Grabbing a taco on a Sunday at 3 p.m. should be a pretty uneventful experience. But walking into a packed restaurant in the middle of the afternoon is usually a pretty telling event. Just a few steps from the L, Taqueria Moran is a popular Mexican joint for a reason. Patrons are immediately served with tortilla chips and unbelievably good salsa (roasted vegetables provide the extra burst of flavor), along with hefty menus full of traditional Mexican options. Expect chicken fajitas with rice and beans ($6.95), huevos rancheros ($3.95), burritos ($3.55) and chicken flautas ($4.99).

Try the tacos, which put a new spin on an old favorite. The chicken taco, teeming with cilantro and lettuce, taste like a sister to mom's chicken noodle soup, while the fish taco's mayonnaise lining puts all other fish sandwiches to shame. Even better, the chicken taco costs just 99 cents, and two is plenty for an average appetite.

Centerstage Reviewer: Kate Schwartz