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Smorgasburg's Cemitas El Tigre Opens Mexican Sandwich Shop in Sunnyside

By Jeanmarie Evelly | November 13, 2015 4:57pm | Updated on November 16, 2015 8:21am
 Cemitas El Tigre opened its doors Tuesday at 45-14 48th Ave. serving its signature stuffed sandwiches.
Cemitas El Tigre opened its doors Tuesday at 45-14 48th Ave. serving its signature stuffed sandwiches.
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SUNNYSIDE — The team behind a popular Mexican food vendor that got its start serving up grub at Brooklyn's Smorgasburg opened a brick-and-mortar eatery in Queens this week.

Cemitas El Tigre, which launched at the Brooklyn food market three years ago, opened its doors Tuesday at 45-14 48th Ave., where its signature 10-layer cemita — or Mexican sandwiches — take the spotlight, according to owner Danny Lyu.

"That's the namesake," said Lyu, explaining that the sandwiches are named after the sesame-seed buns they're served on. "We really want to bring focus onto that, and provide a burrito and taco alternative."

The eatery's cemitas come stuffed with fillings like pork or fried chicken, then topped with avocado, Oaxaca cheese, pickled onions, chipotle, mayonnaise, black bean puree, lettuce, tomatoes and papalo, a Mexican herb that Lyu described as "arugula meets cilantro with kind of some citrus notes."

"It's kind of like the mystery ingredient," he said.

The menu also includes standbys like burritos and tacos, and sides like onion rings with a dill ranch sauce. Drinks include beer, wine, milkshakes and Mexican sodas.

Lyu said he wants the restaurant to be a place where people in the neighborhood "go lounge with some friends for a couple of beers."

"I just really hope that people get to check it out, and see it as somewhere they can hang out," he said.