Update: This spot is sadly no longer open. Until not long ago, Francisco I. Madero was a typical – and rather uninviting – street in Mexico City’s Centro Histórico, uneven and full of potholes, with narrow sidewalks. The avenue was constantly clogged with car traffic trying to make its way to the Zócalo plaza in the center of the neighborhood. In short, it was a mess.

Update: This spot is sadly no longer open. As diverse Mexican food is, there are times when we just have a craving for something different, which is why we were delighted recently to discover La Petite Crepe in the Centro Histórico, a tiny eatery producing delicious crepes and tasty beverages with an international pedigree.

Although we’re always hitting the pavement in search of the next good place to eat, sometimes places come to us. Such was the case with Tacos Árabes La Periquita, or “The Little Parrot,” an unassuming taquería in San Rafael that serves a relative rarity in Mexico City: “Arab tacos.”