Does this place ring a bell?* I stumbled upon it by chance at the east end of the Westgate "Shopping Center" - as close as OP gets, I guess - slightly more visible now that Marion is back open to traffic. I was surprised to learn they've been there for most of a year, opening first as "Mex Fresh Cafe" after Jerusalem Cafe moved from this location into the space formerly occupied by the worst Panda Express franchise in the world. I think that if I've noticed it before in either incarnation, I subconciously wrote it off as the back entrance to Los Cazadores.
It's a bright, well-ventilated room with about five cute tables at one end and a space for queueing on the other, against a see-through grill with typical overhead clapboard menu. I was pleased to note that they have both pork and lamb carnitas, though usually not both on the same day, according to the staff. I tried the
borrego, the simple pulled lamb shoulder, and they also have a saucier mixiote which is marinated. This was very fresh, good lamb.
I also tried a chorizo sope, and taco al pastor - nice chopped white onion and cilantro, crispy edges, lime slice, good marinade. Not quite salty enough, and no spit that I saw (for Hammond's comfort), but it was much better than my
last west suburban al pastor excursion. The sope was perfectly cooked, but made with a prefab masa boat, and tasted like every other chorizo sope I've had save Frontera and Fonda del Mar, which are exceptional.
The two running the place couldn't have been more competent and pleasant - they knew their stuff, talked favorite bakeries with me, let me try a torta roll even though I didn't order one, and certainly could cook. She was from Oaxaca and he from Hidalgo. The horchata tasted homemade; very refreshing. No carne en su jugo, but they do have caldo de res and pozole (and, intriguingly, sopa azteca), and if they're as generous with the avocado on those as they were with the sope, they can't be bad. Salsas were fine; not pureed beyond recognition like many places, and a good bite to the red.
I'll be back to try the mixiote and carnitas - I'd rather give these guys my business than Chipotle, even if it's a pretty standard taqueria; nothing fancy, but handled well enough.
Golden Lamb
1110 Westgate Street
Oak Park
*not like the bell at Xni-Pec, of course