With the bright orange walls and El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) paraphernalia lining the walls and shelves, this Cragin neighborhood Mexican joint could double as a Tim Burton movie memorabilia store. Despite the "Corpse Bride" and "Nightmare Before Christmas"-like kitsch, the food's so good that, after a few visits, patrons walking out of this spot won't be mistaken for bags of bones.
Owner Carlos Tello and his mother-in-law Clementina Flores, mother of beloved local chef Geno Bahena (Tepatulco), are master sauce makers, grinding chili peppers and crushing spices to construct some of the best earthy mole sauces this side of Oaxaca. Corn masa boats or sopesitos feature hand-pulled roast chicken slathered in a dollop of the chocolatey red mole. Fish tacos are nestled in hand-rolled and freshly griddled tortillas and drizzled with a tangy mayo sour cream. Even the pie de coco, a fat slab of coconut pie, features fresh ingredients like hand-grated and toasted shards of coconut and squiggly drips of dulce de leche.
Average cost: <$10
Centerstage Reviewer: Michael Nagrant
