It’s Saturday night. You’re hungry and you’re too lazy to cook anything or go far off campus. So where should you go? Two words: Cemitas Puebla.
Cemitas Puebla, located at 1327 East 57th Street, brings authentic Poblano food to Hyde Park. They are known for their cemita, a specialty native to Puebla, Mexico (a superior version of a regular sandwich, if you will).
When I visited, I was greeted by a menu showcasing a variety of cemitas, tacos, chalupas, quesadillas, ceviches, and salads. I settled on the cemita with carne enchilada (grilled pork loin) for the meat. I was feeling adventurous and also ordered café con horchata, which is a blend of coffee and the traditional Mexican rice milk drink horchata.
The food came out within a few minutes, and I was ready to chow down.
Cemita de Carne Enchilada
I’m a huge fan of sandwiches, and this was a completely new type of “sandwich” to me. I was immediately in love with the sesame seed roll, which was soft on the inside but crispy on the outside from the sesame seeds dotting its exterior. The creamy avocado and nutty Oaxacan cheese complemented the juicy seasoned pork.
To top it off, I got to try three different kinds of salsa (mild, spicy, chipotle) with my sandwich, all of which were brought to the table. Since I like my food spicy, I would recommend the chipotle salsa to go along with it. The cemita was a good size for the price ($8-9), and I finished it feeling quite satisfied.
Café con Horchata
I enjoy horchata, and I enjoy coffee, but I’m not sure if the combination worked. Horchata has a distinct spiced taste that I normally would not pair with the bitter taste of coffee, but I could be in the minority since it is one of their most popular drinks.
Alone, the horchata struck a balance of sweet and spiced without being overpowering, so I would personally recommend the plain horchata. I could definitely imagine both the café con horchata and horchata being refreshing drinks for the summertime.
The verdict? Definitely buy yourself a cemita, and if you’re feeling daring, ask for the horchata or the café con horchata, and you will leave full of good Mexican food in your stomach.