La Calaca Comelona   

Moving from its previous location on Southeast 12th, La Calaca Comelona ("the hungry skeleton") brought with it a pared-down selection of its Day of the Dead icons and Frida Kahlo reproductions. The vibrant color scheme recreates the restaurant's trademark ambience, and lighting is much improved, making for a more intimate and intriguing dining experience. And unlike its former location, this larger space offers full table service and a bar with a wide selection of fun cocktails. The menu is more complex in both scope and flavor. Homemade tortillas are still a hallmark, as is the perfect blending of chiles, corn, avocados, herbs and cactus pods in the wonderfully satisfying traditional Mexican dishes. You'll find La Calaca's usual offerings of juicy tacos, tortas, tostadas and a number of terrific, inexpensive menu additions. House specialties include the "puerco con chile negro" (grilled pork loin with grilled almonds and a fiery chile sauce); several meat and seafood combinations grilled with onions, peppers and cheese; and a number of deeply complex mole-based entrees. -- Jo Ostgarden