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Show of hands, please: how many of you were first introduced to Mexican food by Taco Bell (en-chi-REE-toe,TAH-co)? And how many of you were shocked to learn that Taco Bell is not actually Mexican food as served in Mexico?

Ooops. Sorry. Femme de Joie just realized that she may have committed the culinary equivalent of saying there’s no Santa Claus. Well, as long as she’s busily destroying fondly-held beliefs, Chipotle isn’t Mexican either. Neither is that place you had lunch at on the cruise excursion at Cabo. And neither is… well, pretty much any Mexican restaurant that commits any of these sins. That doesn’t mean the food doesn’t taste good, but don’t call it authentic. (See this article for another take on authenticity.)

Mostly what we get here in NorCal is a pan-TexMex-California take on Mexican food. That’s not a bad thing – cuisine evolves with available ingredients and changing tastes. But we do tend to pile on every available ingredient until a simple taco morphs into a promiscuous behemoth, unrecognizable except by name and inevitably topped with Brobdingnagian mounds of shredded processed yellow cheese.

So it’s refreshing to find a small unpresuming restaurant that serves simple, tasty food with a minimum of excess and little acknowledgment of trends. Las Dos Marias has been serving their simple Mexican dishes in a tiny space on Bechelli Lane that was once home to Bartels Burgers. You can go inside to order at the counter and have a seat at one of the five or six small tables, or avail yourself of their drive-up window. The menu is not elaborate – the usual combination plates, burritos, quesadillas, etc. Service is fast and cheerful.

Salsa and chips, $1.99

The prices are low and portion size reflects that: if you want chips and salsa – usually included with an order in Mexican restaurants – you have to order them separately. M. de Joie liked the chips but the salsa was bland and watery, as though it had been in the freezer and lost its punch.

Chile verde burrito, $7.99

Looks plain and is plain, but the ingredients were top-notch. Creamy refried beans meshed with the tangy tomatillo-based verde sauce and bites of pork to make a satisfying burrito filling.

Carnitas enchiladas, $7.75

M. de Joie liked that the simple grilled carnitas taste didn’t get smothered with too much melty whatever goop. Just enough sauce and a feathery dusting of cheese was all the adornment the enchiladas needed. The rice was a bit dry but with savory, almost smoky flavor; more of those homemade refried beans on the side rounded out the plate.

Small chicken tortilla soup, $2.99

This was a special not offered on the regular menu, but it hit the spot on a cold day. A tomato-chili enhanced chicken broth with carrots, onions, celery and crisp tortilla chips was lighter than it looks and made a terrific lunch starter.

Combination plate of tamale and a carnitas taco, $8.00

It wasn’t listed on the menu board, but Las Dos Marias was happy to create this combination by request. A carnitas taco was one of the best tacos M. de Joie has had in a very long time – very juicy with tender pork, pico de gallo, and a dollop of guacamole on warm flour tortillas. Tamales are a house specialty – you can order them by the dozen – and this one was excellent, a generous amount of pork filling inside the masa case and slathered with a warm-ish red chili sauce.

Femme de Joie doesn’t cruise down Bechelli Lane much, but she’d be willing to make a detour for a lunch at Las Dos Marias. Inexpensive and well-prepared food with clean, unadulterated tastes is sometimes just what the doctor ordered, and this small unpretentious place fills the bill. Give it a try.

Las Dos Marias, 2640 Bechelli Lane, Redding, CA 96002. 530-226-8011. Open Monday through Saturday, 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM. Closed Sunday. Cards and cash, no checks. Vegetarian options. No alcohol. Parking lot. Drive-through window. Website at LasDosMarias.org or follow them on Facebook.

For six decades there’s been a whole lotta cooking going on in that tiny concrete block building on Placer, the one across from Holly Bail Bonds. Back in the 1960s it was home to Jan’s Frost Shop, run by a swarthy burly hirsute man who called everyone sweetheart and who made the most fabulous greasy pastrami sandwiches and French fries. After Jan’s closed, a series of fast food cafes opened including (in no particular order) Between the Bun, a hot dog place whose name escapes Femme de Joie at this moment, the first home of now-permanently-closed Brick’s, Wilda’s, and at least one or two others now lost to the vagaries of memory.

Ma Der Ma Der Sap House opened in that little building just a few months ago, serving Thai/Lao fusion with AmeriMex influences. Staffed by three energetic young men working the flattop, they use minimal equipment in a cramped kitchen to quickly turn out innovative specialties. Customers come from the nearby offices and most seem to already have their favorites from the short menu board above the counter.There are a few tables inside; in good weather sit on a barstool outside and eat at the ledge on the side of the building. Service is fast, helpful, and cheerful. For those wondering about the name: Ma Der Ma Der means “come over, come over.” Sap means “tasty” but also means “spicy-hot” or “chile hot.”

A quick primer on Sap House sauces, fifty cents for a small cup with about two tablespoons of sauce: roasted Jalapeno is by far the mildest and would be acceptable to nearly all palates. Honey-Sriracha is like a hot and sweet orange-colored ketchup; if you like Srirachal you’ll like this. Roasted Thai chili sauce moves up considerably on the heat level; it is similar to bottled chile-garlic sauce, but hotter. M. de Joie didn’t quite have the moxie to sample the roasted Habanero sauce but has to assume it will take the top of your head off.

Sapprito, $9.50

The cafe’s namesake dish is an Asian take on a burrito. Packed tightly in a flour tortilla are 2 eggs, mushrooms, onions, bell pepper, Lao sausage, tri-tip, sticky rice, and your choice of sauce; the tortilla is grilled just enough to give the exterior a little browning and crisp texture. If you have any doubts about whether the combination of Thai/Lao/Mexican is a good idea, this will lay them to rest: the flavors and concept work. Two people could easily split one sapprito for lunch.

Philly cheese steak fries, $8.00

A registered dietitian would probably have harsh things to say about the Philly cheese steak fries: it combines French fries with cheesy, oniony fried strips of ribeye steak. It’s not on any known sensible diet plan. The fries – the bedrock – make it a carbaholic’s nightmare. But this gooey, salty mess of sandwich filling is as addictive as potato chips: you cannot have just one bite. It’s not health food but then Ma Der doesn’t claim it to be. If the photo looks a little fuzzy, well, that’s steam rising on a cold day.

Blackened shrimp tacos, two for $7.00

If you just can’t bear all the goodness of the goopier dishes, the blackened shrimp tacos are more salad-y. While they aren’t actually blackened, lots of spicy rock shrimp with a squeeze of lime give a little kick to the rabbit food underneath, all held together in a flour tortilla canoe. M. de Joie thought that a creamy sort of dressing would be good to bind it all together, but it was quite delicious without, light and tangy.

Femme de Joie likes this little place, innovative without pretense and a good value in old Redding, which despite the number of offices really isn’t served well for fast non-junky lunch restaurants. Everything on the menu is under $10, can be split if you’re so inclined, and is already packed in a to-go box. Make it as mild or wild as your palate approves. If you’re looking to have something different and exciting for a workday lunch, try Ma Der Ma Der Sap House & Grill.

Ma Der Ma Der Sap House & Grill, 1718 Placer Street, Redding CA 96001. 530-691-4194. Open Monday-Saturday, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Cash and cards; no checks. No alcohol. World’s worst and tiniest parking lot; many signs saying, “no restaurant parking.” Better to park on Yuba, Oregon, or Placer instead. Vegetarian and vegan options. Follow them on Facebook.

If you haven’t lived in Redding long, you might be surprised to know that Market Street used to be part of California’s main thoroughfare. The Highway Formerly Known As 99 ran from Mexico to the Oregon border and was quite the accomplishment in interstate highways. When Interstate 5 was completed – likewise an accomplishment – it decimated businesses along 99, including Market Streets north and south (AKA State Route 273). Looking at it now, it’s hard to believe that it was lined with perfectly respectable motels, restaurants, and other businesses (remember the Coliseum Roller Skating Rink? Chesty’s Floor Shop? A&W? Paul Bunyan?).

A Denny’s Restaurant operated on 273 in the 1960s and ’70s; it morphed into the Lime Tree Restaurant, which later became AJ’s. Four years ago Roque and Tiferet Carbajal opened Sweetie’s in that old Denny’s, serving up their seasonal specialties like heirloom tomato Benedict and strawberry-rhubarb cobbler alongside home-smoked & barbecued meats to an appreciative customer base. Now Roque Carbajal has opened Roquito’s Taqueria on South Market, take-out Mexican in a tiny building that formerly housed to-go pizza and was perhaps best known as “that place next to The Tropics.”

Though there are a few picnic tables on the south side of the building, Roquito’s is really a take-it-home kind of place. There’s just enough room to squeeze inside and order; you watch your food assembled in the tiny kitchen. Or phone your order in ahead and pick it up; Femme de Joie wished desperately she had done this while waiting behind a customer who ordered a LOT of food yet seemed to not know what each item actually was.

Nachos with grilled chicken, Roquito style, $7.50

“Roquito style” is available on all menu items for an extra dollar and is worth it; it includes cabbage, pico de gallo, Jalepenos, cilantro, onion, lime, and a spicy creamy sauce drizzled over. Although M. de Joie had her misgivings when she saw the nachos being assembled in a smallish-to-medium-size Styrofoam take-out box, the end product was more than the sum of its parts. Melty cheese sauce ladled over house-made chips with all of the Roquito toppings plus morsels of grilled chicken made two very generous servings and we wound up scraping the box for leftover smidgens of sauce. The chicken got a bit lost amidst all the competing flavors so a more strongly flavored meat like carnitas or barbacoa would work better – or no meat at all.

Smoked carnitas torta, $9.50

Many Mexican restaurants don’t offer tortas; if they do, it’s likely inoffensive and unmemorable. The crusty grilled bolillo roll was necessary to hold the juicy filling – the house spicy sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese, and delectable smoked pork carnitas all pressed together. The smoked carnitas was one of the better versions in town, with real wood smoke taste on pull-apart shreds of pork. In fact, an order of the carnitas alone would be fantastic – it’s that good.

Carne Asada burrito, $8.50

Roquito’s does a few things differently: whole wheat tortillas instead of white. Ranchero beans (pintos in a smoky sauce) instead of refried. And brown rice in place of the usual reddish annatto “Spanish” rice. So you can have a giant burrito and a lot less guilt. This was filling but not heavy with niblets of grilled carne asada beef peeking though – again, the meat got a little overwhelmed by all the toppings, but the little bites were delicious on their own.

