Chiapas. Puebla. San Luis Potosí. One can literally taste the regions and cities that Chef Cosme Aguilar’s menu explores, and many dishes honor his mother’s memory with recipes from his childhood. A steady stream of hungry diners seek out this rather small, tasteful dining room for welcoming and hospitable service, as well as soul-warming, straightforward fare. Aim for the large, fantastic communal table.

Start your meal with hearty rajas con crema, combining none-too-spicy poblanos with sweet, fresh corn, Mexican sour cream and cheese served alongside a stack of tortillas. Tender chicken enchiladas with mole de Piaxtla may induce swooning, thanks to a sauce that is unexpectedly sweet yet heady with bitter chocolate, raisins, almonds, cloves, cinnamon, chilies, garlic and sesame. Its seductive texture has a mesmerizing depth of flavor and no matter what it's paired with, it's always a winner. Expect the chamorro de borrego al huaxamole to arrive falling off the bone and redolent of epazote, allspice and pulla chilies. Its fruity-spicy broth is drinkable.

Every bit of every spongy and buttery layer of the cow and goat’s milk pastel tres leches is absolutely worth the indulgence.