Taqueria el Pastorcito is for diners craving spit-grilled pork, hulking burritos, fresh tacos and drinks served in a room where Latin music dictates the mood, Spanish bounces off the walls, and everyone feels like a regular.

A family-run spot with connections to central Mexico, Taqueria el Pastorcito could have been plucked from any number of Mexican towns.

Warm and unfussy, its tables are occupied by ravenous locals, time-pressed office workers and immigrant families looking for the flavours of home.

"In most of the republic of Mexico, you'll find this type of food," explains manager Carlos Gutierrez. "What we sell, you'll find in Guadalajara, in Guanajuato. Mexico is tacos."

So, it seems, is Taqueria el Pastorcito, which opened in October, 2023. The menu, however, also invites diners to sample burritos, volcánes, tortas and quesadillas.

The common theme? Each is made from prime ingredients and time-tested recipes learned in Mexico by Gutierrez and his clan.

"All of our raw materials are top quality," explains Gutierrez. "We know, without doubt, that what we serve is the best."

"You can have a recipe, from beginning to end, but it's all about how you make it," he adds. "It's different if one person makes it or another."

Judging from the restaurant's name, its signature item comes as no surprise. "The most popular dish is the tacos al pastor," affirms Gutierrez, explaining that the menu also includes house-made chorizo, sirloin, beef tongue, and mushrooms.

Still, get a glimpse of the 50-kilo trompo rotating in the kitchen and you’ll demand it any which way the kitchen is willing to comply.

In Tacos al Pastor ($5, each), a generous mound of marinated meat is served on golden-yellow corn tortillas that are supple enough to bend at will, yet sturdy enough to get the job done. Each is topped with diced onion and a heap of fresh cilantro.

Delivered to the table with each order, fresh, house-made salsas and marinated vegetables allow you to customize at will.

Order one taco or a dozen, and you'll find yourself bounding from one dip to another — from serrano chile-based verde and morita chile-hued roja, to fiery chimichurri a la naranjita, which has nothing to do with oranges, or even Argentine chimichurri, but relies on mustard for its amber tint.

"One of the things that makes us stand out are the marinated, grilled jalapeños and onions we serve on every table," adds Gutierrez. He recommends diners take a bite of their taco, followed by a nibble or mouthful of smoky pepper, for a flavour that's tailored uniquely to them.

Crisp and cheesy, with a deeply savoury edge, Volcán Lengua ($8.00) makes eating tongue more attractive to those who may initially balk at the idea.

Slow-braised until yielding and steeped with flavour, then chopped to abolish its likeness to an enormous appendage, the organ meat's appeal becomes abundantly clear.

As filling as two-handed meals always promise to be, Burrito de Sirloin ($10.00) is packed with beef, onions and herbs, with the option to add cheese for an additional $2.

The perfect playground for the team's salsas, this one is best eaten on-site, where the napkins are plentiful and the house-made drinks help wash everything down.

"We don’t use syrups, we start with the raw ingredients," says Gutierrez, of the process followed to make the restaurant's beverages. "We boil the flowers for the base of our Jamaica, then sweeten it."

A refreshing pool the colour of raspberry jam, Agua de Jamaica ($3.00) is a cooling antidote to some of the menu’s spicier options.

Also made in-house, Horchata ($3.00) is milky, with a subtle, cinnamon edge. Akin to liquid rice pudding, it's leaner than at other spots, yet just as enticing.

Though dessert may seem like overkill, there's always the option to take one home. Sample silky Flan ($10.00) or a crowd-sized slice of smooth, sweet Tres Leches Cake ($10.00) and, on your next visit, you might reconsider that last taco.

A spot for lingering or for filling a void, stat, Taqueria el Pastorcito is all about a flood of flavour.

Will you remember the room or the simple décor? It's not likely. But you will remember the crew, the chili-sweet flavour of herb-flecked, fat-basted pork, and the lingering desire to return.

"The majority of our clients say that we make some of the best tacos in Toronto,” observes Gutierrez. “A lot of people make good ones but people know we're at the top. On the weekends, this place is crazy."

Taqueria el Pastorcito is located at 1160 Bloor Street West.