Roque Carbajal is onto something here. The limited menu – no enchiladas, no chile rellanos, no tamales – lets Roquitos focus on just a few things and do them very well. Staff is efficient, friendly, and helpful even when the little foyer is packed. Grilled meat from Sweetie’s is on tap. Prices are reasonable for the quality and serving size. They serve Cholula Hot Sauce in to-go packets. Is it too much to dream that Sweetie’s and Roquito’s might be the harbinger of a Renaissance of South Market Street?

Roquito’s Taqueria, 2605 South Market Street, Redding, CA 96001. 530-768-1103. Open Monday through Saturday, 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Closed Sunday. Cash and cards, no checks. No alcohol. Parking is wherever you can find it – there’s a vacant lot to the north of The Tropics. Vegetarian and vegan options. Follow them on Facebook.

It might surprise some folks to learn that the Redding strip mall known as Cypress Colony was once a Southern Baptist Church. When that congregation upped sticks and moved elsewhere, developers turned the Sunday school classrooms into shops and offices; the former sanctuary became a restaurant. It seemed like a promising plan – after all, Cypress has plenty of traffic and plenty of nearby businesses with employees who presumably need lunch and dinner. Perhaps it’s the intense traffic flow (if you’re not already in the turn lane, you’ll never get into the parking lot) or the lack of neon signs to grab your attention that has caused previous businesses to go under. Femme de Joie remembers a Mexican restaurant in that spot where she grabbed a burrito one very busy day a few years ago; after that Umstead’s BBQ lasted a couple of years.

Jim and Laurie Harris operated a “gourmet sandwich shop” in Washington but have restaurant history in Redding: the old Perry’s Pizza on Lake Boulevard (which introduced us to square pizza in the 1970s) was run by Harris’s father. The Harrises opened Jaimitos Tacos about a year ago.

The menu is on a board behind the counter; order and pay, then wait for your food to be brought out to you.

Chips and salsa, $2.50 ($3.00 to go)

The chips were freshly fried and unsalted, but the salsa was very thin, like V-8 juice that had a few minced onions and cilantro tossed in, inoffensive and indifferent as well as difficult to scoop up on a chip.

Taco al carbon, $3.00

Though not really al carbon (cooked over charcoal), this grilled-and-sauced taco was deliciously messy with a light sprinkling of cheese and cilantro leaves to oomph up the flavor.

Bean and cheese burrito, $3.99

The menu board read, “Bean and cheese (only) burrito,” and they weren’t kidding. Other than a smear of mild red sauce, this was nothing but beans and cheese, no onion or other garnish. Truth in advertising to be sure, but a bit on the bland side.

Steak torta, $6.99

On a soft fresh bun, steak torta had plenty of colorful fresh toppings and was a filling meal, but the steak turned out to be very soft shredded beef, cooked long enough to be easily consumed by someone who had forgotten to put their teeth in. While it wasn’t bad, it was unmemorable other than for the squashy texture.

Top row: two fish tacos. Bottom row: steak taco and pork taco, $2.25 each.

M. de Joie loves fish tacos, but not these. Thin fried parallelograms of an unknown fish were very dry and required a lot of salsa; there was a surfeit of chopped cabbage and onions. Eventually we were presented with a thimble of sauce that tasted very much like cole slaw dressing, which helped, but it should have been on the tacos in the first place.

Femme de Joie and Amico del Signore had a brief debate over which was the steak taco and which was the pork, finally deciding on the basis of the color of the meat, since they tasted the same and both were as pulpy as the filling for the torta. We did appreciate that two corn tortillas were used on each taco.

While the food is inexpensive and the service fast and friendly, nothing Femme de Joie tasted at Jaimitos Tacos had that addictive gotta-have-it quality that brings people back in. Meat fillings were overcooked to flabbiness with unexciting seasonings, the salsas bland and without personality. It wasn’t bad but neither was it particularly good. And there was an unfortunate incident on one of her visits where M. de Joie could very clearly hear a loud, deep masculine voice emitting from the back, chewing someone out in a sarcastic manner. “You thought you were being helpful by doing it this way, but do us all a favor….” Whoever it was doing the berating, be advised: No customer wants to hear that kind of thing and no employee should be talked to like that.

While she wouldn’t strenuously object to being taken there by someone who was paying, Femme de Joie probably wouldn’t stop in there on her own and wouldn’t make a special trip there.

Jaimitos Tacos, 916 East Cypress Avenue at Larkspur, Redding, CA 96002. 530-768-1047 (not the number on their receipts, which belongs to some poor guy who constantly deals with phone calls meant for Jaimitos). Open Monday through Saturday, 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Closed Sunday. Cash, cards; no checks. vegetarian and vegan options. No alcohol. Parking lot.

If you are of a certain age and grew up in the North Valley, you probably have some indelible memories of summer. Your family car might have been a Ford Falcon or a Rambler with vinyl bench seats (sans seat belts) that got hot enough to leave burn marks on bare legs. There were no shopping malls; all stores faced a street and you walked outside regardless of weather. You might have attended a school that didn’t have air conditioning. And the summer light was intensely, squint-inducingly bright. As we now look through a glass darkly, idyllic long hot summer days of yore have turned in adulthood into an endless string of days to slog through the best we can.

And yet now and then, Femme de Joie yearns for a bit of a return to those old days, to revisit that place and time before satellite radio, factory outlet shopping centers, and drive-through coffee floggers made every freeway exit exactly like every other one. There are places that resist the urge to tear it all down and build nice new uniformly sterile business districts, instead reveling in their past and refusing to share in the growing sameness of America.

One such place is Cottonwood. In the heat of the day Main Street has a starkness and silence that might be one person’s post-apocalyptic vision, but to Femme de Joie it’s a slice of North Valley summers past. No doubt there are longtime residents who will protest that sentiment – “You shoulda seen it before I-5!” – but downtown seems to have retained much of its historic flavor. No refrigerated air between shops. No franchise Crate-and-Barn. No chain restaurants. And what’s there isn’t prettied-up much for the tourist trade: it’s what it is, take it or leave it. Femme de Joie kind of likes that.

Macias el Michoacano looks a great deal like the diners and coffee shops M. de Joie recalls from childhood-era road trips. She guesses it was built about the same time as the motel-slash-RV-park right next to it, probably in the early 1960s. Set off Main Street on a sort of frontage road/circle, It’s easy to drive right past (which she did). The building hasn’t been updated in years except for a new exterior coat of paint now and then and strings of Christmas lights around the windows. The interior is, for lack of a better word, shabby, with a lot of red duct tape holding upholstery together, some posters curling off the wall, and an evaporative cooler struggling to keep up. It isn’t retro-inspired: it IS retro.

Cooking was done by a young man and service by a friendly woman who didn’t speak a lot of English. Food is cooked to order so expect to wait about 15 minutes or longer. House-made chips were fresh and hot. The table salsa was very mild; another salsa, a puree of dried chiles is available on request and it is quite hot – mix it with the mild for a good compromise.

Huevos rancheros, $6.99

When you order Huevos Rancheros, you never really know how it will be presented, but most often it’s fried eggs smothered in tomato-based salsa. The tomato-and-chile salsa was there but only a light covering along with an equally light pour of crema, with eggs fried well done on corn tortillas. Accompanying it was really wonderful homemade refried pinto beans – definitely not out of a can, these were about half mashed and half left whole, slightly smoky, with a scattering of cheese. One of the better renditions of this dish to be found in the area.

Chile verde burrito, $7.99

Surprisingly plain in appearance, the filling was tangy and tart with tomatillo-and-chile sauce and pot-roasted shreds of pork. No attempt was made to dress this up just for looks, but after tasting it, M. de Joie didn’t mind the starkness of the plate. Savory and not spicy-hot, the simplicity of well-made chile verde didn’t need a garnish on the side.

Tripas (tripe) taco, $2.59

The mere thought of tripe makes most people retch, but M. de Joie enjoys the pungent flavor against simple corn tortillas. If not cooked properly, tripe is extremely tough, but these niblets were only slightly chewy; the contrasting garnishes of onion, cilantro, and lime enhanced the flavor without covering it up.

Chile rellano and cheese enchilada lunch combination, $7.99

A chile rellano was the only disappointment. There was far too much gloppy semi-melted cheese on top; the filling was a mass of unpleasantly chewy, stringy cheese. Too bad, because the fresh chile (instead of canned) was nicely cooked and non-greasy, but the excess of unpalatable cheese ruined it. Cheese enchiladas weren’t nearly as gummy as the rellano, with a stronger-flavored sauce made of a puree of dried chiles. Mexican sour cream topped the dish, which is noticeably runnier and more sour than American-style sour cream.

Macias el Michoacano isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea. If you’re put off by a somewhat dive-y cafe that has seen far better days, steer clear. It won’t win any awards for looks and the upkeep is minimal. But there were steady streams of locals coming in for to-go orders and more than a few repeat customers, enjoying the rock-bottom prices and unpretentious simple food. It might not be worth a special trip to Cottonwood, but if you’re in Cottonwood shopping for antiques or Christmas ornaments, give it a try.

Macias el Michoacano, 3800 Main Street, Cottonwood, CA 96022. 530- 347-6036. Open daily, 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Beer and wine. Cards and cash, no checks. Parking lot. Vegetarian options. Follow them on Facebook.

Jane and Michael Stern, those chroniclers of true American food, wrote in their 1986 travelogue-cum-cookbook “Real American Food” of the Southern phenomena of combining food and unrelated commerce: “Drive along a country road in the Mississippi Delta and you will come across Upholstery Repair-Catfish Parlors, Flats Fixed-Barbecues, and Seamstress-Tamale Stands.” In “American Fried,” journalist Calvin Trillin described interrogating a Muskogee, Oklahoma resident about a local barbecue joint – “They have plates there?” Trillin asked suspiciously. In the end he wrangled directions to a highway diner where the proprietor flapped down butcher paper topped with wax paper topped with first-rate barbecue.

Somewhere along the way west, cuisine became sanitized. Not to mock food safety laws (well, perhaps a little), but we do tend to fear food that isn’t served in a regulation restaurant setting. Whether it’s a Roach Coach or Pilot Death Dogs or a Gut Bomb, people seem to get a little nervous about eating food served in unfamiliar territory.

