Manny's Tortas - Pollo Torta

I've been meaning to get out to the Midtown Global Market for quite some time and for no reason other then the fact that I had a lonely stomach and was craving something different, I decided to finally pull the trigger last Saturday. The market is a loud and vibrant place with a healthy pulse and food everywhere. It's pretty much my own personal heaven. You can get just about every type of ethnic cuisine and take care of your grocery shopping as well. There are some very good meat, seafood and produce purveyors, and I know exactly where to go next time I need to go get some already ripe avocados.



I've been obsessing over pictures of Manny's Tortas for quite some time so after making the rounds and evaluating my food options I decided to look no further than their sandwich booth. There was no line when I arrived and I breathed a huge sigh of relief because after a quick lap and observing all the tempting food I was ready to do some work.


I shot through the menu quickly and settled on the pollo, although there were several combos that looked like they would be right in my wheelhouse. I would have easily gone for the eggs and chorizo, but the overindulgence of Thanksgiving was still fresh on my mind, so I played it safe. Plus, I just knew I was going to dig this shop, so I figured I could experiment further on a return visit.


The sandwich came out fast and I was more then ready to finally sink my teeth into the heaping construction. This particular beauty was built for flavor and not for function or style. I could tell I was in for a sloppy ride, but I was up to the challenge. I took a huge bite and the sandwich was a bit slippery, but it was really freakin' good. The bread had a nice crunch on the exterior, but was soft and chewy on the inside. A layer of chipotle mayo was a nice vehicle for spice and added a smokiness to the sandwich that played well with the other ingredients. The chicken cutlets were breaded and heated up so that they were crispy and flavorful, yet a bit oily. The real kicker for the sandwich was the fresh toppings. Fresh ingredients make for great tacos, and the same idea is applied here. A nice smash of avocado added a degree of tongue cooling richness that makes for a killer sandwich. The fresh jalapeno added a smooth layer of heat that mingled really well with the fresh lettuce, tomatoes and snappy onions. The textures made this sandwich feel completely substantial and fulfilling. It was so fresh and so flavorful, that it was a true pleasure to down. Before I knew it, it was all over. My only complaint was that it all ended too soon. The sandwich (served with chips) was only $8, and made those $5 footlongs look like a tragedy of a deal in comparison.

Sandwich Rating: Killer. Too flavorful and too fresh to be anything else. I'll be heading back to the market just to pick up these delicious tortas in the very near future for sure. It's pretty far out of the way for me and parking can be a pain, but it's a small price to pay for the excitement of a fresh sandwich loaded with layers of flavor.

Happy Eating,

Teddy