Cemitas Puebla

Location: 3619 W North Avenue
Cost: About $10 per person

Well I guess I was just in a groupony mood. This time though, I found a deal that allowed for a reasonable timing of my meal. Now the first time I went to Cemitas Puebla was about 5 years ago when my sister lived near the 6 corners. We took a quick shot down North avenue to check out this place because it just looked that damn good on DDD. When they put up a deal for a meal for 2 for $9, I had to get it. Dweiss and Jeremy joined me for the adventure out west.



Logistics
The most important thing to know about Cemitas Puebla is that you'll have to wash your clothes a few times to get the smell out (which is mostly a sign of the strong flavors they're cooking up). It's a pretty simple one room restaurant with an order at the counter setup. There's plenty of street parking. The crowds can get pretty large, but I've never had trouble getting a table.

I can't really comment on the service since you order at the counter, but everyone working is outwardly nice. If the owner is hanging around he really livens up the room. The cost is dirt cheap. With my groupon it was next to nothing, but otherwise you can stuff yourself for under $10.

The Food
Because it was included in the deal, we got things started with a plate of Chalupas. Mind you, these are nothing like what you see in the Taco Bell commercials. Rather, these are corn tortillas topped with cheese and salsa. They're a little soggy, but the salsas are complex and deep enough to carry the dish. We also tossed on some chips and guacamole. The guac was extra smooth and a little simple, but when we mixed in some of the salsa it turned into quite the dip.

The Chalupas

 The Guacamole

Next, Dweiss and I ordered the Arabe and the Carne Asada Cemitas respectively while Jeremy got a Steak Burrito. For those of you that don't know, a cemita is a sandwich with sesame seed bread, avocado, cheese, chipotle peppers, and the meat of your choosing. The Arabe is the strongest of the options with a spicy kick and a wonderful fatty crisp to each meaty bite. The carne asada is nothing to scoff at and melds well with the smooth avocado and smoky chipotles. When Jeremy ordered his burrito (without each ingredient besides the steak, cheese, rice, and lettuce), the lady behind the counter had a good laugh. The tortilla was thick and had a nice char from the flat top. It reminded me of one of those great burritos from El Famous.

The Arabe Cemita

The Carne Asada Cemita

 The "Picky Man's" Steak Burrito

Overall
Cemitas Puebla is just a special place. They thrive on using fresh ingredients to make old family recipes. You get plenty of food for practically nothing. Things aren't as fancy or refined as they are at XOCO, but the flavor and the love is all there. I'm giving them 4.5 out of 5 Pearls.

Chicago