While Boston may not be known for its authentic Mexican (Jose’s and Sol Azteca being the notable exceptions), we got it in spades when it comes to tacos and burritos. However, Chiplotle is still a toxic trap and even the BOston LOcal COmpanIes may not have the freshest ingredients or most personal service.

Enter Babson entrepreneur Dan Ustayev and his growing empire of Los Amigos Taquerias (www.amigosbutrritos.com).

While the original location in West Roxbury may be fondly referred to as a friendly phone booth, the latest spot in Coolidge Corner is open, bright, and comfortable, with reclaimed woods and antique furnishings making it a fun place to order a lot and perhaps make a bit of a mess while you devour each delicious bite. Fans in Newtonville also sing the places’ praises and Brighton is already lining up for the locally-sourced, antibiotic-free sabor.

Among the creative options Los Amigos offers are the grilled steak and shrimp combo known as the Surf and Turf burrito, a coconut shrimp style that is a favorite of the staff, and the Veggie Special with sautéed zucchini, squash, peppers, onions, cilantro-lime rice, black beans, and their signature eggplant salsa. For the fish lovers, they offer the Pescado burrito with sauteed Tillapia, and also a trio of crispy, creamy fish tacos, including the Amigos Style with pickled onions and cotija, the Baja with beer-battered Haddock and cabbage slaw, and the Tropic with beer-y shrimp, mango salsa, and guac. While any of these are sure-fire hits, what may truly set Los Amigos apart is the wide range of fresh ingredients that can be mixed and matched and placed on or between white or whole wheat tortillas or on salads according to the daily whims of their many devoted and repeating customers. Among the most notable are the grilled or spicy grass-fed Uruguayan steak, Allen Farms chicken or equally antibiotic-free pork, local baby spinach, unsweetened yet still dessert-like plantains (which are also available as a side that makes for a good dessert, but more on that below), three kinds of beans (black, red, or pinto), and, of course, the house-made Amigos salsa, Por supuesto, every table has a complete set of Cholula!addock

To wash it all down, Amigos offers Stubborn Soda, as well as more pedestrian Pepsi products. But the house special has got to be the fresh lemonade and horchata- a vegan-friendly sweetened rice milk drink that is a meal in itself! And for those who have more of a diente dulce, the aforementioned plantain plate is a great and relatively healthy snack or finisher, but the real profesionales go for the

Dessert quesadilla, loaded with Nutella, bananas and plantains. It’s so good, you may want to drop by for it even if you are (unfortunately) taken somewhere else in the area to eat.

No matter what you order, each plate has an equal blend of color and flavor and, with the open kitchen putting forth savory smells, Los Amigos is sure to satisfy every sense.