You see it everyday in the bustling neighborhood of Albany Park: rushed residents scurrying from the trains with bags in tow, hair all over the place with not an ounce of energy. “Busting out the skillet will wait to the weekend,” you imagine some say in their heads while braving the cold and opting instead for Taco Chino, the eagerly anticipated Mexican restaurant steps from the Kimball Brown Line.

A cleaner and better-lit alternative to other Mexican joints in the area, Taco Chino offers a small space for eat-in guests comprised of bright orange and lime-green walls with paintings of Mexican village life hanging from them. The seating arrangement works for anyone wishing for a bit of intimacy providing enough elbow room, but many of Chino's guests come in the take-out form.

The tacos come dressed with onions and cilantro, the way aboriginals typically prefer, if you ask around. The meat's seasonings could be a tad more pronounced, but more-or-less we stand by Chino's tacos. While mostly Mexican plates abound (burritos, quesadillas, tostadas, etc.) we were a bit stung by off beat choices like wings and spicy seafood noodles. We assume the neighborhood's eclectic mix of backgrounds and students lead to these wandering birds on the menu.

Average cost: <$10

Centerstage Reviewer: David-Anthony Gonzalez