Cheap, good food at homemade tortilla shop

Hours: 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m. daily

It was an overcast day that called out for down-home, comfort food — with a kick. We found it in each crunchy bite of chicken tostada at La Morena Tortilleria in the Oyster Point area of Jefferson Avenue. The tostada started with a crispy corn tortilla, piled high with refried beans, slow-simmered chicken, lettuce, cheese and sour cream sauce. One platter pulled extra punch with the addition of smoky chipotle picosa (spicy sauce) as well as the verde cilantro picosa, a tomatillo-based green sauce with some heat. Sour cream, fresh lime and cilantro help put out the heat.

Recipes here are authentic, ingredients are made fresh on site and the lady behind the counter is genuinely warm — she even remembered Judy's favorite add-on fixings and chopped up some additional fresh cilantro while our order was cooking. Seating has recently been added to this small shop but in the process, the menu and price list was taken down. If order hasn't been restored when you stop by, just ask what's cooking in that big pot on the stove — everything here is tasty and budget-friendly. And on the way out, pick up a dozen corn tortillas made in the restaurant daily — only $1.30, tax included — and make an easy dinner tonight.