NYCReview
La Slowteria
This spot is Permanently Closed.
Bruce Wayne and Stanley Ipkiss can hide in plain sight because they’re unrecognizable without their fancy headgear, while Banksy and whoever invented Bitcoin use aliases. La Slowteria doesn’t do anything quite so elaborate. This place avoids being constantly mobbed thanks to its location in a casual space on a quiet block near the BQE. And while it’s certainly not a secret to everyone - it’s been serving excellent Mexican food in Carroll Gardens since 2012 - those who haven’t been yet need to change that as soon as possible. Because once you eat here, you’re going to want to come back all the time.
The main reason you’ll want to become a regular at La Slowteria is the food. Most of the menu is devoted to tacos, which come on fantastic made-to-order tortillas that’d taste good even if they were filled with the contents of a salad bar at a Jersey Turnpike rest stop. Of course, they’re not - the toppings here are things like squid with charred corn, cauliflower with rich mole, and housemade chorizo with brussels sprouts. The tacos are big and filling, but don’t skip the share plates ($9-$16), like the “inverted quesadilla” that tastes like the bottom layer of lasagna cooked in cast iron. There’s also one of the best corn salads we’ve ever had, which tastes even better topped with the very spicy housemade habanero hot sauce. It hurts, but like a deep tissue massage or being in love, it’s a good hurt.
What makes La Slowteria stand out from other spots that serve really good, affordable food is how many different situations it works for. Sit at the small bar for some tacos and margaritas during Happy Hour (until 7:30pm every day), or get a table with a group and order the whole menu. You could come with a date when you don’t want to wait two hours for a table at Frankies 457 down the street, or bring your kids when you don’t want to hear how Lyla needs to be more aggressive with her slide tackles from three different parents at a restaurant in Park Slope.
But this place should never just be a backup option if you happen to be in the area. It should be on your mind whenever you want to eat some of the best Mexican food in Brooklyn. It’s the kind of spot where you’ll plan on spending an hour, then suddenly realize that the black and white movie playing on the wall ended two spicy mezcal margaritas ago. You can catch the ending next time - it won’t be long, now that you know where La Slowteria has been hiding.