There’s probably no business more ubiquitous to California than gas stations, almost all of which now have some form of mini-mart inside. Suppose all that room devoted to prepackaged junk food was converted into small cafes?

That’s what happened at the Valero Station on Churn Creek Road, where El Delicioso Burrito lives. Yes, you can still get your candy bars and Zig-Zag papers at the cashier, but look just a little further back and you’ll see a small dining room. Walk back and you’ll see the menu above the counter. Order and have a seat – it never takes very long. Service is friendly and fast.

Carne asada burrito. $5.99

The first time Femme de Joie visited, she went through the drive-though. There was a bit of confusion and she wasn’t sure what she would wind up actually getting, since the disembodied speaker voice doesn’t seem to have a firm command of English, and M. de Joie’s Spanish is limited to “comer el lapiz” and “es muy puerta.” It was confusing, and not in a hilarity-ensues kind of way.

But the burrito delivered was a good one; filled with a generous scoop of slightly crispy beef kernels mixed with tomato, onion, guacamole, and cilantro, it was savory, not greasy, and a good value. Salsa verde on the side was indifferent.

Fish tacos with rice and beans, $7.99

Fish tacos are one of those items on a menu that could go either way – like the little girl with a curl in the middle of her forehead, when they’re good they are very very good, but when they are bad they are horrid. Fortunately, these were the good ones, crunchy and fresh out of the deep fryer, each wrapped in two corn tortillas in a futile attempt to keep the taco from splitting and the filling tumbling out. Toppings were fresh as well; the pico de gallo available at the serve-yourself salsa bar was particularly good on these. Femme de Joie was less crazy about the rice and beans on the side, dry and tired; M. de Joie couldn’t bring herself to finish either one.

Beef enchiladas, $7.99

Enchiladas were surprisingly light and non-greasy, filled with cubelets of braised beef and topped very lightly with cheese and shredded lettuce. The hot salsa at the salsa bar was not flamethrower hot and worked well on these. The refried beans and rice were much improved with this combo plate.

If you’re feeling peckish out in Big Box Land, it isn’t always easy to find something to eat. El Delicioso Burrito isn’t a place to sit for hours savoring your meal, nor is it comparable to a place like La Cabana, but that isn’t really its goal. It’s fast food – but it didn’t come packaged frozen in a corporate portion-controlled box from Cleveland. It’s all prepared to order in the tiny kitchen. While Femme de Joie wouldn’t make a special trip to eat there, she certainly wouldn’t spurn it if she was out shopping for a solar-powered hairbrush at Megastore R Us and needed some lunch. Inexpensive, quick, flavorful, open early to late – consider stopping in.

El Delicioso Burrito, 1275 Churn Creek Road inside the Valero gas station (at Old Alturas), Redding, CA 96003. 530-222-2921. Open daily, 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Small dining room and drive-though. No alcohol. Vegetarian and vegan options. Parking lot. Cash and cards; no checks. Follow them on Facebook.

After Senor Rosa's upped sticks and moved into the old Leatherby's Family Creamery at the south end of the Downtown Mall (call it the Promenade all you like, it's still the old Downtown Mall) that funny little cinder block building set back from Eureka Way didn't sit vacant for long. Salvador Hernandez stepped up and opened El Rinconcito a few months ago, joining other locally-owned restaurants like Brick's and The Best Little Sandwich Shop as havens in a sea of chain fast food spots.

It looks pretty much the same - park next to the gas station and squeeze past some nasty-looking cactus to get inside, or share parking with the auto repair. The cinder blocks are painted blue, and the old green canopy is gone. Inside it's still fairly spartan. But Hernandez serves his food on actual ceramic plates with metal cutlery instead of wrapped in foil or in squeaky disposable boxes with plastic forks, which is a big improvement in Femme de Joie's eyes. The menu is typed on both sides of a single piece of paper and tucked inside plastic sleeve protectors. There are all the usual suspects plus a few less-common items. A few daily specials are written on a board above the cash register. Service is helpful and friendly.

Salsa - not the usual pico de gallo, but instead a smooth puree of chilis and tomatoes - and chips come with your meal.

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Tortilla soup, $5.95

Many Mexican restaurants offer tortilla soup; it's usually pleasant if undistinguished. This one was simply the best version Femme de Joie has ever had the pleasure to eat. A savory rich cilantro-spotted tomatoey chicken broth was topped with crisp tortilla ribbons and diced avocado. Underneath was what appeared to be fine noodles; on closer inspection the noodles turned out to be filament-fine shreds of poached chicken. That kind of attention to detail made M. de Joie realize the kitchen was run by serious cooks.

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Carnitas burrito, $9.95

Delicious niblets of carnitas pork were layered with house-made refried beans and rice. Instead of the usual practice of stuffing a flour tortilla with as much filler as possible, minimal was the word: when the ingredients are all beautifully seasoned and cooked, you don't need globs of cheese, salsa, tomatoes, onions, and so forth. Just a little crema drizzled decoratively over was the only concession to the usual restaurant burrito.

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Taco salad, $7.95

To the best of Femme de Joie's knowledge, taco salad is an unknown beast in Mexico; it appears to be a American hybrid creation of the 1960s when comida Mexicana began to creep into the American kitchen. Most versions involve a sizable mountain of iceberg lettuce centered inside a pre-made oversized fried taco shell and decorated with fried ground beef mixed with a packet of taco seasoning, some diced tomatoes, shredded cheese and sour cream - in other words, a lot of cheap lettuce with a modicum of toppings. El Rinconcito's taco salad started with a homemade shell and a modest amount of lettuce, went on with lightly seasoned morsels of steak, fresh tomatoes and olives, and finished with a generous scoop of house-made guacamole. That crisp shell was as different from pre-made shells as a homegrown tomato is from one of those miserable pinkish winter tomatoes. Instead of a scoop of made-ahead filling, the steak bits were cooked to order. Again, it's the best ingredients combined skillfully, sans fatty, creamy sauces, that distinguish this dish.

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Sope with chicken, $3.50

A sope is essentially a small, thick tortilla made of masa fried and served with some sort of savory topping, also known as huaraches, gorditas, and other names. House-prepared and freshly cooked revealed the delicate corn taste of the masa. Lightly grilled chicken cubes were sprinkled with cotija cheese and a thick wash of crema . There was a bit of oil oozing from the sope itself, so this was not as successful an execution as some of their other dishes.

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Al pastor taco and lengue taco, $2.50 each

"Regular" size tacos are made with house-made tortillas, and they are worth it. Puffy and tender, thicker than commercial tortillas, they're the perfect wrapping for the simple fillings of diced al pastor (spicy pork) and lengue (tongue) accented with cilantro, diced onion, and a fresh green salsa.

El Rinconcito is probably our new favorite Mexican restaurant. Everything is made in-house (with the exception of the chips, which appear to be commercial). As Femme de Joie stood waiting to pay, she observed a tiny woman behind the counter serenely turning fresh pasilla peppers on a gas flame, blackening and blistering them to make chile rellanos. That is the kind of time-consuming detail that makes this food so good. But let it be known: if you are expecting the servings to be the giant platefuls found at most Mexican restaurants, you will be sorely disappointed. Portions are modest. But this is carefully prepared food to be savored, not gobbled. Take your time and really taste it.

El Rinconcito, 2030 Eureka Way (behind the smoke shop and auto repair), Redding, CA 96001. 530-262-8646. Open daily, 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM. Parking lot. Cards, cash, no checks. Vegetarian and vegan options.

Long ago - long ago being relative, of course - there was a Mexican restaurant in Hamilton City which was apparently the bee's knees to Hamilton City diners. The exact name of it escapes Femme de Joie just now, and after doing a brief search on the internet, apparently no one else remembers it either. But what M. de Joie does recall is that there was a fever upon the land when the word came down that this restaurant was going to expand to Redding. And so it came to pass; said restaurant built on East Cypress Avenue, not far from where the fabled and infamous El-Bo Room lived out its days. It opened and after a certain amount of time, shut the doors; M. de Joie seems to remember at least one other Mexican restaurant opened and closed in turn in the same location. For about the last 14 years, Guadalajara has held down the spot where others came and went.

Approaching Guadalajara is easiest if you're heading east on Cypress and can just swing right into the parking lot. It's trickier to slide in there from the westbound lanes, especially during the noon hour and around 5 PM, when the traffic is unforgiving and unrelenting. The interior is spacious and colorful with what appear to be large tin stars hanging from the ceiling and brightly painted chairs. Service is generally friendly and speedy.

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House salad, $5.29

The basic house salad was one of the better menu items at Guadalajara. Expecting just a bowl of iceberg lettuce, we were pleasantly surprised to get fresh Romaine with grated cheese, olives, tomatoes, avocados and onions, a definite step up from the side salad at most restaurants.

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Lunch special, enchilada and tamale, $8.29

A chicken tamale was quite doughy with a ponderosity of heavyweight masa corseting an shredded chicken filling. It was slow going through the doughy masa to get to the oily filling - the oil had already spread to the cornhusks, so it had plenty to spare - and the filling itself was surprisingly bland considering the oil was vividly red, presumably from chili powder. Sharing the plate was a chicken enchilada that was likewise bland and tired, like it had been up since 2 AM and just couldn't muster any enthusiasm. Refried beans were creamy but not especially flavorful; rice had odd crispy bits here and there, like it had been sitting uncovered and part had dried out while what lay beneath remained moist. It was salty.

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Cup of albondigas soup, $3.50

Though not stated on the menu, the soups can be ordered as a cup instead of a bowl (which is a quite large serving). Albondigas soup was apparently cooked to order and it was a winner. A more-than-generous cup with two large tender meatballs, freshly cooked carrots, zucchini, and potatoes in a really delicious savory tomato-tinged broth came with a dish of cilantro, chopped onion, and one very dry lime half on the side. Whoever is making the soup knows what they're doing in terms of seasoning and timing the doneness of each ingredient.

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Lunch special, chile verde burrito, $7.49

This lunch special was everything the others were not. Chile verde - tender pork cubes in a tart green tomatillo sauce - wrapped in a flour tortilla with a moderate amount of cheese melted on top was piquant and lively, as well as a bargain for the price.

