I’m often asked for suggestions on the best Mexican restaurant in Mount Vernon. While there are several candidates, I always include Taqueria La Bamba, tucked away in a strip mall off of Riverside Drive.

I got hooked on their food many years ago when they were just a taco truck parked out on College Way, but now the brick-and-mortar restaurant is part of a small, family-owned chain that includes locations in Marysville and Monroe. The ambience is casual, and you order at the counter as you come in, but the place is frequently full of families and has a comfortable vibe. 

Don’t expect the cheese-laden food common to so many Tex-Mex style places — this is the real deal.

La Bamba offers all the classic taqueria plates including tacos, tortas, sopes, huaraches, quesadillas and burritos, plus an assortment of specialty dishes. Meat options are asada (beef), adobada (seasoned pork), pollo (chicken), pierna (shredded pork), cabeza (meat from a cow’s head and cheek), lengua (tongue), birria (stewed beef) and tripas (cow stomach), plus shrimp and fish. 

Tacos are $3 each (birria and shrimp are three for $12) and are served street-style, on two small corn tortillas with cilantro and raw onion, plus jalapeño, grilled onion, radish and lime on the side. Rice and beans are available to order separately or as a combo. At the moment my favorite taco fillings here are the lengua, which is tender and flavorful, and the shrimp, which are perfectly cooked and juicy.

On a recent visit with friends, the first thing that arrived on our table was a tray full of dips and salsas, along with a basket of whole fried small tortillas (tostadas). The pico de gallo was mild and fresh, and the tomatillo salsa was a little spicy with a fresh green taste.

A complex red salsa with a serious kick (possibly habanero?) was the table favorite, while a smooth red salsa mostly offered pure heat. Finally, a dish of what seemed to be straight chili oil packed the biggest punch; fortunately there was also a dish of soft bean dip to cool the fire.

Our friends tried a burrito ($11) and a huarache ($14), with cabeza and lengua. The burrito was large and well stuffed with meat, rice, beans and toppings, but was so loosely wrapped it couldn’t be picked up without dumping meat all over the table. The huarache, an oblong patty of masa piled high with beans, meat and lettuce, was too big to pick up and too thick to cut without a sharp knife, but it was reported to be delicious.

Their tortas ($9), which I tried on another night, are on large, fluffy, crisp buns. I ordered one with cabeza, which was a little fatty but very tender. There was a reasonable portion of meat, topped with lettuce, tomato, some avocado, one surprise piece of jalapeno and a smear of sour cream. I like my sandwiches saucy, so I added a lot of green salsa, plus a smear of mayo when I ate the leftovers at home.

Carne asada con camarone ($20) came on a huge platter. The beef was a very thin cut of steak, well charred, but not strongly flavored, and the shrimp were, once again, cooked to perfection. We had the option of ordering them “al mojo de ajo,” in garlic sauce, or “diablo,” spicy — we chose diablo. It only had medium heat but fantastic flavor. The dish came with rice, a smear of refried beans, lettuce and tomato, plus a basket of tortillas which were oddly tough. 

Pozole is probably my favorite dish here, and an amazing deal at $16. A soup made of hominy and pork in a mild chili broth, with toppings of cabbage, raw onion and lime, this comes in an enormous bowl with tostadas on the side. The broth is rich and gelatinous thanks to the big chunks of bone-in, skin-on pork, which can be a little tricky to eat with just a spoon, but the meat is so tender it falls right off the bone. The last time I ordered this, I ate half then took the rest home so I could get all the pork off the bones to finish it properly. 

Drinks include Mexican beer, micheladas, Jarritos sodas, and agua fresca. I haven’t gotten around to ordering breakfast yet, but La Bamba serves breakfast all day. I’m particularly keen to try their chilaquiles and especially their machaca, a dish of shredded dried beef and eggs. If their other food is anything to go by, it should be a perfect way to kick off a weekend.

Taqueria La Bamba is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and  9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday in Mount Vernon at 2222 Riverside Drive, #850. Info: 360-424-0824.