Driving from the South Bay to Orange...

Driving from the South Bay to Orange County, I am frequently faced with a dilemma: Should I stay on the straight and narrow 405, or should I exit at Avalon, grab a couple of tacos at El Charro and quickly re-enter the fray at Carson Street? Many times I do stop at this little Mexican restaurant across from Carson City Hall.

You may recognize the architecture; it used to be a Taco Bell. The food, however, is far from the mass-produced variety served at fast-food chains. In fact, El Charro serves some of the best soft tacos in Carson.

While considering your order at the counter, you’ll probably notice a vertical spit stacked high with juicy, brick-colored pork. That is for meat al pastor, a fine filling for the tacos (99 cents) and burritos ($2.99). My favorite choice here, however, is the carnitas, made with chunks of flavorful fried pork. The carne asada, grilled marinated beef, is also good.

An alarming way to wake up your taste buds is to have the torta ahogada ($2.99). This specialty of Guadalajara is a French roll stuffed with slices of roasted pork and dipped in a fiery red chile pepper sauce. The sandwich is so hot it not only heated up my mouth but most of my head, including my ears, scalp and even my mustache. I definitely recommend the soothing mango sofruttia, a slush-like drink that goes with the torta as well as a fine white Burgundy goes with lobster salad.

An occasional special is fish tacos ($4.29), three tacos filled with pollack (a member of the cod family), tomatoes and cilantro. They come with rice, beans and a soft drink.

El Charro serves Mexican-style breakfast, including huevos rancheros ($2.99) and huevos con machaca ($3.29), which are eggs scrambled with shredded beef. All breakfasts come with potatoes, rice and tortillas.

The next time you’re heading down to Orange County, stuck in traffic and hungry, consider El Charro. The freeway is much more tolerable with a good taco by your side.

El Charro is at 716 E. Carson St., Carson. (310) 549-2285. Open 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.