Oaxaca Mexican in Huntington as good as ever

A hankering for simple, honest Mexican fare drew me to Oaxaca Mexican Food Treasure in Huntington.

It had been years since I'd last eaten at this Cheap Eats staple, but I found the place unchanged: terra cotta tiles on the floor, a counter up front, heavy wood furnishings and a ceiling hung with Mexican beer banners. It didn't matter that executive chef-owner Alejandro Gonzales wasn't in the house; service was ultra-friendly, the recipes as remembered.

Dinner began with a rousing bowl of posole, or pork-hominy soup. The broth had great depth of flavor and was loaded with pork.

Then came two exemplary Mexico City tacos on soft corn tortillas: a taco de lengua, featuring succulent cubes of tongue drizzled with a red guajillo pepper salsa and a taco al pastor, roasted spice-coated pork topped with a green tomatillo-avocado salsa . Both were also showered with chopped onions and cilantro, served with a wedge of lime.

Finally, I got a tamale. Now, a worthy tamale can be hard to find; all too often, they turn up dry and bland. Oaxaca's pork tamale was exactly what I'd hoped it would be: moist, knowingly seasoned, irresistible.

Oaxaca Mexican Food Treasure is at 385 New York Ave., Huntington, 631-547-1232