Femme de Joie is of two minds about Guadalajara. Clearly it's quite popular, both with locals and with Interstate 5 travelers who rave about it in online reviews. You do get generous portions, the salsa is fresh and tasty, and it's a family-friendly place with a kiddie menu of under-$2 items. But they're missing the mark on preparations for some standard Mexican restaurant dishes. The care taken with the soup and the chile verde indicates the kitchen can deliver; M. de Joie hopes they can raise the bar and take steps to increase quality across the board.

Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant, 435 East Cypress Avenue, Redding, 96002. 530-223-2540. Open Monday-Thursday, 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM, Friday-Saturday 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Sunday 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM. Vegetarian and vegan options. Children's menu. No checks. Full bar. Parking lot. Website at http://www.guadalajararestaurant.net/

Long, long ago, in a space of time after dirt was discovered but before Interstate 5, there were only two-lane roads. Incredible, yes, yet it's true. Femme de Joie saw it with her own two eyes. She traveled those roads often whenever the de Joies went on a weekend trip . Mostly the trips were modest ventures, as the crow flies: Crater Lake, Lassen Park, Reno, Eureka. But if the crow is not flying, if the crow is driving a Ford Falcon on a two-lane blacktop with thousands of other travelers, in those days before roadside towing service and emergency phones, then it's a much different - and much longer trip - than it is now.

For one thing, cars overheated a lot more then than they do now. Auto air conditioning was in its infancy and it generally resulted in hoses bursting at very inconvenient places. The de Joies spent more than one hot Sunday afternoon in a very, very long line of cars crawling along what is now Interstate 5, creeping through the Sacramento River Canyon between Redding and Dunsmuir as we all slowly passed some unfortunate family and their sizzling car.

That's why the Giant Orange stands were very popular, not just in California, but anywhere it got miserably dog-tired hot in summer. They were absolutely everywhere along Highway 99 (I-5's predecessor). It was so wonderful to come across one of those funny round orange buildings as you drove along California's Central Valley, and go in and get a cold orange juice.

Times change, freeways and off-ramps and McDonald's came in, and nowadays if you're driving on an old highway, maybe you will see an occasional forlorn Giant Orange stand boarded up. There are still a few in business, resurrected as restaurants - there's one just north of Redding that is now serving Mexican food, and it must be a puzzler to younger folk who wonder why the place serving tacos looks like an orange. A green orange.

Joe's Giant Orange has been serving up breakfast and lunch since 2006. Colorfully painted booths and wall murals inform the diner that this place specializes in Mexican dishes - though there is plenty of American food available as well. Service is friendly and fast.

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Ham and cheese omelet, $8.99

Tender eggs folded squarely around generous portions of mild cheese and diced ham - not a breakfast that's breaking any new ground, but a constant favorite. Filling and non-greasy with crisp hash browns alongside, this was better than some more expensive versions.

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Arizona Enchilada Omelet, $9.99

While the name is a little confusing - nuthin' really screams enchilada about this - chile verde draped over a folded egg omelet does bring Tex-Mex to mind. Femme de Joie loved the verde's tartness and shreds of pork laced throughout. This is not a spicy-hot sauce so chiliphobes can enjoy it without fear.

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Tamales, $10.99

House-made beef tamales seemed on the dry side. While the filling was flavorful and abundant, it was also on the salty side; a bite of masa and filling together made us wish for some badly needed sauce. Fortunately, the house-made salsa is quite good and was necessary to resuscitate the tamales and give them a bit of oomph. Refried beans were also house-made, creamy and smoky. The rice was undistinguished.

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Enchiladas Colima Style, $9.99

The house-made enchilada sauce was evidently salted in the same way the tamale filling was. Femme de Joie admits to an unholy passion for salty foods, but this overdid it even for her. Too bad, because the rest of the dish - freshly prepared pork filling and not too much cheese - was really delicious.

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A side order of fresh green salad was crammed into a small soup bowl, a plating that makes M. de Joie start twitching: instead of forcing greenery into a too-small container, put that salad on a plate where it won't fall off.

We did love a vanilla milkshake ($3.99) made with real ice cream (that may sound obvious, but there's a reason McDonald's calls it a shake - so as not to imply anything by the title) with the metal can plopped onto the table alongside the glass for a second serving, as every devotee of Fifties-style diners knows it should be.

Overall, we enjoyed Joe's Giant Orange. It's a truly local place, mainly patronized by regulars who know each other and think nothing of sharing their opinions of the Raiders with you at length as your food gets cold. While we might not drive north every day to dine, if we were headed thataway and were feeling peckish, we'd stop in. Femme de Joie is curious, though: is the water in the first toilet in the women's restroom always heated, or was that just a temporary interesting feature?

For more on Giant Oranges or to buy one for your own front yard, see http://www.agilitynut.com/food/oranges.html

Joe's Giant Orange, 3104 Cascade Boulevard, Shasta Lake City, CA 530-275-9582. Breakfast and lunch. Open daily 6:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Vegetarian options. No alcohol. Parking lot. No checks.

Longtime Redding residents will remember the old Italian Cottage on Hilltop Drive, pre-dating even the Mount Shasta Mall. Sawdust was piled high enough on the floor to get in your shoes, they put an olive in your beer, and the minestrone had hard vegetables mixed with squashy ones. Femme de Joie has fond memories of trying to fit a small group of friends into one of those corner booths without getting jabbed by the sharp table corner; she remembers even more fondly the pastrami sandwich. Italian Cottage morphed into Corina's; when that closed, the building lay vacant and unloved for years, increasing amounts of trash gathering in the dead landscaping, until a Mexican restaurant-cum-tequila bar opened a few years ago and closed again last year.

Now Mazatlan Grill lives in the old Italian Cottage spot. There are a lot of restaurants named Mazatlan Grill in the US but this one is independently owned and operated. Spacious and airy inside, the decor is bright, fresh and cheerful, with patio seating available. M. de Joie's first visit was after the lunch hour, where she pretty much had the entire place to herself. Staff - who are efficient and friendly in a perfunctory way - greeted her immediately. The menu is lengthy and not easy to read, with one of those cutesy fonts that make you squint.

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Femme de Joie ordered a margarita, which came within 30 seconds of the waiter taking the order. Is there a giant margarita truck in back with a hose hooked up to the bar? It had to have come from a bucket or hose to be delivered that fast. It was quite sweet. The standard chips-in-a-basket plus salsa were put on the table. While the salsa was adequate, the chips seemed to have been around since the first "Star Wars" movie came out.

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Shrimp enchiladas ($14.99, though the menu read $13.49)

When the shrimp enchiladas were placed on the table, a waiter made a point of smiling broadly and saying, "Senorita, I am so jealous of you!" which confused Femme de Joie. "That looks so good!" It was at that moment that M. de Joie had a flashback to Papa de Joie, who suffered no fools gladly and would snap, "Ya wanna bite?" when dealing with a fatuous remark like that However, she restrained herself from doing the same.

The menu description of the shrimp enchiladas read that they were covered in "creamy sauce made with tomatillos." There may have been a tomatillo present in the kitchen when the sauce was made, but none made it into the cheesy creamy sauce. If the tortilla chips had been around since the first Star Wars movie, the shrimp in the enchiladas had been languishing in the freezer since the first "Star Trek" television series.

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Chimichanga, $8.99

M.de Joie's second visit was during the lunch hour proper, and once again there was a shortage of other customers. It's hard to tell from the photo, but under that sour cream and guacamole is a chile verde chimichanga. It was on her table precisely four minutes after she ordered it. The bottom of the chimichanga had a little crispness from a very brief encounter with a frying surface, but the top - beneath that blanket of goo - was unfried tortilla. Inside was a lot of shredded pork and no verde. Well, that isn't quite true - after prodding around, Femme de Joie spotted a thin, thin layer of something green in a fold of tortilla, but it didn't seem to have any taste. There was certainly none of the green sauce that one associates with chile verde. In fact, there was nothing inside the tortilla - excusez-moi, the chimichanga - except plain unseasoned shredded pork.

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Burrito Panchito Deluxe, $8.99

Femme de Joie was a bit surprised on her third visit to actually be among other customers. Where had they been before? No matter. She ordered Burrito Panchito Deluxe with chicken. Unlike her previous meals delivered at the speed of sound, it took a good ten minutes to arrive. She isn't sure what was Deluxe about it. The filling was a lot of shredded chicken with nothing else, no sauce, no seasonings, though as with the chimichanga there was a surplus of sour cream and guacamole. The guacamole worried her a little, as it had that color she associates with guacamole seen in the freezer section of supermarkets.

What to conclude about Mazatlan? It's all over the place. Those elderly shrimp shouldn't have been served at all. Pork and chicken fillings were tender and moist but utterly without any taste. Sides of rice and beans were just taking up space on the plate - nothing to recommend them or not recommend them; the diner eats them because they come with the meal, not because they're delicious. Waitstaff is efficient and polite. Some people may love getting their food so fast, but M. de Joie wonders what is going on in the kitchen that one meal takes four minutes and a virtually identical one takes ten. While Mazatlan Grill is inoffensive, she thinks there is better Mexican food for your dollar elsewhere.

Mazatlan Grill, 1630 Hilltop Drive, Redding, CA 96002. 530-223-2454. Open Sunday-Thursday 11 AM - 10 PM; Friday & Saturday 11 AM - 11 PM. Cards, cash; no checks. Full bar. Children's menu. Patio dining. Vegetarian options. Parking lot.

The late Dame Anita Roddick (founder of The Body Shop cosmetics chain) wrote of a visit to Mexico City when she was taken to Fonda Meson de Alonso, where she was promised "real Mayan cooking." The house special was a taco filled with live beetles. Roddick kept her menu firmly in front of her face until the bill was paid and she could leave. But food writer Raymond Sokolov, in "Why We Eat What We Eat," declared that Fonda Meson de Alonso merely made a pretense at serving authentic pre-Columbian dishes as a publicity stunt; though the ant eggs in green sauce and iguana consomme were sure to grab the diner's attention, those were mere novelties: the rest of the menu featured beef, pork, and goat - all post-Spanish meats. Sokolov sneered that Fonda Meson de Alonso used wine in a quail dish - a European technique. ( In case you were going to be in Mexico City and wanted to sample the mosquito eggs in mole, Fonda Meson de Alonso does not appear to be in business any longer.)

