Sometimes, going on an excursion to a new area can yield amazing discoveries in the culinary world.

Consider the often laborious and painful experience of visiting your accountant for the purpose of doing your taxes. The preparation can be tedious, to say the least. What better reward for doing something you just have to do then to strike out and find a new place for lunch.

I am rarely in Rockland County. My yearly accountant visit is one of the times and the reasons for me to be there. I usually go on a Saturday and usually go alone. This year I made a weekday appointment and so I invited my better half to join me, tempting him with an invitation to lunch somewhere “over there.”

I soon learned that the restaurant I had wanted to try is only open for dinner. So, I enlisted my best digital friend, Ms. Google, to find an eatery with good ratings, open in the middle of the day.

Ms. Google did not disappoint.  I found a place 6 minutes from my accountant,  tucked away in a strip mall, complete with modest but lovely decorations. The restaurant, Craft Taqueria, located in New City, New York, does a brisk take-out business, and provides indoor and outdoor dining with just a few tables to accommodate hungry diners.

Owner Chef Jeff, as he calls himself, had quite a history of heading up kitchens in New York landmark restaurants like Maloney and Porcelli, Porterhouse and the Hunt and Fish Club. Chef decided to leave the city, return to his Rockland County roots, and create his own food establishment.

Craft Taqueria boasts the best gourmet tacos that I have ever tasted, with every perfect bite freshly made.

I ordered carnitas tacos-delicious pork confit, with luscious peach and mango salsa and tangy cilantro. The hand-pressed, heirloom corn tortillas come three to an order and filled with various options are very, very satisfying. That didn’t stop us from ordering a baby kale salad with chicken, mango-wasabi guacamole with house made tortilla chips, and Mexican cole slaw.

We washed it all down with hibiscus aqua fresca.

Churros or Meyer lemon olive oil cake would have made a perfect ending to the lunch, but I had hit my limit.

Next time, when I have dinner at Craft Taqueria, I will leave room for dessert!  You can BYOB and enjoy large plates like skirt steak, sauteed shrimp and chorizo or roasted adobo chicken. Chef Jeff offers daily specials as well.

I am telling you.. ​Craft Taqueria in New City is well worth the trip for outstanding tacos and other scrumptious dishes. You can also order some provisions to take home.

Check out https://www.crafttaqueria.com/