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| - Meh. I've experienced better.
Good and cheap Mexican food absolutely must be inclusive in order to work. Here it's just barely. Saying that, I still decided to go more than once.
First go was on a weekend when they make Menudo. This is a dish that will usually either scare me from future visits or endear the place to me. For the first time ever: all I could say about it was, "meh." Apparently there is a variation of Menudo that's neither great nor horrible. The tripe was tender and for the most part trimmed well. The broth was definitely lacking some flavor, but not that a few additions didn't remedy it sufficiently. My biggest issue was that probably a good third of my order was taken up by one of their stewing bones that just happened to get scooped in there. It can happen, but this one was too big to be entirely negligence.
Second go involved two tacos. I like to pit a place's carnitas versus adobada to see which one I prefer of theirs. For the record, their adobada won this battle. Really, in my experience, I haven't seen many places with the skill to screw up either of these. Both were quite tastey, but the portions I'm used to were slightly lacking. I guess I've been spoiled by places that have made me wonder if there was a tortilla under there. They didn't just skimp on the meat though, but also the toppings. Just a smidge of pico de gallo and a dollop of guacamole that wouldn't take me too much convincing that they bought from a supermarket. Still I will point out that both the carnitas and adobada were well prepared and full of the right flavors.
A special note will go to their pickled carrots, onions, and jalapenos. It's pretty difficult for a condiment to catch my attention, and truth be told, I almost missed out. On my first visit, someone, noticing my initial indecisiveness on the menu, deduced that I had never tried them and recommended them heartily. The fact that they provide sandwich bags to be able to take some home means that it's no secret the stuff is good. Cooked just to the right amount to have both some caramelization and crunch. Spiced and pickled to be tangy without an overbearing heat.
An all latino and friendly staff -- which is a must in my book. English isn't the best, and something tells me even a little Spanish will get you a tad better service. Either way, it's all pretty decent.
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