Now here comes Gustavo Arellano, author of "Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America" and the syndicated column, "Ask a Mexican!" Raised on nopalitos, birria, and Asadero cheese served by his Zacatecas-born parents, he was confounded by the Mexican combo plate put in front of him at an Anaheim restaurant. After researching the history and evolution of Mexican food as well as tracking the inroads into American culture, Arellano now says that Mexican food is too complex, too varied to be neatly summed up by whether a taco is deep-fried or what kind of cheese is used. It's not a static cuisine, bound forever by Escoffier-like rigidity and rules. According to Arellano, if it was made by a Mexican, it's Mexican food.

Which brings us to Baja Burrito, a teacup of a storefront in a tiny strip mall on South Bonnyview Road that occupies a spot vacated by Blimpie's, near the ever-present Starbucks. Many was the time that Femme de Joie and Amico del Signore drove past and wondered aloud, "Suppose that place is any good?" It was just out of convenience that A. del Signore did stop in one day, buying lunch for a friend, and reported back to M. de Joie with great enthusiasm that this was a place worth visiting.

To get to it, you either have to be driving west on South Bonnyview, or turn at the light onto Eastside Road and swing around through the back of the strip mall. There are a couple of tables out front, along with the special-of-the-day board. Inside are more tables, including a couple of surfboard-shaped bar tables in the window. Order at the counter from the menu board and your food will be assembled as you like it, Subway-style. There's likely to be a line around lunchtime, but it moves fast.

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Burritos are the specialty of the house, and you can have it your way: carne asada to al pastor, chile verde, chicken, vegetarian. Never previously a big fan of burritos - that pasty white tortilla always put him off his feed - Amico del Signore has been converted. After trying several kinds, he has settled on the pulled pork as his favorite: a pile of ultra-tender shredded pork in a flavorful but not spicy sauce. Black beans and refried beans are both made in-house, and the difference between them and canned is quite noticeable - try one or both, plus the fresh toppings (none of which were shredded last week to save time; their bright colors spoke to their very recent prep). Secret ingredients: try the roasted corn salsa and the roasted tomato salsa, as well as the hot pickled carrots on the side.

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This might be Femme de Joie's new favorite fish taco in town. After ordering, she watched the counter staff carefully stir the batter and dip the fish filet, then deep fry it for a very brief time. There are no pre-packaged fish sticks here. Topped with a slightly sweet creamy sauce and pico de gallo, these fish tacos were light, not greasy, and full of fresh flavors.

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Hot mess? No sir, that's the nachos with pulled pork and cheese sauce. On our first visit as we stood and dithered about what to order, two ladies came in who knew what they wanted - nacho lunches for each. Watching their orders being assembled put the nachos on our to-try list. A far cry from the dry nacho plate appetizer offered on most menus, this was a full meal.

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There are two salads on the Baja Burrito menu, one involving that ubiquitous deep-fried tortilla shell bowl, and this one: just the fillings with your choice of toppings. Chile verde was pleasantly piquant with tomatillos and cubed pork, a great tart contrast to the other rich ingredients.

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Tuesday is the only day tamales are offered at Baja Burrito, so Femme de Joie took advantage of the daily special. Soft, moist masa had a savory corn taste and the generous amount of pork filling was tender and not overwhelmingly spicy. While the rice is pretty average, the black beans are delicious with a simple fresh salsa topping.

Baja Burrito serves a very steady stream of hungry customers in a very under-served area of town. On weekdays starting at 7 AM, they make a breakfast burrito, and stay open late enough to pick up a fast meal for dinner. Daily specials include chile rellanos on Wednesday, tortas ("the best in town!" the owner crowed) on Thursday, and menudo Saturday and Sunday. The food is freshly prepped every day and is just different enough to place it above similar burrito places around town. It's fast without being unhealthy, inexpensive, and a good value. Service is quick and always friendly, with a great willingness to show the customer the different ingredients and explain how each one is prepared. So is it authentic? Frankly, we don't care; we think Gustavo Arellano would approve. On your way to I-5, or on your way home, stop in.

Baja Burrito, 2400 South Bonnyview, Suite 130, Redding, CA 96001. 530-243-2244. Open Monday-Friday, 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM, Sunday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Cash, cards. On-site parking lot. Daily specials. Vegetarian and vegan options. Bottled beer. Follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Baja-Burrito/159725954071932

When Casa Ramos closed in early 2009, La Casa Cuevas immediately opened in the same spot. Childress not being a main artery, and La Casa Cuevas not being part of a chain, the restaurant seems to be somewhat out of sight, out of mind to potential customers who come off I-5 or are staying at a nearby motel. Femme de Joie has visited several times and it was never more than half-full at lunchtime. That's a shame, because the food is markedly better than before.

Customers are greeted and seated almost immediately upon entering La Casa Cuevas. Seating is in comfortable booths; there's also a room that can be reserved for parties. In addition to the usual chips and salsa, a small dish of warm refried beans topped with cotija cheese is brought to the table. Both Tapatio and Cholula sauces are available.

The menu is quite lengthy, exhaustive, and colorful, but it isn't organized well. It tends to fall into "Specialties" and "House Favorites" types of sections, rather than the usual "burritos," "tacos," "por los gringos" kind of sections. They probably have what you want, but it will take some searching on the menu to find it.

On M. de Joie's first visit she rashly ordered a margarita, which was brought in one of those glasses about the size and weight of a halved bowling ball. It was a bit on the acidic side so if you like them sweeter, be sure to specify.

Two mahi-mahi tacos with rice and rancho beans

These fish tacos were covered in a sweet creamy tomato sauce, like 1000 island dressing without the pickles. It pretty much covered the delicate fish, but wasn't so cloying that it was unpleasant. A small heap of tomato-lettuce-cilantro dice was available to garnish the tacos, which toned down the sauce and gave a fresh crunch contrast to the soft grilled fish. Rancho beans are simply pinto beans in their own broth. One or two were underdone, indicating these are house-made.

Chicken tortilla soup

A warming bowl of soup featured lots of crunchy tortilla strips, shredded chicken, diced avocados, and a little bit of cheese. The broth was some kind of canned or boxed broth with added puree of chile and a heavy sprinkle of dried herbs on top. This could be really delicious with a little more care in the making of the broth.

Burrito Dos Amigos, $12.50

Not two burritos, but one very large tortilla wrap cut in half, with one side filled with chile verde and the other with chile colorado, and a paper-thin scattering of cheese on top. A tiny deep-fried tortilla bowl filled with fresh pico de gallo was a nice touch. M. de Joie much preferred the chile verde with its tart, mellow sauce; while the chile colorado was beefy and filling with none of that acrid taste that red chile sauces sometimes have, it was also excessively salty.

Tacos Carbon

Amico del Signore chose chicken tacos carbon. Not the pick-up-and-stuff-in-your-face type of tacos, these were very tender and easily cut with a fork. They had been cooked on the flattop but weren't at all greasy and had ample cubed grilled chicken, light cheese, and diced tomato filling.

Chicken mole

Though the mole owes a lot to a jar of Dona Maria, it was still nicely prepared, not too sweet, with a good balance of chile and chocolate tastes, and tender strips of chicken. Served with warm tortillas on the side, this made a not-too-heavy lunch.

Notice anything odd here? Yes, that's right. There's an enormous empty space in the center of the plate. This shrimp and cheese quesadilla on a whole-wheat tortilla - advertised as low-carb - while tasty enough, simply screams DIET PLATE. While Femme de Joie liked the quesadilla, she was somewhat distracted off by a tiny amount of food on a giant platter. Either put it on a smaller plate, or fill that space with something edible.

La Casa Cuevas has food worth making a trip to Anderson for. Service is very fast and friendly, portions generally are fair for the money, and the very extensive menu provides something for everyone. Does it reach that ever-elusive "authentic" standard? Probably not for some folks, but overall, you won't be disappointed.

La Casa Cuevas, 2830 Childress Drive, Anderson, CA 96007. 530-378-2118. Open daily, 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM. Cash, cards; no checks. Full bar. Parking lot on-site. Vegetarian and low-carb options. Catering; private dining room. Follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/La-Casa-Cuevas/399477242677

It was Amico del Signore who first tried the taco truck on Westside Road, and reported with huge enthusiasm how fabulous the food was.

When he first stopped by, a fellow diner waiting hungrily in line told him, "It's the sauce. The sauces are way better than anywhere else. The enchilada sauce -" His voice trailed off, his eyes glazed over with shimmering images of rich dark red chile sauce. Amico del Signore is an experienced consumer of Mexican food and knows a rare gem when he tastes it, so it was just a matter of time - a couple of weeks - before Femme de Joie went with him to check out Romo's Tacos.

Now, just stop with the catcalls of Roach Coach. Yes, mobile food trucks have had a bad rap over the years, and sometimes it was deserved. But the same could be said for just about any type of dining establishment. Femme de Joie can think of a few inexplicably popular places around town where she wishes she had thought to bring hand sanitizer to use after elbowing her way out of the ladies' room, but that is another subject for another day. Check out Romo's Tacos on the Food Facility Inspections page at http://www.co.shasta.ca.us/EHI/frmPubInspViol.aspx, then compare other well-known restaurants... or your favorite restaurant. You might be surprised. Or appalled.

Monday through Friday, Nemecio Romo (he took over the former Taco Loco business from his father) drives his truck to a parking lot on Westside Road between the Capri Motel and Northern Roots to set up shop. (Romo is also the proprietor of El Paraiso in Anderson, where he serves an expanded menu in a pleasant sit-down cafe.) Though the truck is convenient to workers in a mainly industrial section of Redding that's short on restaurants, patrons not working in the immediate area gladly drive miles to enjoy fantastic Mexican food at rock-bottom prices.

What you don't get: a fancy table and chair, ceramic plates, a glass of water, a basket of chips and salsa. What you do get: substantial portions of amazing Mexican food.

Femme de Joie loves what are politely called variety meats, and she specified lengue (tongue) in this super burrito. Loaded with the works and topped with not-out-of-a-can tomato-and-chile sauce, there was a ton o' tongue here - a moist, tender and incredibly flavorful part of the cow that is unfortunately spurned by many. Too bad, because it makes very fine eating. It's still beef. What are you waiting for? Give it a try. For $5.50, this has to be one of the biggest bargains in Shasta County.

