Eat Great Cheap 2015Bob Marley and the Clash are piped through the speakers at this spot, which, as the name suggests, focuses on both tacos and the Mexican sandwiches known as tortas. You order at the register, grab a spot at one of the narrow counters or the handful of tables, then nibble on house-made chips while waiting for your food. Tops on the tacos roster are the marinated pork cooked on a spit (ask for grilled pineapple on the side) and the gently braised beef tongue, both of which come tucked into lightly griddled corn tortillas. Customize your taco at the condiments bar with salsa roja, pico de gallo, lime, radishes, and pickled red onions. The torta side of the menu is best represented by a two-hander that brings together charbroiled steak, beans, avocado, lettuce, tomato, and mayo—it’s big enough to share. To drink, there’s horchata,a sweet rice-and-cinnamon refresher, which is made in-house and is exceptional.
Cuisine: Mexican
Where to find it: 9629 Lost Knife Rd., Gaithersburg; 240-632-9423
Also good: Sopes, fried tortillas layered with refried beans and queso blanco; chicken burrito; tortas with tongue or marinated pork.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
