Tortas: La Barraca Valenciana

With all the culinary experiences to be had in Coyoacán, one strategy I support is picking restaurants that won’t leave you too full to sample at least a fraction of the pastries, coffees, gelados, esquites, and other tempting fare available on almost every corner. In that respect, La Barraca Valenciana, a modest and inexpensive joint that specializes in tortas in the style of Valencia, Spain, is the perfect choice for a small lunch (or an evening snack) during a day of strolling and sightseeing in Coyoacán.

The exquisite tortas at La Barraca Valenciana are all served on small bolillos (rolls) and in addition to the usual sandwich choices (pierna… milanesa…), Barraca also has several vegetarian options. The champiñones torta, made with chopped small mushrooms–not the overwhelming volume of a portobello cap–is one worthy option; the vegetariano, made with with sautéed eggplant and deliciously melted Chihuahua cheese, is another, though a tad heavier. Both sandwiches are served with chimichurri, a simple Argentine sauce made from olive oil, garlic, and parsley, and the staff is happy to bring you some more on the side.

Although the vegetarian options are tempting, the best torta at La Barraca Valenciana is the calimar, simply a bolillo piled with chopped baby squid, cooked in chimichurri. As with any of the sandwiches here, you can supplement the flavors of the calimar with some of the chiles, cauliflower, onions, or small potatoes marinating in vinegar as a condiment on every table.

The tortas here are small–I couldn’t say light– but for those looking for more of an appetizer, I recommend the papas bravas, boiled potatoes served in a sauce made from chile and the same house-made mayonnaise. The passable micheladas are a nice accompaniment.

Although La Barraca Valenciana is not an explicitly lesbian establishment, its location in Coyoacán and proximity to the “Blue House” Frida Kahlo Museum make it a spot frequented by both chilanga and tourist machas alike. Stop next door at the window of local chain coffee shop El Jarocho for an afternoon coffee or hot chocolate.

Tortas at La Barraca Valenciana run between 30 and 60 pesos and are well worth it for the rich fusion of flavors that spans three continents.