulgence.
Nine tortas are currently on the menu, with the telera bread and individual proteins prepared fresh daily. There’s no storage at Torteria San Cosme, aside from what’s clearly visible, and Anhalt’s purveyors are all within eyeshot as well. He sources his meat from Sanagan’s, like their smoked bacon, ham and sirloin, produce from Danny & Meir, cheese from Global Cheese, and Blackbird Baking Co. worked with him to develop his telera.
“Simon [at Blackbird] might hate me for it; we initially estimated 25% of our current need for the bread,” Anhalt admits. “But honestly, it’s the best quality telera I’ve ever tasted.”
The complexion of the menu is simple: tortas, antojos (“cravings” or smaller items), churros, and birra (spicy lamb stew — a hangover cure) available only on weekends.
The Cubana ($12) is similar to, but not to be confused with a Cuban sandwich. Sanagan’s smoked ham, 14-hour slow roasted adobo pork, bacon, gouda, avocado, tomato, chipotle and Caplansky’s spicy mustard rest between halves of a telera roll. Stuff each bite with a fingerful of jalapenos, self-served at the counter and pickled from a 55-year old recipe from his mom’s nanny. Add a side of charros, stewed beans with bacon, chorizo, tomato and serrano, for $3.
The esquites come either on their own or as part of a combo. (IMAGE: JASON FINESTONE)
The Milanesa ($10.75) pairs breaded chicken with Portuguese manchego, chipotle mayo, refritos, avocado, tomato and onion. Dip into a serving of esquites ($3 as part of a combo, $3.75 on their own), a street-side favourite consisting of stewed corn niblets with herbaceous epazote, crema, cotija cheese, piquin chili powder and lime. Or sink your teeth into an elote, which is essentially the same combination except still on the cob.
(IMAGE: JASON FINESTONE)
Pick up a cup of churros ($4) with warm cajeta (goats milk caramel sauce) as you depart, or dip into the candy jars for a sweet finish. And wash it all down with agua fresca ($2.75), fresh juices of tamarind, jicama or creamy horchata made from rice and cinnamon. They also serve traditional Mexican hot chocolate ($3.25), and their liquor licence is pending.
Torteria San Cosme is currently open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., in theory, but they’ve sold out before quitting time all but one day in the past three weeks. If demand keeps up at this pace, we suggest coming early and expecting to battle a few bodies. But after all, that could be yet another one of the parallels to the real thing back in D.F.
Published on: Mar 28, 2016