Finding his inner fiesta

[Photo By Hannah Adamson/For China Daily]

The chili was meaty with a spicy bite. Heng incorporates red wine for added flavor. "We also use broken, soft corn tortillas to blend with a little water to make a puree consistency, then add it to the chili in the last 30 minutes to thicken it."

My friend took to the smoky beans, letting out satisfied noises of approval, and remarking how similar they are to her Hispanic grandmother's recipe.

The only setback was the guacamole, which has an authentic smooth texture but desperately needed a punch of seasoning.

Next up were Heng's most prized menu items, the "street-style" tacos. I believe I have a sixth sense when it comes to knowing a good taco when I taste one. And boy, were these muy bueno.

Each week, Heng gets fresh corn tortillas from a factory in Beijing that supplies to most Mexican restaurants in the city.

"We do our own marinades, our own slicing and dicing, everything. It's a lot of pressure for our kitchen staff to make them every day," Heng says. "That's really what I learned from chef Bayless. Everything is made from scratch."

The mouthwatering taco array featured four pairs of the chef's personal favorites, each topped off with fresh cilantro and onions, and artfully delivered to us on a long wooden serving tray.

The winning al pastor (pork) tacos had sweet bursts of pineapple, and the lengua (beef tongue) was melt-in-your-mouth tender. The carne asada, though a classic, was a bit tough and less flavorful.

We washed everything down with a frosty horchata, a Mexican drink made with rice, full of sweet, creamy notes of cinnamon, as the chef brought out crispy churros served with chocolate ice cream for dessert.

"Next time you should try the margaritas. The lime mix we make ourselves," the chef beamed.

The restaurant's margaritas, in fact, have often won better reviews than the food, as Heng works to achieve a truly authentic menu. The chef admits he's still eager to continue improving.

That said, he's not too worried about reviews.

"It's really not about the money for me," says Heng, who prices entrees from 45 to 168 yuan ($7 to $27). "It's my passion."