Romo's cheese enchiladas are simply the best of any available in the North State. (If you think you've had better, M. de Joie wants to know about it.) M. de Joie dreams about this sauce. It is by far the best enchilada sauce she has ever tried; the cheesy filling is not so fatty and overwhelming that it overpowers the other elements. Good Lord, these enchiladas are fantastic. There's no other way to describe them.

Femme de Joie has tried tortas before and was underwhelmed. They just seemed like an average filling stuck on a cute little round bun with nothing special to recommend them. But the carne asada torta from Romo's Tacos - well. The flavor of the marinated, grilled steak, combined with guacamole, tomatoes, sour cream, on a bolillo will make you rethink all those fast food sandwiches you've been snarfing up all these years. For one thing, the bolillo is bread worthy of the name - not a bland Wonderbuns instafallapart roll, but a roll that holds together with texture and heft and won't collapse in your lap. For another: steak nubbins cooked to order. Fresh guacamole and tomatoes are not just the usual suspects, but actually enhance the grilled meat. Amico del Signore believes this was the best sandwich he ever ate.

Tamales are one of those foods that fans love to debate. "Oh, man, the tamales we had at this restaurant in Lake Elsinore were the best ever." "Are you kidding? Lake Elsinore? There's no good Mexican food around there. You gotta go to this place on the highway outside Del Mar. It's really a bar, but.." "I know you're gonna think we're nuts, but we had the best tamales at a gas station outside of Downieville." And so it goes. The best tamales have yet to be universally agreed-upon, but the ones served up by Romo's are in M. de Joie's personal top five. Heavy on the masa, medium on the filling, light on the sauce, these aren't meant to be an entire meal by themselves, but a few delicious savory bites of pork filling encased in a corn envelope.

As mentioned in this space before, Amico del Signore is a huge fan of chile rellanos. He visited Ramo's Tacos twice and both times they had already sold out of that day's supply of chile rellanos. The third time he was waiting when the truck drove up and pounced before anyone else had a chance. It was worth the wait: fat fresh green chiles stuffed with cheese, dipped in an ethereal egg batter and fried. These are superb.

Obviously if you've read this far, it's clear that both Femme de Joie and consort Amico del Signore are besotted with Romo's Tacos. The food is fantastically cheap, overflowing, and luscious. While lack of indoor dining facilities might be off-putting to some, it's also a maxim that food tastes better outdoors. But if that doesn't please you can always grab it to take home and scrape it onto your own plates. It doesn't lose much in the translation. The same food is served at El Paraiso in Anderson (though the prices are higher), so you can indeed have it your way and order a beer to go with.

And how does Nemecio Romo view his adoring fans who make the drive to his truck, parked in a ever-so-slightly dodgy area? Nearby, as the bright yellow truck of a local sandwich shop opened for business, Romo told Amico del Singore that he doesn't mind if anyone else wants to try to share the spotlight. "For me," he said, "it's all about the food."

Romo's Tacos, Westside Road Parking Lot between the Capri Motel and Northern Lights (south of El Reno Lane). Open Monday-Friday, 11:00 am - 5:30 PM. Cash only. No alcohol. Takeaway service. On-site parking. Vegetarian options.

Generally Femme de Joie doesn't linger long in Anderson. It's a place she passes through on her way to someplace else. But recently she was bopping around the environs looking at thrift stores and second-hand junque places (junque being high-class junk) when, feeling peckish, she decided to take a chance on El Paraiso.

That location has seen a number of establishments come and go over the years. The only one M. de Joie recalls was The French Cafe, and since she never set foot inside it, couldn't say for sure if it was actually French or not. There were a few others since then, none of which seemed enticing, but the colorful, lively exterior of El Paraiso called her in. Inside was apparently refurbished within the last couple of years: pleasant and clean, booths lining the eastern and southern walls under the windows, a few tables in the center, and a shiny bar across the room.

Quesadilla de cameron, $9.99, was well worth the money. An extra-large flour tortilla was filled with plenty of rock shrimp and a modicum of Monterey Jack cheese, then grilled just enough to slightly crispen the tortilla and melt the cheese. Too much cheese is a sin against fish dishes, but here there was just enough to hold the quesadilla together without obliterating the sweet taste of the shrimp. Serving size was generous enough to take part home. The refried beans were especially good - about half mashed and half left whole - and along with the rice was house-made.

The menu said that if you don't see what you want, to ask and they'll make it. M. de Joie asked for fish tacos and the friendly waitress said yes, sure, they could make that for $2.39 each. This was one of the better non-deep-fat-fried versions around, loaded with fresh chopped tomatoes, lightly grilled fish, onions and cilantro, and a spicy salsa verde on the side. Like the shrimp quesadilla, there was no unpleasant "fishy" taste. The grilled green onions were a great accompaniment to each bite of fish.

Amico del Signore was eager to try out El Paraiso with M. de Joie. Being a chile rellano afficiando, he ordered the special of the day, a chile rellano burrrito. The chile rellano was made from a fresh green chile (not the somewhat slimy one out of a can) and filled with cheese, deep fried and wrapped in a flour tortilla along with rice and beans, then covered with a chunky house-made tomato sauce and cojito cheese. Ridiculously cheap at $5.99, it may not have been authentic Mexican cooking, but each taste was distinct and flavorful, not at all greasy, and good value. Alongside the burrito, A. del Signore chose a shredded beef taco - made here with a flour tortilla, so if you prefer corn tortilla (as he does), be sure to specify. Still, it was packed full of tender shredded beef in a not-too-hot savory chile sauce with cool guacamole and sour cream.

Sometimes leaden chimichangas come to the table oozing oil, but this chicken chimichanga ($9.99) was light and crisp without any greasy overtones. Packed with beans, rice, and lots of shredded chicken, and topped with guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo & cojita, this was a very filling lunch that did not feel heavy.

El Paraiso is a great little place for lunch or dinner, offering a family-friendly atmosphere with daily specials that make dining affordable. The fare isn't weighted down with too much sour cream or smotherings of cheese; tastes are light, fresh, and distinct. If you're in Anderson, check it out; if you're in Redding, take the drive south and enjoy this homey little place with good cooking.... or enjoy the same food in Redding, more about which soon.

El Paraiso Restaurant, 3310 West Center Street, Anderson, CA 96007. 530-378-1355. Open daily, 11:00 AM - 8:30 PM. Beer and wine. Cards, cash; no checks. Parking on-site. Vegetarian options. El Paraiso is on Facebook. Website and menu here.

Remember 10 or so years ago when a Sacramento-based taco shop blew into Redding? The one with the slogan, "Sometimes you just gotta have a real taco"? Well, Femme de Joie remembers; she remembers going into the one on Hartnell and experiencing a taco with a side of sleaze and sass from the staff ... It was memories of that place that kept her driving past that same little restaurant on Hartnell long after Jimboy's packed up their tents and stole off into the night.

Not so long ago, Amico del Signore asked if she'd ever eaten at Taco Barn, now the occupant at 66 Hartnell. M. de Joie filled him in on her tale of woe and grease, to which he replied that Taco Barn was really pretty good and she should try it. So the next time she was in the neighborhood, she did. He was right: it's pretty good. Order at the counter and wait - it won't take more than a few minutes - and then help yourself to salsa, limes and hot carrots.

Taco Barn's Fish Tacos, $8.99

Fish tacos ($8.99) were terrific. Deep-fried filets were not at all greasy or “fishy” tasting - though they had plenty of flavor - and were complimented with threads of cabbage and pico de gallo. These were some of the best Femme de Joie has tried locally.

Taco Barn's Taco Salad, $5.99

Taco salad ($5.99) was a light lunch plate with shards of beef on a large green salad. This wasn’t weighted down with a lot of sour cream or chips, so it was satisfying without being soporific. There are tastier and more flamboyant versions out there, but M. de Joie certainly wouldn’t send this one back to the kitchen, and the portion size seemed right for the price.

Taco Barn's California Burrito, $5.99, with a side of rice and beans, $2.99.

A delicious and freshly-made California burrito ($5.99, with a side of rice and beans, $2.99) is packed with niblets of slightly salty but crunchy crisp-fried carne asada, guacamole, cheese, tomatoes and whatever else is lying around the kitchen. This is tremendous value for money and will definitely fill you up; it might even be competition for the burritos served at Burrito Bandito, and that is saying something.

Taco Barn's Chile Rellano Combination Plate, $8.99

The chile rellano on this combination plate ($8.99) had a light puffy coating and was made with a fresh green poblano chile. Its partner, a cheese enchilada, was tasty but noticeably salty, and a puddle of oil oozed out beneath both the rellano and enchilada.

Taco Barn's Al Pastor Burrito, $8.99 with rice and beans.

Al pastor is kernels of pork tossed in ground chiles and other spices, then pan-roasted to crispness and served with cool contrasting flavors like guacamole. Here, an al pastor burrito ($8.99 with rice and beans) was properly spicy and bursting with chili flavor, though again a bit salty and oily.

Those rice and beans, by the way, are above-average for fast-food Mexican - not salty or reheated-tasting, and without that canned flavor you sometimes (often, even) find in this kind of restaurant.

Though she passed it by for who knows however many years, M. de Joie now is a fan of Taco Barn. It’s not elegant - those plastic plates squeak under the draw of a plastic fork - but the food is freshly prepared and mostly pretty tasty (though occasionally there's a heavy hand with the salt and oil), as well as good value for money. Next time you’re pawing through those claustrophobic racks at Book County or picking up some grow lights & hydroponic supplies across Hartnell for your geraniums and feeling a bit peckish, stop in.

Taco Barn, 66 Hartnell Avenue, Redding, CA 96002. (530) 221-6265, and 2727 Ventura Street, Anderson, CA 96007 (530) 365-1812. Open Monday- Saturday 7:00 AM- 10:00 PM (dining room to 9:45 PM), Sunday 8:30 AM-9:00 PM (summer, March-November). Winter hours 7:30 - 9:00 PM (dining room to 8:45), Sunday 8:30 AM-9:00 PM (December-February). Cash, cards, no checks. Beer. Drive-though; loads of parking. Vegetarian and vegan selections.

It took Femme de Joie a long time to catch on to Burrito Bandito. For one thing, she didn’t have much reason to go out to Airport Road in Redding, where they started at the original location. For another, she didn’t really relish the thought of driving all the way out there to be caught in the lunch rush at a place that catered only to the folks who worked out there and didn’t have any choice: how good could it be? Then circumstances caused her to be out on Airport Road one day with a group of people who already knew about Burrito Bandito.

