You don't need to look at the census to recognize Cincinnati's rapidly growing Hispanic population. Small, Hispanic-run, Hispanic-patronized restaurants are popping up in all corners of the city, providing plenty of tangible -- and far less bland -- evidence.

I'm here to spill the frijoles about two authentic Mexican taquerias that have opened in the past few years. They're probably unknown to anyone who doesn't regularly drive through Springdale or Fairfield to scan inconspicuous strip mall storefronts.

At Taqueria Mercado and Taqueria Azteca, you won't find piñatas dangling from the ceiling, sombreros on the wall or zigzags of festive lights. These are simple eateries catering to the working Hispanic populations in their neighborhoods.

Taqueria Mercado
This is the bigger of the two, with more seating and a liquor license. The owner also operates the adjacent Panaderia Mexicana, where bread for the taqueria's tortas is baked. My friends and I found our gringo selves in the minority among a lively crowd on a recent Friday night, but everyone was friendly and our young waitress indulged our attempts at Spanish even though her English was better.

In the front dining room, men were hard at work scraping mounds of sizzling meat across the griddle in the open kitchen. In the next room, we found the bar half-seated and a jukebox doing everything it could to substitute for a rowdy Mexican band. One grinning patron kicked off every song with a long, high-pitched yelp-turned-howl.

With the menu offering tripas (tripe) and lengua (beef tongue), we knew we were in for the "real enchilada," although my party was more interested in just getting an actual enchilada than trying the tripe soup called Menudo ($5 small, $7 large) offered on weekends and said to be an instant hangover remedy.

We started with two Ceviche Tostadas ($2.50 each) -- delicious, a must-order. Crispy tortillas were topped with shredded fish (crab, I think) marinated in limejuice and fresh cilantro. Mercado's chorizo is spicy, flavorful and not too greasy, and a Chorizo Quesadilla ($4.50 large, $2.25 small) would make another good appetizer.

Chicken Enchiladas ($6.95) boasted a rich, reddish-brown sauce that soaked all the way through the tortilla without making it mushy. Carne Asada ($6.95), or grilled steak, was lean, pounded thin and well-seasoned and accompanied by avocado, lettuce, tomato, good pico de gallo and a stack of warm corn tortillas. The refried beans have never seen a can, and the mild, seasoned rice is nothing like the gooey, tomato-paste sort you remember from Chi-Chi's.

Wash down your dinner with Agua de Horchata ($1), rice water sweetened with cinnamon and vanilla, or one of several Agua Frescas ($1). The bar offers Don Julio or Patron ($6) for tequila aficionados and plenty of Mexican beers ($2.50). My friends loved the margaritas ($3/small, $6/large), which come in strawberry (sweet but not sickly) or lemon (mouth-puckering).

Taqueria Mercado has recently changed its hours, now opening at 6 a.m. Monday-Saturday (9 a.m. Sunday) with breakfast specials. I'll be back for Huevos Rancheros ($4.50) soon.

Taqueria Azteca
Taqueria Azteca's front window is covered in neon-painted bubble letters that read "Tacos! Enchiladas!" Inside, the walls are quietly decorated in sleepy, mythological-looking framed prints of Aztec warriors.

It doesn't have the large staff or space of Taqueria Mercado, but the food is just as authentic. It also has a few things Taqueria Mercado doesn't, such as Caldos ($5.25), or soups, of chicken or beef.

A friend and I stopped in for a lunch of a Chicken Burrito ($5 regular, $6 super) and Combo Platter 2 ($6.99): a beef taco, two chiles rellenos, a pork tamale and sides of refried beans and rice.

For anyone not versed in the differences between Tex-Mex and authentic Mexican, traditional tacos are always served in soft tortillas and the beef is shredded, never ground. Both the chicken in our burrito and beef in the taco were cooked in more tomato- than pepper-based sauce. I was surprised to find potatoes and bits of zucchini in the rice, but the owner told me it's often made that way in Mexico.

Azteca's chiles rellenos are honest and simple, highlighting the poblano's mild but still bold flavor, filled with a creamy, melted cheese and coated in a lightly egg-battered shell. Steamed in a corn husk, the homemade tamale was dense and moist, although the pork inside was a little tough.

Mexican food had its usual effect on me, so it was all I could do to keep my eyes open for the drive home. They should string up a few hammocks so you can take a siesta after your meal! ©

Taqueria Mercado
Go: 6507 Dixie Hwy., Fairfield

Call: 513-942-4943

Hours: 6 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Sunday

Payment: Major credit cards.

Grade: B

Taqueria Azteca
Go: 322 Northland Blvd., Springdale

Call: 513-772-1228

Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday

Payment: Major credit cards

Grade: C+