"It looks like any other taqueria—stucco façade, counter lined with stools, a few booths. The menu, too, looks nothing out of the ordinary: tacos, burritos, tortas. There’s no liquor license. So what makes El Taco de Mexico, a 30-plus-year-old institution, so special—like James Beard America's Classics Award special? That’s a delicious secret. Despite the fact that its longtime cooks do their thing in an open kitchen, day in and day out, in full view of the tiny dining room, they’re notoriously tight-lipped about—well, everything, but especially their recipes. The chile-relleno burrito turns every first-timer into a future long-timer; it's stuffed with tender beans, spiced rice, and a pepper that’s itself stuffed with cheese. Get it smothered in El Tac’s green chile, which represents the gold standard of the Southwestern staple. As for the tacos, they're served on ever-so-lightly griddled tortillas; you can’t go wrong with carnitas and lengua—both as crisp as they are velvety." - Ruth Tobias
