Pancho Villa Express, Fredericksburg

The San Francisco Chronicle's Leah Garchik hails Pancho Villa as “the French Laundry of taquerias,” a comparison that checks out after appraising the farm-fresh tomatoes, crisp peppers, and succulent meats that leave no room for preservatives, lard, or MSG on its menu. The Fiesta-platter appetizer brings families together to share in a parade of south-of-the-border flavors that includes garlic prawns, chicken flautas, and a heap of salsa primed for confetti cannons. Grilled-salmon burritos unite the flat-tortilla expanses of Mexico’s deserts with candies plucked from California’s sea, and tofu tacos take vegetarians on silken soy rafts down the Rio Grande. Guests can feast on combo dinners, which pair enchilada, flauta, or chili relleno entrees with traditional sides such as rice, beans, salad, and extra tortillas. Pulpy aguas frescas handcrafted in fruit flavors satisfy parched throats.