Comments (1) Best Mexican Restaurant - 2009
Taqueria Los Ocampo
920 E. Lake St.
Minneapolis, MN
612-825-4978
The best way to judge a Mexican restaurant is by its tacos. Are the tortillas small, pliable, and doubled up? Is there a harmonious amount of cilantro and onion? Enough limes? How's the salsa? If a place passes the taco test, you can pretty much order anything else with reckless abandon. Los Ocampo, which has four Twin Cities locations, has tacos down, which means you could play Pin the Tail on the Donkey with the menu and leave happy. For just under $2 a taco you can choose from nearly a dozen meat fillings (try the asada or al pastor for starters). Besides the regular fixings, the taqueria throws in a welcome variation by adding thinly sliced radishes. The hand-shaped masa cakes that come with most dishes—thicker and crisper than the tortillas—release just the right amount of grease when squeezed. The aguas frescas deliver a hearty shot of sugar with authentic fruit flavor. And don't forget the horchata—Los Ocampo has a kiddie-pool-size tub of the milky-sweet cinnamon drink. It's also got an impressive Mexican beer selection. Bonus: Everything on the menu is under $10.
