Restaurateurs often see their establishments as a way to return to their roots -- for instance, Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill stands as a testament to the worldly celebrity's upbringing in a humble Clinton, OK Bennigan's. Going back to their beginnings, the guys behind Mexico City: The Gourmet Taco.

Started by two brothers raised on Distrito Federal street food but employed the past 20yrs in high-end hotel kitchens (Adolphus, Adam's Mark...), TGT dishes out ultra-traditional fare in an unassuming strip diner where the 31-seat feasting area's smaller than the totally open kitchen (like, even if you're into furries, the kitchen is cool with that). Ensuring authenticity via touches like a brick-shielded spit for spiced, marinated, slow-roasted pork al pastor (M. City's signature meat), TGT plates tacos from the aforementioned, to alambre (a beef/sausage/pepper/onion mix), to lengua and fish; all come with a stainless-steel table tower brimming with add-your-own salsas, cilantro & lime wedges. Other pants-tighteners range from tortas (a milanesa w/ panela cheese, the egg/sausage "de Albanil"...), to served-'till-10am'ers like bacon/chorizo/ham breakfast tacos, pulled-chicken chilaquiles, and salsa-slathered chicken tamales -- the latter Saturday only, suggesting the chickens are clearly free (power) rangers.

In the coming weeks, the brothers will add entrees like seared rib-eye in a light adobo sauce, "Mole Chonita" (green or red mole'd chicken quarter, using their mom's recipe), and lamb-crammed foot-long flautas -- to finish that, then like another Clinton, you'll need some weed with Willie.