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| - Los Gemelos might finally be the eatery to stick in this East Gilman location that briefly housed one of those forgettable chain calzone joints. In its place is a colorful yet no-nonsense big city-style taqueria - think Chicago, San Francisco and so on. Walk up to the counter and put in your order with the friendly female proprietor. Choose from a full menu of options, including quesadillas, tamales, burritos and so on, or stick with the classic steak, or carne asada, taco, served traditional-style with onion and cilantro. The tacos come delivered to you, in the late hours, in a paper bag; find your seat, remove and unroll the little bundles of joy and - wait! Be sure to apply what appears to be house-made salsa (I recommend the green sauce), then enjoy. For a couple of bucks per taco, you will be hard-pressed to find a tastier, less expensive and higher-quality product in the downtown area, particularly in the post-dinner hours.
On my visit to Los Gemelos, I appreciated the friendly staff who were clearly still working out some of the kinks (the boss lady was trying to get her younger employees to get with the program, and openly "redirected" their attentions when they seemed to be lagging on their duties). The boss also wasn't shy about running a tight ship in the dining room, chiding some college-age kids when they started getting too boisterous and obnoxious - I had to laugh, and I surely appreciated knowing that any drunken rowdiness would have her to contend with.
For this kind of authentic inexpensive Mexican fare, one usually has to travel down to the South Park St. area for Guadalajara or (the, in my opinion, better El Pastor). Los Gemelos brings quick and tasty Mexican food downtown. I wish them luck as they develop their fan base and deal with running the tight ship in the heart of studentville.
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