Walk through the bright red Fells Point storefront and grab a seat at Bmore Taquería’s counter bar, and you’ll likely see owner Valentino Sandoval standing at the grill next to the massive trompo—that’s the vertical rotisserie spit—that looks like a conical pork lollipop.

It’s from there that Sandoval, Bmore Taquería’s chef and owner, shaves the tender meat for the al pastor tacos, loading house-made corn tortillas with small mountains of the succulent pork, then topping them with onions, cilantro, thin spears of julienned radish, and fresh pineapple.

Al pastor tacos aren’t the only specialty of Sandoval’s hometown of Puebla, Mexico, a vibrant city southeast of Mexico City. “My hometown is popular for tacos árabes,” says Sandoval of the regional dish, which is similar but distinct: the same shaved pork, but hit with lemon juice and parsley and served on a flour tortilla with rich, mahogany-dark chipotle sauce.

Sandoval hasn’t started making those just yet (“I’m going to put it on the menu in the future”), as the taqueria, which recently got a license to serve beer and wine, has only been open since December.

The 850-foot-square space is bright and cozy, with white-tiled walls and colorful Mexican art. Sit down and a server will bring just-fried chips in metal buckets lined with festive red-and-white paper, accompanied by bottles of red and green salsa, also made in-house. (The green is a blend of jalapeños, onions, and avocado, while the red is a blend of ancho and habanero chiles that’s at once kicky and deeply flavorful.)

Sandoval’s menu includes a roster of excellent tacos alongside the al pastor, consisting of house-made chorizo, first-rate ribeye, and nopales—that’s edible cactus—he sources from the Mexican market across the street. The chef hasn’t stopped there: There’s a bright, acid-tart ceviche; quesadillas made with that chorizo and oozy cheese; a massive torta stuffed with queso Oaxaca, meat, and veggies; and sopes packed with beans and cheese.

Move down the menu and you’ll see the dishes that showcase Sandoval’s fine-dining past: a crab empanada and a glorious, rich version of a quesadilla filled with huitlacoche—known as Mexican truffle—and topped with truffle sour cream. Before embarking on his taqueria project, Sandoval and his three brothers opened the still-thriving La Calle downtown in 2018. Previously, the chef cooked at Corner Charcuterie in Hampden, and under chef Marc Vetri in Philadelphia.  “That was my fine-dining kick in the butt,” Sandoval says.

The other thing that distinguishes Bmore from your average taqueria is that it has a small but terrific dessert menu, including a chocolate mousse and an impossibly rich flan. This is the same flan that Sandoval made at La Calla, a disc of dense, caramelly custard that is best not shared.

BMORE TAQUERÍA, 1733 Eastern Ave., 443- 873-8973. HOURS: Mon.-Wed. 4 p.m.-midnight. Thurs-Sat. noon-1 a.m. PRICES: Appetizers and sandwiches: $7-13; tacos: $8-12; desserts: $5.

These days, there’s certainly no shortage of authentic Mexican food in Charm City. And chef Valentino Sandoval is planning to put his own spin on the real-deal delicacies when he opens his new restaurant, La Calle, this summer.

A native of Puebla, Mexico, Sandoval moved to Philadelphia in 1996, and cut his teeth working under the likes of Italian chef Marc Vetri, and Michelin-rated chef Walter Abrams—formerly of Napa Valley hotspot The French Laundry.

“Growing up in Mexico, I learned how to put food together,” Sandoval says. “But here in America, chefs are more like artists. I’ve learned how to be creative and put little touches here and there. I want to do something different and fuse all of the techniques that I’ve learned—from French and American to Italian and seafood—into classic Mexican cuisine.”

In 2015, Sandoval relocated to Baltimore and took a gig as chef de cuisine at Corner Charcuterie Bar in Hampden. Though he never went to culinary school, he says that his 20-year career working in various kitchens has given him ample experience to run his own restaurant.

“La Calle means ‘the street’ in Spanish,” he explains. “It’s personal to me, because I feel like I learned more on the street than I ever would have in school.”

Expected to open in late May, La Calle will take over the former home of Sydney’s Cafe on the first floor of the 10 South Street building downtown. After a long search, Sandoval and his three brothers recently landed on the 80-seat space and began to transform it from a Mediterranean-style eatery into a Mexican restaurant with orange walls, dark woods, brick accents, an open kitchen, and a bar and lounge with two television screens. 

Despite the influence of his heritage on the interior, Sandoval says that the restaurant won’t be a typical taqueria. In fact, he will only offer one taco (a classic al pastor) on the menu. Other globally influenced dishes will include ceviches, salads, tostadas, and entrees like pan-seared salmon with huitlacoche (Mexican truffle) aioli and fava bean salad. The chef hopes to use locally sourced meats and vegetables, and make all of the restaurant’s salsas and mole sauces in-house using his mother’s recipe.

“The menu is going to be small,” he says. “But we want to make sure that everything is fresh. The portions won’t be huge, but with two courses, you won’t leave hungry.”

In keeping with the chef’s values, the bar program will highlight margaritas made with fresh-squeezed juices and a sizable collection of authentic tequilas and mezcals.

Sandoval describes opening a restaurant as a lifelong dream. He is looking forward to teaching his own staff, and introducing diners to his unique take on classic Mexican fare.

“I read somewhere that food doesn’t have a soul,” he says. “We have to add soul to the food when we cook it. That way your customers can feel the love you put into it. When I make people smile, that means I’m doing something right.”