Zocalo Mexican Restaurant   

Named after the main square of Mexico City, this charming, little, ethnic restaurant, situated just a quick jaunt from Piedmont Park, is certainly the center of the Mexican food scene here in Atlanta. The renovated garage has been ingeniously outfitted into a dining room patio with plastic walls that can be unfurled when the weather requires. It's hotter than a habanero chile in the summertime, but column heaters and Mother Nature make things palatable the rest of the year. Traditional carved and painted furniture, pressed-tin designs and hanging baskets help to elevate the space into a dining room. The ingenuity doesn't stop with the decor. From the handmade tortillas to the tongue-tingling, complex mole, the Obregon family has done their best to educate Atlantans about authentic, Mexican fare. The appetizers are simple in execution and complex when it comes to flavor. One favorite entree, the chile campesino, stars a roasted poblano pepper filled with melted asadero cheese -- get it with a dollop of beef picadillo. The menu has no limits as far as we're concerned -- except maybe the pasta dishes, which we consider a sell out to pander to popular American tastes. And for the tequila aficionado out there, hold on to your sombrero. Their selection, at more than 150 different kinds, is eye-opening.