Carmelita’s Mexican Restaurant

It was two years before we stepped into Carmelita’s, even though we lived only a few blocks away. Too bad for us because this little gem grills up some of the best beef and chicken fajitas in town – as good as our other favorite fajita spot, El Tiempo Cantina. Carmelita’s serves the same juicy, premium beef tenderloin filet, but at nearly half the price. For $29 per pound, it’s an affordable treat for two or three people. A tip: Request that the Mexican rice and refried beans be served on a hot griddle to keep them tasty. There are other similarities to El Tiempo and the original Ninfa’s on Navigation, so it wasn’t a surprise to learn that Carmelita’s owner Carmen Arellano worked for Ninfa’s founder Ninfa Laurenzo, whose son and grandson opened El Tiempo. Arellano’s smooth four-alarm green chile avocado and chunky tomato red salsas are consistently good, along with the prized, fresh off-the-griddle corn tortillas and soft, yeasty flour tortillas. Either make a perfect companion to the aromatic chicken a la Mexicana, topped with caramelized onions, jalapeños and tomatoes. The homemade tortillas also come with the bargain all-day breakfast menu. The chilaquiles and huevos con chorizo rarely disappoint at $6.99 each.