As someone who has frequented traffic courts over the years I can attest that it's no pleasant experience to wait your turn for a little brow beating at the hands of a Municipal Court Traffic Division judge at Downtown's Metropolitan Courthouse After they scare you into a guilty plea then hit you with a fine there's little left for a guilt-free lunch a food truck located on the west side of Hill St. El Rey de la Barbacoa is one of the the several state of Mexico lamb barbacoa spots located on Adams That includes a backyard restaurant specializing in Capulhuac-style barbacoa, where most of the neighborhood's vendors are from Capulhuac lies just to the southeast of the capitol of the State of Mexico both which are famous for their brand of pit roasted lamb comes with a toss of shredded lettuce, cotija cheese and a tangy salsa verde It's a tasty diversion from the tedium and indignities of traffic court; ask the judge for an extension just so you can come back on another occasion for another round of fried lamb tacos Thelma Golden will celebrate Lauren Halsey and U.K.-based singer Griff will take the stage featured A-list designers and Otis College standouts who earned scholarships for innovation in Fashion Design lawyers say Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe showed injuries consistent with a dog attack and plan to present a case against Chloe a German Shepherd who was re-homed by the owner's of the house where the cop's body was found in a snowbank Magazine’s takeaways on five notable topics from President Donald Trump’s first 100 days of his second term consumers are stocking up on household items and bites from THEBlvd and Hinoki & the Bird Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardIsaias Berriozabal-Martinez founder of South Philly restaurant El Compadre who immigrated to this country three years ago and last fall launched El Compadre Ben Miller said that his son had trouble breathing at about 7 a.m There were no obvious previous health problems "Our family and friends are grieving today over the death of Isaías Keep us in your thoughts," his family posted Wednesday on facebook The Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office said the case is pending Berriozabal-Martinez is the son of Cristina Martinez a celebrated Mexican chef who with her husband owns the popular South Philadelphia restaurant South Philly Barbacoa Berriozabal-Martinez opened his own restaurant El Compadre was an attempt to capitalize on the popular torta - or Mexican sandwich - that had been pulled from the menu at South Philly Barbacoa earlier last year came to this country three years ago by crossing the border illegally and hiking through the American desert He was undocumented at the time of his death The younger man dreamed of someday starting a family and buying his own home he was living with his parents in South Philadelphia he had manned the taco station at South Philly Barbacoa for a year He also arranged to grind - or nixtamalize - corn into fresh masa for tortillas "He talked to his aunts in Mexico and brought the machine to Philadelphia." The move did not go unnoticed by Inquirer food critic Craig LaBan "Barbacoa just installed a machine to grind their own corn into proper masa," LaBan wrote on Dec "Pretty much every Mexican restaurant in the region is using the just-add-water mix known as Maseca Harina "It will be a revelation to taste tortillas made from fresh corn that's been nixtamalized (soaked in alkalized water) and processed fresh for tortilla flour on site." Miller said his son's hard work was integral to growing the two restaurants Berriozabal-Martinez loved children and enjoyed cooking with fresh ingredients he is survived by two brothers and a sister in Mexico bcook@phillynews.com Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardSor Ynéz captures the evolution of Mexican food in PhiladelphiaThe migration of Mexican immigrants to South Philadelphia has brought an ever-growing repertoire of taco thrills Alexis Tellez’s heart still beats with the spirit of blue tlacoyos Those oblong masa boats made from heirloom blue corn — crispy on the bottom and sublimely earthy — remind him of what his mother would cook when they arrived to New Hope almost two decades ago Today, at age 26 and now executive chef at Sor Ynéz he layers his tlacoyos with black beans and a spicy cactus salad cooked the way his mother taught him — a tribute to Nezahualcóyotl the city in the state of México he left as a child But then there is also a Michoacan-style carnitas learned from his father A sikil pak pumpkin seed puree (which Tellez has dubbed “Mayan hummus” on the menu) from his family in Tlaxcala But what of the “alt-pastor” made from spit-roasted cauliflower glazed in guajillo spice Or the steamy banana leaf bundle of a typically meaty mixiote filled with … vegan treasure They are equally the products of Tellez’s personal history as a DACA Dreamer who’s been steeped in American culture every bit as much as his Bucks County-born girlfriend They met while working at the Carversville Inn compelled Tellez to create some inventive approaches to meatless dishes using traditional Mexican techniques “My family has grown and I want to please for everybody,” Tellez says “My goal is to be part of the growth of Mexican food in Philadelphia.” is expected to open an East Passyunk storefront this month I loved this energetic revamp of a former Jiffy Lube on Spring Garden Street into a neon-lit cocktail patio offering an intriguing fusion of Chinese and Mexican flavors and compositions on the menu were so out of register at my visit it tasted like no one there knew how to cook either Mexican or Chinese flavors particularly well has stepped up her design and concept game at this venture in Kensington It sits behind the gates of such an isolated industrial island the massive warehouse her husband Evan Malone converted into his second NextFab studios (“a gym for inventors”) that it is a pleasant surprise anything of culinary interest could exist there But Sor Ynéz extends like a colorful al fresco oasis into this fenced-in parking lot off North American Street with a patch of artificial grass ringed by umbrellas With a plate of jicama and mango salad splashed in tangy house chamoy sauce to munch on and the minty tequila tumbler of a Rosario in your grasp (or perhaps the Frida with its charred corn garnish) Teal and rose-colored plaster walls set the colors for a vintage casona mansion vibe in the restaurant’s 45-seat interior while Mexican hammocks laced across the ceiling add an undulating textural warmth to its industrial box Weber also commissioned an intricately beaded portrait of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz that lends this project a talent to build its contemporary identity on This menu can bog down a bit when it lingers over some of the obligatory burritos and tacos that recall the Cal-Mex cuisine Tellez used to cook at Loco Pez especially in the reimagination of his father’s Michoacan-style carnitas — a hunk of Green Meadow Farm’s pork confit in lard (vs the braised carnitas more commonly seen in Philly) fresh tortillas and punchy habanero-carrot salsa I admired Tellez’s work with various tortillas infusing them with pureed cactus for green quesadillas stuffed with stretchy Oaxaca cheese and squash blossoms I coveted the tang of molten Chihuahua cheese for his queso fundido which got a smoky boost from Green Meadow’s bacon and snappy shishito peppers The Michoacan-style escabeche of onions and carrots balanced the richness of enchiladas rolled in guajillo salsa around potatoes and cheese Plump shrimp al ajillo took on a whiff of smoke from mezcal used to flambée the garlicky butter and lime sauce But what most distinguishes this menu are Tellez’s vegetable-forward revamps of traditional Mexican dishes Like the pastor tacos made with cauliflower marinated in pineapple and guajillo salsa before it’s spit-roasted and shaved to a toothsome snap Or the oyster mushroom carnitas cooked in epazote-scented oil a bundle of pit-roasted banana leaves that the leaves unfolded like a gift from the vegan gods a bed of red rice was piled high with chayote and crunchy fried onions moistened with a saucy broth of chipotle and smoked eggplant whose pulp had melted and thickened the sauce There is still plenty of room for improvement Desserts are not nearly as satisfying as the savory fare — the flan too cheese-cakey dense including the total lack of mention at my first meal that a 20% service charge had automatically been added resulting in the awkward untangling of an inadvertent double tip I’m all in favor of this increasingly popular service fee model especially with a restaurant as forward-thinking and potential-filled as Sor Ynéz Alexis Tellez’s blue tlacoyos— and so many other dishes here — are already worth the trip The Inquirer is not currently giving bell ratings to restaurants due to the pandemic 1800 N. American St., 215-309-2582; sorynez.com There is an automatic 20% service fee added to the check Drinks: There is a list of creative and refreshing mezcal- and tequila-based cocktails the hibiscus-blushed Juana and minty Rosario There is also a small selection of Mexican wines and craft beers