La Cosinita, in New Haven, was the first jewel I stumbled upon. Tucked around the corner from the downtown restaurant drag of Chapel Street, its narrow storefront (with curiously spelled signage — “The Little Kitchen” in Spanish would typically be written “La Cocinita”) was one I’d passed many times on my way to other restaurants. When I entered the dining room one afternoon, my expectations were low: Though the pumpkin-colored stucco walls and tables covered in checkered plastic tablecloths were immaculate, the place was empty. But 15 minutes after I’d placed my order, having the space to myself suddenly seemed like a good thing — because there was no one to witness my graceless, if appreciative, slurping.

Image La Cosinita’s tacos al pastor. Credit... Lisa Wiltse for The New York Times

The dish I’d chosen, enchiladas mole (from a list including fajitas, tostadas and quesadillas), was enormous, messy and, it turned out, utterly delicious. The plate of tender white-meat chicken in soft tortillas was topped with crumbled cotija cheese, shredded lettuce and slices of radish, and smothered in reddish-brown, richly spicy-sweet mole — a complex, traditional Mexican sauce that varies regionally, but that ordinarily includes up to 40 ingredients and takes all day to cook.