Beyond the gourmet zones that are taking hold in the city, there's a culinary treasure that has been part of many families' lives in the La Mesa area of Tijuana. "El Poblano" serves traditional Mexican tacos and they've been in business for generations with no hint of them going anywhere, anytime soon.

The owner of this appetizing hotspot is from Chaucingo, a small village located in the Mexican state of Puebla, which is why he decided to call the business "El Poblano" (a nickname for Puebla natives in Spanish) when he established it in 1974. The original location was a few blocks away from where it's operating now because of its huge success, so they had to move and expand their establishment in 1993 thanks to high demand.

In a city with so much food variety, the number of taco shops can be a bit overwhelming for some, leading some to ask themselves: Is it really worth the trip? Almost 40 years of taco making experience seem to shout out a loud "Hell yes!", because even though they lack a signature dish like so many other new gourmet places, it's the way the meat and the salsas are prepared and come together that make these great traditional Tijuana-style tacos stand out from the rest (yep, there's a "Tijuana-style" all right).

"El Poblano" taco shop is located at 7813, Boulevard Díaz Ordaz, La Mesa. It's an approximately 20 minute trip from the International Border (mostly due to traffic), but you'll get to see to the real Tijuana, the one beyond the tourist zone, and trust me, it's absolutely worth it.

VIDEO: El Poblano

Jorge.Guevara@sandiegored.com

jose.sanchez@sandiegored.com