Taqueria Don Pepe

What's it like?

Despite a recent taco "enlightening" (thanks to my friend Mike), I'm still a bit leery of Mexican food. I've had too many plates of bland tomato-flavored rice, refried beans, and greasy enchiladas. It's just not worth the heartburn.

Today, though, I was introduced to Don Pepe's. I was tempted by tacos, but I've had my fill of those lately, so on another friend's recommendation I tried the torta; I didn't realize such a thing existed in Mexican cuisine, let alone at a taqueria. It's fairly simple—sauteed peppers and onions, cheese, chicken and avocado on toasted bread—but it's something I'll start to crave now.

We ate lunch just after 2:00 on a Saturday, and the place was packed; even while we ate, the line to order was backed up to the door. Service was fast, friendly (enough), and damn cheap. $6.10 for the sandwich and a large soda.

A quick note about the ambiance: the building is adapted from an old KFC, so don't go with high expectations. I gave it two stars simply because I'm told it used to be worse, before it was "renovated," but the reality is that, here, it really doesn't matter. Also, the bread that Don Pepe's uses would make a decent po' boy…