Tres Carnales Taqueria

• 10119 100A St.
• 780-429-0911
• trescarnales.com
• Licensed: Yes
• Price range: Low
• Rating: 5 out of 5   

You know that little downtown bistro that’s got a lineup out the door nearly every lunch hour? That’s Tres Carnales. The  little taqueria features local ingredients, fresh sides, low prices, culinary wizardry: What’s not to love?

The gaudily-decorated interior is almost as welcoming as the three friends who opened the taqueria to serve their beloved Pacific Mexican soft tacos and torta sandwiches. My own trio of palm-sized delights, which I ordered quesadilla-style, came stuffed with cheese and spicy crumbled pork sausage ($11.50). The cilantro-laden salsa was exceptional and the creamy guacamole was heavenly.

I had started with esquites ($5) – garlic-citrus-buttered golden Taber corn mixed with spicy mayo – and washed everything down with a heady, fruitless sangria ($6.50). By the end, I was pleasantly stuffed.

Next lunch hour, leave a little early and get in line: I’ll be the guy in front of you.