Authenticity is everything for Xochitl’s Executive Chef Dionicio Jiminez.  These are the sandwiches you’d find at a neighborhood taqueria in Hispanic South Philadelphia , or if you went to Puebla, Mexico, about an hour south of Mexico City, where Chef Jiminez grew up.  Only the queso fresco would be somewhat different – Chef Jiminez notices a difference in the texture of the queso from Mexico and here in Philadelphia.  The local product is more like ricotta salata, and the Mexican is closer to mozzarella.

90% of late night customers order sandwiches.  Chef Jiminez describes them as good late night food because they are refreshing and light, not greasy or heavy.  Tortas are served on special-order bolillo bread, a soft but crusty oblong roll similar to a Portugese roll.  Each torta is filled with avocado, onion, black beans, lettuce, tomato and chipotle mayo; only the protein changes.  Filings for the tortas are prepared on a flat-top grill, very simply seasoned with salt and pepper.  Skirt steak from the entrée menu is cooked to medium and cut into small strips that are tender and not overly chewy.  Spicy crumbles of longaniza, a lighter alternative to chorizo, are rich and boldly flavorful.  The Queso Fresco is grilled on each side so it melts, but still has a hint of its crumbly texture.  The Chicken Milanese, simply dredged with fresh bread crumbs, is a milder flavor that allows the creamy, ripe avocado to shine. The result is a winning combination of flavors and textures.

Chef Jiminez has resisted calls to add sides; a sandwich on the plate is enough food.  (House-pickled jalapenos garnish each order.)  The sandwiches are big enough that many people end up taking half home.  On his own time, Chef usually makes giant mash-ups of several sandwiches on a single roll.  He also likes Pat’s for a cheesesteak and the veggie sandwich at Misconduct.

Xochitl offers a Thursday late night special menu: from 10 p.m. until 1 a.m., the restaurant serves “Staff Meal,” a late night menu in its lounge with all dishes under $8.  Every item on this menu is available for half-off the normal price.

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The torta, a Mexican sandwich on a soft roll topped with a selection of different fillers from carne asada to tripe, is not the easiest to come by in certain areas. In Philadelphia your selection is exceptionally limited, but we’ve been told by readers and friends to check out Taqueria La Veracruzana on Washington Avenue. Being only a few steps from the Italian Market, Veracruzana has big shoes to fill; some of the best sandwiches in the city are located within a half mile radius.

The menu offers a traditional torta selection including pollo, chorizo and huevo revuelto con jamon (scrambled eggs with ham). We opted for the carnitas (before we knew about the flu) and watched a soap on Telemundo as we awaited its arrival. About ten minutes later we were presented with a beautifully crafted sandwich, a large mound of juicy pork topped with lettuce, tomato, avocado, a long jalapeno pepper and a slice of American cheese? Wait, what?! The thick cut, white American seriously threw us off, seemingly an after thought considering it was in no way melted, perhaps even cold.

That aside, we enjoyed the flavor of the meat, crispy yet tender and the avocado, fresh and creamy. Upon asking for hot sauce, we were presented with two, a smokey roja and cilantro-laden verde that both packed a spicy punch. The bread could best be described as an oblong kaiser roll, not a single employee could inform us from which bakery it was provided.

Although Veracruzana’s torta filled an empty void in our stomachs, we’ve yet to find an incredible version of the sandwich in the city. After being named Philadelphia Magazine’s Best of Philly for Mexican cuisine in 2002 and 2003 by, it seems that this spot has fallen by the wayside in recent years, but don’t neglect it entirely. Just make sure to lose the cheese before you bite in.

Taqueria La Veracruzana
908 Washington Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19147 (Google Map)

Chef John “Chainsaw” Taus, formerly sous-chef at Zahav, has developed a new burger that brings a taste of Mexico to Snackbar in Rittenhouse Square. Following his approach to create fresh, innovative takes on classic dishes, Chef Taus has found a winner with his south of the border inspired Mole Burger.

The secret to the succulent burger is that the beef is imbibed in mole sauce before grilling. The outer edges are grilled to a char, and the medium-pink center is moist and juicy with a subtle hint of the sweet, chocolatey mole. The burger is served on a fresh Metropolitan Bakery brioche bun, grilled crisp, with bibb lettuce, queso fresco, creamy avocado, and a heaping spoonful of pico de gallo. The pico is fresh and flavorful, consisting of chopped tomatoes, jalapenos, shallots, cilantro, lime juice and a touch of olive oil. The plate is rounded out with a crisp, vinegary pickle and fries with a spicy Mexican kick.

Read our interview with Chef John Taus and see more photos after the jump.

Q&A with Chef John Taus

Unbreaded: What kinds of sandwiches do you make at home?

John Taus: I’ll slow cook a beef shoulder or whole chicken and break it down into pieces and put it on bread. Sandwiches at home have to be very messy.

UB: What are some of your favorite sandwich places in Philadelphia?

JT: Veracruzana’s tortas, John’s Roast Pork, Moe’s Hot Dogs

UB: Would you tell us what is in your mole sauce?

JT: Onion, figs, chipotle and ancho chiles, tomato and 64% dark chocolate.

UB: How often will you add a new sandwich to the menu?

JT: As soon as we’re inspired to try something, we add it and see what happens. So far, our regulars have really enjoyed the Mole Burger.

UB: We aren’t quite sure your new corndog qualifies as a sandwich, but it’s interesting. Tell us about it.

JT: The entire thing is made from scratch: a pork hotdog, cornmeal wrapper and pickled sauerkraut made on the premises.

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Get your sandwich on:

Snackbar
253 S. 20th Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 (Google Map)