This popular Mexican grocery pops up all over the city, and until you've had one of its carne asada tacos, you haven't lived. Loaded with juicy nuggets of charred meat, chopped onion and fresh cilantro, a squirt of crema and salsa takes them to the next level. You can easily make a meal out of an order of two. The 15-stool restaurant is packed with construction workers and working stiffs alike, all taking pleasure in the fact that they can pick up a bit of cactus and some poblano peppers while their made-to-order tortas, burritos, tacos and bowls of menudo are bagged up.

On the grocery side of things, the display of dried herbs rivals Whole Foods (at a quarter of the price), and there are boxes of perfectly ripe mangos for about 75 cents each (top that Whole Foods!). Throwing caution (and heart problems) to the wind, the kitchen fries up gigantic pieces of pork skin and, thankfully, there is an even bigger vat of cinnamony horchata (rice milk) to wash it all down with.

Centerstage Reviewer: Misty Tosh