Pachanga Patterson

Living in a city with a significantly large Mexican population, finding a delicious taco in New York City is never too far away. Here in Astoria, Mexican cuisine ranges from the street meat variety (El Rey Del Taco Truck and El Rey Del Taco Truck #2) to the traditional (Los Portales) to the fusion (MexiQ).  Pachanga Patterson nestles into the traditional Mexican food territory, with a bit of fusion seen in their unique taco offerings.

Pachanga Patterson has a cozy, intimate atmosphere, with rustic and cultural décor adding to the charm and beauty of the small restaurant. During the warmer months, the restaurant has a small outdoor seating area. A wooden bar outfitted in a weathered turquoise wash is the main focal point of the space, opposite a simple brick wall dotted with prints, and another maroon and red color blocked wall. Festive string lights hang year round, and Dia de Los Muertos memorabilia sprinkles the space. Soft indie music, a refreshing relief from the Euro club tunes that abound in this part of town, plays in the background, making the whole experience very enjoyable, fun, and comfortable.

Pachanga Patterson

bar

bar

interior

tarrot card wallpaper

fish print

outdoor seating

outdoor seating

menu

We started our meal with the Honey in Heat and Tequilla Mockingbird cocktails. Aside from a full bar, Pachanga Patterson has a selection of margaritas, tequillas and mezcals that are a step above your standard cocktail. The Honey in Heat is a Margarita consisting of habanero infused tequila, lime juice, honey, and an ancho-salt rim. The Tequilla Mockingbird is a refreshing blend of tequila, lime juice, cucumber, and mint.

The menu at Pachanga Patterson is a bit limited, but you will find that the offerings are a different take on some traditional Mexican dishes, and that the dishes change throughout the months. The menu is broken down into Salsas, Small Plates, Entrees, and Sides. We started with a Salsa, choosing the Mustard and White Bean, although the Hummus and Chili came in a close second option. The Salsas come served with house fried corn tortilla chips. The dip was different from anything I tasted before, and had a pleasantly thick consistency. The mustard was a spicy whole grain mustard, giving the Salsa a kick, while the white bean mellowed out the flavor. The house fried chips were thicker than most store brought tortilla chips, and varied in their oil-saturated hues. However, they were not overly greasy.

Honey in Heat + Tequilla Mockingbird

Mustard and White Bean Salsa

 For our entrees, I ordered the Ancho Battered Pollack Taco, while my friend went with the Roasted Lamb Taco. The Pollack Taco came with a citrus habanero aioli, cilantro, onion and tomato. The light, citrus aioli and refreshing cilantro tasted great with the Pollack. Although the fish was fried, it did not feel heavy.

Ancho Battered Pollack Tacos

The Roasted Lamb Taco was served with a ramp and almond pesto and cucumber slices. The Lamb came shredded, and had such a rich, deep flavor that immediately melted in your mouth. The ramp and almond pesto was subtle, yet added a great onion flavor that paired nicely with the cucumbers.

Roasted Lamb Tacos

Each serving comes with three tacos, and a small side salad. They also leave their own green sauce on each table for an extra kick.

Pachanga Patterson supports local farmers and artisans, and proudly gets ingredients from Tortilleria Nixtamal, Brooklyn Grange farm, and Raphael Vineyards to name a few. Their Moo Shu Duck Taco was featured on TimeOut New York NYC’s 26 Best Tacos list. Giuseppe Falco, owner of Pacahanga Patterson also co-owns popular sister restaurant Vesta Trattoria.

While I can’t say Pachanga Patterson serves the best tacos I’ve ever had, I do give them immense credit in coming up with eclectic and interesting tacos that most people would not even think to create. The atmosphere and décor make it a really cute and charming place to go with friends or a date, and it is a place where I would definitely return to.