Sundown Café- The Taqueria del Sol Alternative

A friend and I were in the mood for Taqueria del Sol for lunch yesterday, but knew we had missed the lunch window. The incredibly popular Howell Mill restaurant usually has lines out the door by 11:30. Thank goodness for Sundown Café. Located on Cheshire Bridge, Sundown Café sports the same menu as Taqueria del Sol, without the lines.

I always start with the Shrimp Corn Chowder, which is spicy and rich in taste. Their specialty is tacos, and they offer 5 standard ones- Fried Chicken, a Memphis (BBQ pork), the Carnita (pork), Fish, and Brisket. The Fried Chicken is my favorite with a sweet mayonnaise dressing. I can eat, and usually a soup and three tacos will do it for me (good thing because at $1.95 a piece, this could easily be a $10+ lunch). If you are going with a group, definitely get an order of the Salsa Trio - a salsa verde, a spicy tomato salsa and a mild chipotle. The atmosphere at Sundown is not anything worth mentioning, especially when compared to the hip charm of its sister restaurant. If I hadn’t been to either location yet, I would definitely go to del Sol first. But if you’re in the mood for good soft tacos and its after 11:30, the Sundown Café is a good alternative. Grade: B.