When they walked in, M. de Joie winced at the long lines and figured they might all be there until dinnertime, but such was not the case. Those guys behind the counter were friendly but speedy, and in a very few minutes the line was hacked down to size. M. de Joie entertained herself during the brief wait by reading the hot sauce bottles on display – how can you not love a bottle of Jump Up and Kiss Me, Hula Girl, or Scorned Woman?

M. de Joie was very pleasantly surprised at how much food was dished up for a modest price, and delighted at how great the burrito tasted, made to her specifications and packed full of fresh toppings. She was even more pleased when a few years after that initial lunch, Burrito Bandito opened a branch in the Holiday Market Shopping Center at Placer and Buenaventura – much closer to downtown than Airport Road (since joined by branches in Anderson and Red Bluff). The Holiday location is small inside, with a few tables and counter seating along the window; on nice days you can take your order outside to a table on the sidewalk.

Chile verde burrito, $7.25

Burritos are, of course, their signature dish, and they’re the most bang for your buck. Choose from machaca (shredded beef), carne asada, chile verde, chicken, or vegetarian/vegan beans, have the counterman add toppings to taste, grab a cold drink from the cooler and some salsa, and have a seat. Good luck trying to eat this with the plastic fork they give you.

One pork taco and one chicken taco, $3.25 each

For smaller appetites, the tacos are a good bet: same drill as the burrito (choose meat or beans and then tell the friendly counterman exactly what you want to top it with). Warning: these get soggy and fall apart if you don’t eat them promptly, and Femme de Joie has the salsa drippings down her blouse to prove it.

Vegetarian bowl, $7.25

A nice change from tacos, burritos, and quesadillas is the bowl: a salad made with your choice of meat or beans with loads of toppings. Though M. de Joie loves her a good burrito, she likes the bowls the best out of all the offerings at Burrito Bandito.

If Femme de Joie has any complaints, it’s that after a while everything from Burrito Bandito starts to taste the same, which is probably because she’s a “Put everything on it” gal, and everything is always the same. To avoid getting bored, now and then she’ll skip the onions or the rice and ask for extra cilantro and lime, or some other variation.

M. de Joie likes the value for money, fresh ingredients, fast & friendly service, and tasty burritos, all served up by a local business. To be sure, Burrito Bandito is fast food, but there’s not a Golden Arch in sight here. It's not authentic Mexican either; it’s more of a California twist on healthy Mex with a little fast-food-to-go thrown in. If you haven’t stopped by already, give them a try.

Burrito Bandito, 8939 Airport Road, Redding, 222-6240, fax 222-6639; 3365 Placer Street in the Holiday Shopping Center, 229-9068, fax 229-9079; 2805 E. Center Street, Anderson, 378-1400, fax 378-1500; 525 Adobe Road, Red Bluff, 528-8226, fax 527-6074. Cash, cards; no checks. Call for opening times (may vary between locations). Vegetarian and vegan choices. Website and fax order form at juanmeanburrito.com

"Now, tequila may be the favored beverage of outlaws but that doesn't mean it gives them preferential treatment. In fact, tequila probably has betrayed as many outlaws as has the central nervous system and dissatisfied wives. Tequila, scorpion honey, harsh dew of the doglands, essence of Aztec, crema de cacti; tequila, oily and thermal like the sun in solution; tequila, liquid geometry of passion; Tequila, the buzzard god who copulates in midair with the ascending souls of dying virgins; tequila, firebug in the house of good taste; O tequila, savage water of sorcery, what confusion and mischief your sly, rebellious drops do generate!" — Tom Robbins (Still Life with Woodpecker)

La Conquista is one of those places just off the freeway where travelers pop in for a fast meal, then slide back onto I-5, never to return. Femme de Joie and Amico del Signore visited a couple of months after it opened. It was, not to put too fine a point on it, Godawful. All M. de Joie recalls of that evening is a vegetarian burrito filled with what were labeled "grilled vegetables." They weren't grilled, they were interrogated and tortured. Amnesty International and the Geneva Convention couldn't have saved them. We expected La Conquista to go out of business shortly.

Three years later and La Conquista is still in operation. Femme de Joie decided to be brave and give it another try. It's hard for her to believe that a restaurant could stay in business based on shots of 500 tequilas, but that may indeed be the case, as the food ranges from pretty average to pretty stuccolike.

Service was friendly and fast. Chips and salsa arrived at the table promptly, along with one food menu, one tequila menu, and one cocktail menu. This, in addition to the laminated tequila menu tacked on the wall of every booth, did not bode well for what the food might be like.

The menus are difficult to read, with bolded font on very intensely-colored paper in torn plastic page protectors. And they're badly organized: La Conquista has all the standard Mexican menu items, but you'll have to search for them. They're there somewhere in the midst of more tequila promotion. Combination platters are featured at La Conquista, most of them running $9.29 at lunch and $9.99 at dinner; they come with a choice of sides -- refried beans, corn, rice, or a green salad.

La famosa wet burrito with shredded beef, $8.99

Shredded beef filling was moist and tender but not especially flavorful. The refried beans inside were not nearly as hot as the meat so there were hot and cool spots within the burrito. Serving size was very generous.

Pork enchilada verde and chicken taco ($9.29 lunch, $9.99 dinner)

This combo of enchilada and taco were amply sized, filled with tender but bland shredded meat, but overwhelmed with too much melted cheese. It took a few spoonfuls of salsa to add any character other than cheese. A side salad was served separately (a good idea instead of lettuce wilting rapidly on a hot platter); nothing out of the ordinary but was adequate. The corn also was served separately -- plain buttered corn but unusually sweet, as though it had been heated in sugar water.

Shredded beef tamale and chile rellano, rice and beans ($9.29 lunch, $9.99 dinner).

This plate was heavy going and difficult to plow through. The tamale was shaped like a taco with nary a corn husk in sight, plasterlike masa reminiscent of canned Gebhardt's tamales and the same shredded beef used in the wet burrito. Gobs of melted Monterey Jack cheese engulfed the beef bursting from the masa casing. The chile rellano was a canned green chile filled with Monterey Jack cheese, coated in a heavy floury egg batter and deep-fried, then covered with more cheese. Refried beans were canned and the rice had a weird and unpleasant over-reheated taste. Everything was very salty.

Though M. de Joie visited La Conquista three times during prime dining hours, she never saw more than ten tables occupied. She has to assume those 500 tequilas are keeping it in business - though she didn't actually see anyone belly up to the bar and order a shot. If you're looking for a tequila sunrise, an aged anejo, or a shot with a lick of salt and a squeeze of lime, this is the place, but M. de Joie thinks you could do better elsewhere for dinner.

Note: Since this was published in A News Cafe, La Conquista has closed and is currently due to be replaced (as of August 2012) by Mazatlan Grill.

La Conquista, 1630 Hilltop Drive, Redding, CA 96002. 530-222-0450. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 11 AM - 9 PM, Sunday 11 AM - 8 PM. No checks. Cash, cards. Full bar. Vegetarian selections. Parking on-site. Outdoor seating.

Note: this was originally written and posted last winter. Not so appropriate for June, but still, a bowl of soup might be just what the doctor ordered.

Before the sunny streak, this winter had been very much like the Shasta County winters Femme de Joie remembers from her childhood, when she had to walk five miles to school in a blizzard uphill both ways over hot burning coals -- whoops, sorry. That’s a different rant for a different time.

But it looks like this season's rainy and cold winter has resumed, and that makes M. de Joie think fondly of soup -- not just adding one can water to one can of Campbell's, but real soup, soup that comforts you when you are sick, warms you down to your popsicle toes when you’re frozen, rejuvenates you when things look bleak. While it’s quite easy to whip up wonderful, soothing, full-meal soups in one’s own kitchen with only a modicum of effort, there are certain soups most people don’t attempt at home, putting them instead on the lists of foods they only eat when at a restaurant. And there are times when you just don’t feel like cooking, or when you need lunch but don't want to eat so much you feel groggy the rest of the day.

If you’re out and about on a miserable winter day, or at home wishing you had a large steaming bowl of soupy comfort in front of you, here are a few of Femme de Joie’s favorites. Each is a meal by itself, reasonably priced, and most are just a bit more exotic than chicken noodle (though dear knows chicken noodle has its place on a list of favorite comfort foods).

ALBONDIGAS AT EL MARIACHI’S

Albondigas, $4.50/$7.50, served with tortillas. This savory broth is seasoned with oregano and includes generous chunks of zucchini, carrots, onions and tomatoes, plus large meatballs. It’s sophisticated enough for adults while also appealing to kids.

For the adventurous, Femme de Joie can't say enough good things about the ridiculously red giant bowl of menudo (not pictured) served daily at El Mariachi's. Hot tortillas and a side plate of lime wedges, dried chili flakes, minced onion and chopped cilantro allows the diner to enhance the soup to taste. Fat tender pillows of tripe -- without what a friend described as "that cow-stomach smell" -- bob in a rich chili base. $7.99 for an enormous serving; good whether you have a hangover or not.

VEGETARIAN CHILI AT GRILLA BITES

Every day, Grilla Bites offers a selection of soups -- mostly organic, always with a vegetarian selection, and some designated as gluten-free. The day M. de Joie visited, the offerings included vegetarian chili (pictured above), lentil, minestrone, and their signature Rockin’ Moroccan. $3.50 for a small bowl, $6.50 for a large serving; add $2.00 to be served in a bread bowl.

PHO AT PHO SAIGON

As the name indicates, pho is the specialty of this little cafe tucked away in a corner of a strip mall near Raley's. M. de Joie favors tai sach - variety beef cuts including tendon, tripe, meatballs, and flanken, along with rice noodles in a star anise-spiced roasted beef broth, side dish of bean sprouts, fresh cilantro, and hot chilis to add as desired.

For those who like fish and want to expand their horizons a bit, try pho hai san - shrimp, squid, fish cake, imitation crab meat with rice noodle. A small bowl is $7.99.

KHAO SOY AT 5 THAIS

Khao soy ($6.99) may look like square marshmallows floating in a bowl of chocolate milk, but one sniff, one taste, will reveal flavor combinations of coconut, red and yellow Thai curry, and onion that are simply out of this world. If tofu doesn't rock your socks, chicken and beef are alternatives. Also available at sister restaurant Racha Noodle.

