Look no further than the icy heart of this past Valentine's Day blizzard as to why our citizenry seem so nearly pathological about 'authentically' correct ethnic food. This peculiar, culinary OCD comes from a belief that many, like myself, secretly harbour: aside from its many physically and spiritually nourishing qualities, good food is an excellent mode of transportation-- it can connect Toronto tables to lands more remote and exotic. How lucky then for those prepared to make the trek, brushing away the snow uncovers the best Taqueria in the city tucked away in an unassuming corner of Weston; a warm, welcoming Mexican bubble blown against the inhospitable Toronto winter.

Feelings of home inspired by this cantina's former--and occasionally re-appropriated--life as owner/chefs Teresa Medina and Indalecio Marroquin's living room mean you're just as likely to find younger family members home-working or telanovella-watching as adventurous foodies at the tables; and luckily, recently completed dining room expansion means everyone's welcome. Hospitality aside, the home cooked food's the thing as this Latino locus amoenus (that's happy place in the local currency, Jackson) dishes cuisine that impresses in both its simplicity and tasty reverence to Mexican street food.

Thaw your wintery bones with a steaming bowl of pazole (exceedingly generous piles of pulled pork and maise immersed in a spicy tomato broth, that goes a long way to justifying the $7 price-tag) or a tasty Tostada--a thin, crispy corn tortilla disc smothered with a generous helping of savory refried black beans and sour cream ($2) then add chicken, pork or chorizo for a dollar more.

The tacos are textbook. Cornflour tortillas surround all manner of filling such as Carnitas--succulent, fall-off-the-bone slow roasted pork humbly adorned with a sprinkle of coriander and spring onion ($2) can be dressed up with spoonfuls of tangy, cool tomatillo salsa or fiery, chili and coriander infused tomato salsa. Equally exceptional taco variations include chicken, beef or chorizo. For the daily specials, those same soft corn tortillas envelope insanely delicious conchinita pibil-- citrus-and-spice suffused pork shoulder marinated in 24 hours of cumin, yellow achote and OJ--so good you'll think you're licking actual sunshine off your fingers ($2.50 each) or surround cabezas-- luscious, sticky, slow-steamed (and low fat the chef assures me, yeah right) marinated beef cheeks and fried onions ($2.50). Rich with a luxurious combination of cheese, onion and tomatillo salsa, Huaraches see that stuffing (along with beef, chicken or in this case pork) spill over the edges of a thick, chewy imported 'sandal'-shaped tortilla ($7)

Wash the lot down with a bottle of Sangrita or Mexican green apple soda and and while it may be true that you're physically no closer to the equator than you when you woke up this morning, thanks to fine food steeped in culinary tradtion you'd be hard-pressed to beiieve you weren't in some steamy southern zocalo instead of the winter-white Toronto night.