La Mexicana Tortilleria for empanadas.

Capitol Hill Taqueria for torta de milanesa de pollo.

There was a parvo outbreak there, maybe two years ago? I have also had issues there with aggressive dogs and small children running around while oblivious parents yapped away in the big dog area.

El Tesoro right down the street (the big yellow building) has an excellent produce section and meat counter if you eat that as well as plenty of staples. Their prices are also very competitive. Even after moving to Cranston, we still return weekly to pick up things that we'd otherwise need to get by visiting more than one big-box grocery store.

There is also another smaller one on Union that has an entire refrigerated room of produce, similarly well priced and a well-rounded selection.

Yes, the Guatemalan consulate is here too. There are several K'iche speakers as well. There is also a fair concentration of Guatemalans around Cranston Street and Plainfield—it was not uncommon to see women wearing their native clothing and speaking K'iche. Just be aware of the scale we are talking about—we are talking about, like, a street and a couple of side streets coming off of it. Not like, fullblown actual neighborhoods in other cities.

I looked it up a while ago and there are only about 10k Mexicans in Rhode Island. My husband gets mistaken for Guatemalan quite frequently. By Guatemalans.

Even in heavily Latino neighborhoods, there was still culture shock as there is so much variation.

Confirming it still does!

There was a credit on all bills for last month, which is why you saw that drop.

You can park for free at the state offices. The gates are always open these days, even during the work week. Technically the address is 3 Capitol Hill, but for some reason, it doesn’t always register on GPS. But you would look for the Department of Health and quickly see the biggest parking lot for the state right there.

Sure, but you can find all the staples the OP needs except for fresh tortillas. Heck, sometimes you can even find those in Dominican-run stores.

No, it is not the only grocery in the West End. El Tesoro further down Cranston Street is good sized and I can do most of my shopping there. Full meat counter and better prices on good quality produce than Stop and Shop. Unless I need, like, leeks or something.

Being married to a Mexican who came to the US as an adult and also having lived in Mexico myself and now running a restaurant ourselves, we have completely given up and have settled for mediocre. Disappointment after disappointment when looking for tacos. I would give my left arm for tacos de arrachera or at the very least carne asada and al pastor.

A couple of things I WILL seek out are:

-- empanadas from Tortilleria Mexicana on Plainfield

--mole poblano from Mexico Garibaldi or Viva Mexico

-- torta de milanesa de pollo from Capitol Hill Taqueria

--breakfast at La Hacienda on Plainfield or Mi Ranchito on Westminster (though they are both actually Guatemalan)

We just make do until the next trip to Mexico.

For mole poblano, Mexico Garibaldi on Atwells or Viva Mexico downtown. They are owned by the same family. I asked at Viva Mexico once and they told me that I could buy a quart from Mexico.

They're Guatemalan.

If you like pinto beans, try California Taco Shop. When I don't have the energy to make chips, I buy a bag of chips and an order of beans for nachos. And then the rest of the beans with eggs the next day.

If your preference is black beans, then homemade is best. I have to make my own frijol colado.

Don’t let these harbingers of true Mexican “authenticity” get you down. In my experience, most places will have one or two items. Just pick a couple places of interest and check the menu. At least one will have something.

Heck, I own a Mexican restaurant. In Mexico. Where 99% of the clientele is Mexican. And we have a couple of things like chicken wings and onion rings. That are (gasp) requested by the patrons. And Mexicans also, believe it or not, enjoy a burger every now and again.