El Oasis, the little taco stand that could

(Note: After a temporary closure, this location is back open again, now moved just a few doors down, right next to Lam's Sweeper Service.)

It's just a little taco stand on wheels, like they have in Los Angeles. Except at El Oasis people will stand in line sometimes even in the middle of a snowstorm. They're in a parking lot at the corner of Michigan Avenue and North Francis Street (just east of the light at Foster Street, a few blocks west of Frandor).

Very authentic Mexican food here. You won't find food quite like this anywhere else in Lansing. The tacos - which come with a wide choice of meats, from chicken, shredded beef or pastor (pork) to the more exotic tongue or tripe - are served on a corn tortilla with cilantro and onions and a wedge of lime. I love the shredded chicken myself, and it's good with just the lime, but the salsas are too good to pass up. The mild sauce is a green tomatillo-based sauce that I particularly like on the tacos. The hot sauce is a tangy red sauce, with a milkiness that I can't identify, but hot and tasty. I can't make up my mind, so I ask for both whenever I visit.

Another of my favorites is the tostada, which come with the usual beans, lettuce, tomato, but also with sour cream and a fresh cheese that's crumbly and yummy. They put a little touch of avocado on top, and next time I might ask for more. The tostadas are offered with any of the meats, but I just get a plain bean tostada.

Tacos are $1.50 (2.00 for some of the more exotic meats), and the tostadas are $3.00 with meat, or $2.00 for just the bean version. Other prices are pretty much in that range.

It used to be that you could only get food from El Oasis at festivals, where the lines would be an hour long sometimes. Now that they have a permanent location the lines are shorter, and they get the hand made food to you fast. Give them a try.