It’s a long way to Oaxaca from the Texas-Mexico border, but Mexico’s chief culinary destination feels closer at this cozy brick-walled eatery. The chef’s arsenal of spices includes achiote, cinnamon, and guajillo chiles—all deployed to excellent effect. The huaraches (literally “sandals”) are actually flattened slabs of grilled beef, chicken, or pork accompanied by a bubbly queso fresco sautéed with cilantro and onion. The torta’s culinary cousin is the pambazo, which unites chorizo and potato in marital sandwich bliss (the bread is steeped in a guajillo chile sauce and then deep-fried to a soul-satisfying crunch). A mild salsa verde envelops chicken in green sauce, sided with white rice and epazote-tinged black beans. Tlalyadas (tostadas’ broader cousin) are charred crisp and stacked high, accompanied by black beans, comino-infused chicken, bright slivers of creamy avocado, and a fiery house salsa. And if you have enough people at your table, don’t neglect to order the tesmole, a hearty chicken stew. Cool your buds with a perfectly chilled tamarindo agua fresca.