When a friend suggested to Galdino “Tortas” Molinero that he should sell the Mexican sandwiches known as tortas in Flushing Meadows Park during Sunday soccer games, he didn’t believe much would happen. It was just a way for the injured restaurant worker to make some extra pocket money during his time off from work. That first day out though, he ended up selling all twenty tortas he had made in less than twenty minutes. He brought more the next week, only to sell out again. Only then did he realize he was onto something.
Tortas first arrived in New York from Mexico City in 1986, leaving behind his first wife and three small boys. After a few years bouncing back and forth between Mexico and New York, he found work as a dishwasher and was quickly promoted in the kitchen. He continued in the restaurant industry for years, including one stint as a sushi chef—“I don’t even like fish!” Then one day on his way to work in New Jersey, he got into a serious accident that left him with leg injuries that required surgery and rehabilitation. It was during his recovery period that his friend Hector approached him about selling tortas during the weekly soccer games. “I had no money; I had nothing,” so Hector bought him the supplies he needed to sell the tortas on the sidelines. Business was so good that even after returning to work in catering, he continued to sell tortas in the park on Sundays.
Once he was well enough to travel, Tortas headed down to Mexico on a vacation to visit his family. While he was there, another friend Francisco propositioned him with the cost of a pushcart to sell the tortas from. “Everybody knows you sell tortas and you do good business,” Francisco told him. He agreed and started using the cart on Sundays, while a friend worked it during the week. Tortas watched his friend struggle to manage both the restaurant and the cart during the week, so he decided to quit his job and buy the permit for the cart. Tortas Neza, opened on 111th Street and Roosevelt Avenue in 2002. The cart did well enough to allow Tortas to buy a brick-and-mortar space in Woodside in 2009, but that would only last for two years. After closing the restaurant, he went back to vending on the streets, reopening Tortas Neza in December of 2011.
For his menu, Tortas named his sandwiches after Mexican fútbol (soccer) clubs using the most popular sandwich combinations from his days in Flushing Meadows. His personal favorite is the Tortas Neza, a monster of a sandwich filled with cheese, ham, breaded chicken, and queso de puerco (aka headcheese). His customers, though—who run the gamut from teenagers stopping by for a quick bite to eat on the way home to area construction workers to yuppies making the trip out on the rumbling overhead 7 train—seem to like every sandwich on the menu. The unifying ingredients found in most of his sandwiches are the chunks of avocado, lettuce, and tomato, as well as quick spreads of mayo and refried beans on the bread. But most importantly, Tortas gives each sandwich a finishing grill upside down “because the customers like it. It’s different.” It’s a sheer balancing act to avoid losing the filling straight onto the grill, so only try this trick if you dare.
Adapted from Galdino “Tortas” Molinero’s recipe
Torta Pumas is Tortas Neza’s truly signature sandwich. It’s a five-meat Goliath of a sandwich, complete with the standard toppings of lettuce, tomato, and refried beans. Quesillo is a fresh Oaxacan-style cheese available at Latino grocery stores; if you can’t find it, we recommend regular Oaxaca cheese or Monterey Jack cheese. If you’re a little squeamish of head-cheese, be sure to seek it out freshly made from a quality butcher—they’ll have the best-tasting variety.
Canola oil
1 chicken cutlet, pounded thin
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 chicken hot dogs, scored every half inch
½ link of Mexican chorizo
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons Mayonnaise
1 Portuguese, bolilo, or telera roll, sliced in half and toasted
2 tablespoons refried beans
3 slices headcheese
6 slices of ham
2 ounces quesillo cheese, shredded
1 large lettuce leaf, shredded
½ large tomato, sliced
Heat canola oil to 350°F to 375°F in a deep, heavy pan. Coat chicken with flour before dropping into the hot oil. Fry chicken until done, about 7 minutes. After removing chicken, place the two hot dogs in the pan and fry them until golden, turning them once, about 5 minutes.
While the meats are frying, squeeze the chorizo out of its casing into a separate warmed pan and fry on medium-high heat. Once it has browned and released its oil, pour the eggs into the pan, carefully incorporating the chorizo into the eggs as they scramble, about 3 minutes Once combined, flip the eggs to cook on the other side.
Spread mayonnaise on the bottom half of the roll and refried beans on the other. Place the fried chicken cutlet on the bottom, topping it with the sliced meats, the cooked chorizo and egg, and the hot dogs. Top with a generous helping of the quesillo cheese, lettuce, and tomato. Serve immediately.
Adapted from Falino “Tortas” Molinero’s recipe
The Torta Chivas is quite possibly the best breakfast sandwich ever created, and the perfect thing to wake up to after a rough night.
½ link of Mexican chorizo
3 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 Portuguese, bolilo, or telera roll, split in half and toasted
2 tablespoons refried beans
2 or 3 sliced jalapeños
1 large lettuce leaf, shredded
½ large tomato, sliced
Squeeze the chorizo out of its casing into a warmed pan and fry on medium-high heat. Once the chorizo has browned and released its oil, about 5 minutes, pour the beaten eggs into the pan, carefully incorporating the chorizo into the eggs as they cook. Once the eggs have cooked on both sides, about 3 minutes each, remove from the heat.
Spread mayonnaise on the bottom half of the roll, the refried beans on the top. Place the egg and chorizo on the bottom, topping them with the sliced jalapeños, lettuce, and tomato. Serve immediately.
