Behind the Bodega

"welcome to wonderland," said the plump mexican man in a black suit. my sister, carol, looked dubious. after all, she had just walked to the back of a tenth avenue bodega. but her face brightened when she saw me, sitting in a narrow mirrored corridor festooned with festive mexican decorations. tehuitzingo reminds me of the bus station cafés i frequented in the yucatan in 1989-good food in improbable places, but this time without flies.

i had come to try the quesadilla with squash flowers ($2.50) or, more liltingly, "floras de calabaza." from a ticket-booth window in the back, two women turn out authentic

mexican items, most priced at no more than $3. carol ordered a quesadilla with huitlacoche ($3) or, less-liltingly, "corn smut" (mold). strangely, each quesadilla was folded like a taco: two corn tortillas topped with cheese, lettuce, a light bean paste and, inexplicably, a squirt of kraft sandwich spread. i preferred carol's earthy black corn smut to my thick, overcooked zucchini plant, but was won over by the taco al pastor ($2.50). how taco joints handle this melding of pork, adobo spices and pineapple is my litmus test. tehuitzingo's passed with the flying colors of the mexican flag and, thankfully, no sandwich spread. -- tehuitzingo deli and grocery 695 10th ave. (betw. 47th and 48th streets) 212-397-5956

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