69蹤獲

The four of us decided we would go separately to sample this restaurant. I heard that this was THE place to go for Mexican food from my daughter and son-in-law, who is a bit of a fussy eater. I invited them to join me and I learned that you can order online, but if you call in, they will make the tweaks, like, no lettuce or tomatoes���

My favorite lunch is a torta and Taqueria Guzman makes a good one ($11.99). The bun, a traditional bolillo, was nice and toasty. They offer options for chicken, pork, beef, chorizo or a veggie one. I chose carnitas, which is slow cooked, tender pork. There was a layer of melted cheese, along with lettuce, tomato, and avocado. It was delicious.

Before we left, we had to try the churros ($3 ea), crunchy fried dough with a cinnamon sugar coating. And to accompany them, we also got the fried ice cream ($5.50). It consisted of a nice-sized scoop of vanilla ice cream with a crunchy coating.

Jennifer went with friends, one of whom had highly recommended Taqueria Guzman to us. Their party of four unanimously decided on the queso fundido ($7.99) as an appetizer. Jennifer wasn���t familiar with it and was excited to give it a try. Usually baked in a clay pot, it is a simple dish made with a combination of Oaxaca cheese and browned chorizo with a little cilantro on top. Mexican spices finish out the versatile dish. Served with both tortilla chips and smaller warmed flour tortillas, it can be used as a dip or spooned onto a tortilla. Either way, this spicy starter was fabulous.

Taquitos are one of Jennifer's favorites, so she had an easy time deciding on her entree. Four thick-rolled, deep fried taquitos ($11.25) arrived, two chicken and two beef. The crispy outer layer combined with the soft, moist, meaty center is what Jennifer liked most. Vibrantly colored toppings of guacamole, sour cream and molcajete salsa made with roasted tomatoes and chilies rounded out the traditional Mexican dish. Shredded lettuce and pico de gallo also accompanied her meal which she lavishly used.

Nikki tried the tostadas de tinga ($10.75) and an horchata ($2.99). Her platter consisted of three tostadas and some beans and rice. Tinga, the spicy, smoky shredded chicken, was perfect on the crunchy corn tostada base. A few saucy whole chipotle peppers were tucked into the meat mixture, giving the dish a surge of heat whenever she encountered one. Tempered only slightly by the shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and sour cream drizzle that topped the tostadas, it was the creamy flavorful horchata drink that really helped calm her taste buds.

Helene ordered the enchiladas de mole ($12.95). Mole is a beautifully balanced sauce of slightly sweet saltiness with a bite of spiciness. Traditionally made with three types of chiles, raisins, nuts and Mexican chocolate, which tends to be bittersweet, and several other ingredients to thicken the sauce, it is pureed to a silky-smooth texture. This complex sauce, along with sour cream and cheese, covered the chicken enchiladas and was absolutely delicious! The chicken was tender and diced onions added to the flavors. The meal came with the customary beans and rice and shredded lettuce salad which made for a very filling meal. She will definitely be back for the addictive mole sauce!

The server said there is a band that rehearses there on Monday nights and they have live music on occasion. How fun! These days, when good service is at a premium, Taqueria Guzman excels at providing not only delicious food but a welcoming and attentive atmosphere.