Sunset Park Tacos and Asian Goodness

I (ECW) have lived in Sunset Park, Brooklyn for 8 years. As a new home owner in the neighborhood I plan to be here for many more. My peers are always surprised when I tell them where I live because it’s “so far out,” though most (non-Mexican, who already know) friends ask me for advice about the tacos here, which they hear are fantastic. And they are… A colleague recently moved to the neighborhood and asked me where to eat. While I made this list for her benefit, I thought I would share it with all of you so that if you do make it “all the way out here” at least you’ll know where I’m likely to eat. Because even though I love cooking sometimes I cannot resist the lure of the $1 taco.

Nerdy mostly white people enjoying dinner at Tacos Matamoros

Taco/Mexican Places:

Eclipse
4th avenue and 44th street, west side of the street. Closed Mondays. Awesome, more “upscale” (but not expensive) Mexican food place owned by the nicest Japanese lady ever. Really great Sunday brunch and they have a great back garden too. Fantastic vegetarian options!

Tacos California
5th ave btwn 46th and 47th
My favorite place for burritos and tacos. Even though they have a similar menu to Tacos Matamoros (also good, at 5th ave and 45th street), they seem tastier.

Gan Eden
5th ave btwn 46th and 47th
Mexican food and bar with bright TVs. The Huraches are amazing and you can get your burrito and hurache vegetarian with either mushrooms or pumpkin flower. The tortillas for the hurache and quesadilla are handmade. Yum! They also have good weekend brunch and cafe con leche.

Mi Mexico Pequena
5th ave btwn 45th and 46th.
Tiny place selling delicious Mexican sugar bread.

The lady who sells fruit/drinks/empanadas and greasy snacks from a cart on 47th and 5th. She’s usually there mid-day and on the weekdays and is so nice.

Chinese/Asian Food

Ba Xyuen
Bahn Mi Sandwich place on 8th ave btwn 43rd and 42nd street, west side of the street. The sardine sandwiches are highly recommended.

Gia Lam
8th ave btwn 46th and 47th (maybe further south on 8th?). Really good and cheap Vietnamese food… pho, etc.

Nyon Nya
54th and 8th ave, east side of the street, on the corner
Zagat rated Malayasian restaraunt. Can get really crowded. Really good. Cheap.

Pacificana
8th ave and 55th street (2nd floor, above the Chase bank)
We had a feast here, yes, a feast, very little money. They have dim sum as well as a full menu. So delicious.

Also any vendors selling “Hong Kong cakes”… little waffle like cakes. They are more rare than they used to be, but so yummy!