[title]
New York gets a lot of pop-ups, but this one brings serious heat—and not just from the habaneros. Tomorrow, January 14, Houston’s Michelin-starred taqueria Tatemó will touch down in Manhattan for a one-night-only takeover at Tacombi Flatiron, bringing its cult-favorite strip-mall barbacoa tacos to the city’s spotlight.
Chef Emmanuel Chavez runs one of the most buzzed-about Mexican tasting menus in the country out of an unassuming Houston storefront, earning a Michelin star for his deep dive into heirloom corn and regional technique. For one night only, he’ll be behind the line at Tacombi, serving his signature barbacoa and charred habanero salsas for New Yorkers who normally would need to hop a flight to try them.
The action will take place at Tacombi Flatiron at 30 West 24th Street, where Chavez will be in the kitchen from 7 to 9 pm, cooking live and serving tacos to the public on a first-come, first-served basis for $7.49 each. It’s a rare chance to experience Michelin-starred cooking in the wild, without the tasting-menu price tag or the months-long reservation hunt.
The tacos start with prime top round beef from Pat LaFrieda, slow-roasted and marinated in a complex blend of hoja santa, avocado leaf, chile mulato, chile de arbol and other herbs and spices. Then comes the curveball: Chavez adds a touch of mushroom powder, which deepens the savory umami. They're topped with a spicy habanero salsa tatemada (charred on the griddle, balanced with key lime juice and avocado) and finished with a rich beef consomé made from the slow-cooked meat itself. The tortillas are made fresh on-site by Tacombi’s Vista Hermosa brand.
If you can’t make the one-night spectacle, don’t panic. Starting on Thursday, January 15, the Tatemó barbacoa tacos will roll out to all New York City Tacombi locations for a limited time, with Miami getting them beginning January 21. Still, there’s sure to be something undeniably special about seeing a Michelin-starred chef in action, flipping tortillas in Flatiron for just a few hours.
Consider this your permission slip to ditch your usual Wednesday plans. When a Houston taqueria with a Michelin star shows up in New York for one night only, you go—no reservations required.