If there’s a restaurant that makes a fine soup you crave, M. de Joie would love to hear about it. Meanwhile, give these places a try for a warming lunch or dinner that won’t break the bank. Call for opening days/hours and more information. Note: 5 Thais and Racha Noodle accept cash only.

Pho Saigon, 236 Hartnell Avenue, Redding; 530-223-9888

Grilla Bites, 1427 Market Street, Redding, 96001; 530-242-6656

El Mariachi's, 2914 Churn Creek Road, Redding, 96002; 530-224-1847

5 Thais, 1003 Dana Drive, Suite A, Redding; 530-221-8929

Racha Noodle, 2630 South Market Street, Redding, 96001; 530- 246-8730

The spot occupied by El Mariachi's has seen a host of restaurants come and go over the years. If Femme de Joie's memory serves her, El Mariachi's was previously owned by the fine folks at La Cabana and has been under the current ownership for about two years. M. de Joie ate there once shortly after the new management took over and wasn't too impressed, but thought it was time to give it another try.

El Mariachi's has a spacious interior with tables and booths, plus a sort of enclosed verandah separate from the inside, where booths have a window view of Churn Creek Road. There's a salsa bar where diners can choose from an assortment of house-made salsas (pay heed to the signs: what looks like guacamole is actually pureed jalapenos) and accompaniments like hot carrots, lime wedges, and a mixture of chopped onion and cilantro.

A flyer on the table advertised specialty tacos, including lengue (tongue), buche (pig's stomach) and shrimp ceviche. The buche had a nice chewy texture and a mild taste, while the tongue was delicately flavored and wonderfully tender. These tacos were about half the size of Taco Bell-type tacos, each wrapped in two steamed corn tortillas, with mild salsa and chopped cilantro. Two or three of these make a lovely light lunch - or a nice appetizer for a hungrier person.

The shrimp ceviche taco was outstanding. Rock shrimp marinated in lime juice and chiles with slices of avocado atop, more lime on the side - this was one of the lightest and freshest ceviches M. de Joie has ever found.

A word here about presentation: Femme de Joie isn't usually very concerned about how a dish looks when it comes out of the kitchen. Back in the opulent 1980s, more than enough was not enough and minimalism was shunned: gilt on lacquer on cloisonné, while food was secondary to the dishes. Then came the 1990s when "stack it high" was tres chic - from stacked Caesar salad to stacked duck-legs-on-potatoes to stacked cake/berries/cake/sauce/berries, all on gigantic stark white plates. After all that, M. de Joie does appreciate a simple-but-arresting visual. El Mariachi's uses faux-Fiestaware, brightly-glazed dishes that give an exciting dimension and make the food really pop with color.

Taco salad is anything but Mexican - it's strictly an American idea, and is often piled together with a surplus of bland fatty dressings like sour cream and creamy guacamole that mask the crisp salad. Taco salad served up at El Mariachi's ($8.99) avoided the too-much-goop and was a nice balance of fresh salad, chips, shredded beef and a sprinkling of cheese atop a modest amount of sour cream. It still wasn't what anyone could claim to be diet food, but offered a lighter option to some of the heavy dishes on the menu. Skip the dressings and go easy on the chips, and this could almost be healthy.

At Femme de Joie's request, a tangy salsa verde was substituted on chicken enchiladas ($8.99) in place of the usual red sauce (which to her taste seems more appropriate on strongly-flavored fillings like beef or pork). The chicken enchilada plate (with rice and beans) might be thought of as an old reliable - maybe not the most exciting version you ever tried, but no-fail and dependable - comfort food. As noted above, El Mariachi's goes easy on the sour cream toppings, which lets you taste delicate ingredients and textures.

Chicken mole, $7.99. The menu did say the mole sauce was "sweetish" - a bit too sweet for M. de Joie's taste. But the smooth textured mole with hints of chocolate and chiles was too intriguing to ignore. Solution: a sprinkling of the chopped onion-cilantro relish from the salsa bar added a nice crunchy element and tamed the sweetness.

El Mariachi's isn't far from a chain Mexican restaurant but here you won't be asked to slam a tequila shooter and yell, "Yee-ha!" This isn't that kind of place. Service is quick, friendly, efficient, and accommodating. M. de Joie recommends El Mariachi's as a casual neighborhood restaurant to enjoy a low-key meal and not break the bank. Family-friendly.

El Mariachi's, 2914 Churn Creek Road, Redding, 96002. 530-224-1847, fax 530-221-8116. Open Monday-Thursday and Sunday, 10:00 AM-9:00 PM, Friday and Saturday, 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Beer and wine; wine cocktails. Vegetarian options. On-site parking. Cash, cards.

As noted before in this space, Redding seems to have more Mexican restaurants per square inch than any other town in the Sacramento Valley. If anyone can come up with a reasonable explanation, please speak up. This is not a complaint, you understand, just a query: we love Mexican food and eagerly seek out new, authentic places and hope for their success. Taqueria Los Gordos opened about two years ago at the corner of Pine and Tehama, in a space long occupied by the Far East Cafe for many years, and then various take-out places came and went.

Femme de Joie was intrigued by the opening of a Mexican restaurant one block from the 10-plus-years-old and successful La Cabana. She assumed the owners must be doing something to set themselves apart, and indeed they are. Los Gordos leans toward the more rustic, authentic dishes. Yes, they have tacos, burritos, enchiladas, etc., but it's the ingredients that are definitely interesting and less Americanized than their neighbor‘s offerings. In addition to carne asada, chile verde, carnitas and pollo asado, you can also get lengue (tongue), chorizo, buche (pig's stomach) and tripitas (tripe).

Now stop those gagging noises. You've never tried it, have you? Or if you did, it was probably stinky and badly cooked. Americans are offal-phobic, and more's the pity: cooked with gusto and skill, those bargain parts of the animal make delicious, if full-flavored, eating.

Interior of Los Gordos. Order at the counter and help yourself to an assortment of house-made salsas, pickled jalapenos, hot carrots and fresh radishes. They'll bring your order to your table.

Chips with pico de gallo, salsa verde and mild salsa.

Al pastor enchilada, tripitas taco, rice and beans, $6.49.

Al pastor, crisp niblets of pork along with bits of fat and skin, was a bit on the dry side but had good pork flavor. The tripitas was delicious: lightly breaded and fried, the strong flavor tamed a bit but still recognizable, with that characteristic chewy texture. The taco itself, made with two soft corn tortillas barely encasing the generous filing, was about half the size of what Americans think of as a taco, a notion firmly implanted by Taco Bell and its ilk. Refried beans were housemade, creamy and fresh.

On another visit M. de Joie tried the Super Burrito with lengua (tongue), $6.49. This is a huge burrito for the money and it was more than enough for lunch. The tongue was simmered until tender and diced. Its mild flavor got a bit lost with all the other ingredients; the sour cream was overwhelming. The carne asada or another more assertive filling might be a better choice in the burrito, or skip the sour cream altogether.

Taqueria Los Gordos is one of the few local restaurants to offer ceviche, which M. de Joie is very fond of, but unfortunately she cannot recommend it. This ceviche tostada ($2.79) appeared to have been made the day before or perhaps before that. The fresh textures and colors had faded; the main tastes were lime and hot chile and the fish itself was mushy.

Overall, Femme de Joie likes Taqueria Los Gordos and suggests it as an authentically Mexican and inexpensive way to become acquainted with some of the less popular (among Americans) parts of the pig and cow. If you can't quite bear to sample buche, go anyway and try the chicken or carnitas. Warm up slowly to the other items.

Taqueria Los Gordos, 1400 Pine Street, Redding (corner of Pine and Tehama). 530-242-6224. Also at 5200 Churn Creek Road, Redding, 530-222-5081. Open 9:30 AM to 9:00 PM seven days a week. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Vegetarian and vegan options. Cash, credit and debit cards. Beer. On-street parking.

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Page Summary

Simple Mexican Food at Las Dos Marias
Tiny Ma Der Serves Big Flavor in Old Redding
Healthy Take-Out Mexican at Roquito’s Taqueria
Jaimitos Tacos – Where’s the Zsa Zsa Zsu?
Retro Relic Macias el Michoacano in Cottonwood
El Delicioso Burrito: Don’t Fear Gas Station Cuisine
El Rinconcito’s little corner of good food
Popular Guadalajara – No hay milpa sin cuitlacoche
Joe’s Giant Orange – Yesterday’s Kitsch Becomes Today’s Diner
Mazatlan Grill – Well, cover me with guacamole and call me Sally
Fast Mex at Baja Burrito
Mexican in Anderson at La Casa Cuevas
Romo’s Tacos Keeps on Truckin’
A Little Slice of Paradise at El Paraiso
Redding’s Taco Barn Serves a Tasty Bargain
Burrito Bandito is Fast Mex That Tastes Good, Too
La Conquista Conquers Tequila – and Little Else
Soup of the Evening, Beautiful Soup
MenuPlease at El Mariachi’s: Good Mexican at Four Corners
MenuPlease at Los Gordos: Offal Isn’t Awful

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Where to Eat in Redding and Shasta County, California

Entries tagged with mexican

Simple Mexican Food at Las Dos Marias

Tiny Ma Der Serves Big Flavor in Old Redding

Healthy Take-Out Mexican at Roquito’s Taqueria

Jaimitos Tacos – Where’s the Zsa Zsa Zsu?

Retro Relic Macias el Michoacano in Cottonwood

El Delicioso Burrito: Don’t Fear Gas Station Cuisine

El Rinconcito’s little corner of good food

Popular Guadalajara – No hay milpa sin cuitlacoche

Joe’s Giant Orange – Yesterday’s Kitsch Becomes Today’s Diner

Mazatlan Grill – Well, cover me with guacamole and call me Sally

Fast Mex at Baja Burrito

Mexican in Anderson at La Casa Cuevas

Romo’s Tacos Keeps on Truckin’

A Little Slice of Paradise at El Paraiso

Redding’s Taco Barn Serves a Tasty Bargain

Burrito Bandito is Fast Mex That Tastes Good, Too

La Conquista Conquers Tequila – and Little Else

Soup of the Evening, Beautiful Soup

MenuPlease at El Mariachi’s: Good Mexican at Four Corners

MenuPlease at Los Gordos: Offal Isn’t Awful