Members of the Zelaya family -- husband Jose, wife Ana and son Jose -- operated mobile vending carts for 14 years before opening Taqueria El Charrito Caminante in Lyon Park. Next to a 7-Eleven not far from the popular Clarendon restaurant area, the taqueria has attracted nearby office workers, cabdrivers, construction workers and food aficionados from across the region, primarily for the tacos and burritos. There are a few stools in the small waiting area, and counter service is quick. The tacos -- beef, beef tongue, sausage, goat, pork, chicken or a combination -- are just $2 each. The shredded meat is heaped into steaming-hot corn tortillas. A topping of onions and cilantro is added, and the tacos are wrapped individually in aluminum foil. There are other Mexican and Latin American favorites, including chicken tamales, Mexican steak sandwiches and Salvadoran pupusas. The pork and cheese pupusas I sampled were rather bland, but the tacos are among the best in the region.

--Nancy Lewis (April 27, 2006)