Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana has been a favorite of local foodies for years, but it got national exposure in the July issue of Food & Wine. In his Best New Chefs 2009 interview, Restaurant Iris chef/owner Kelly English named the pork tamales at Las Tortugas his favorite cheap eats.

Photo by Brad Luttrell

Tacos carnes asada awaits a diner at Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana in Germantown. The restaurant uses ribeye for their meat cuts because of its quality. All food is hand-selected by Jonathan Magallanes, son of the owner, in the morning before the shop -- modeled on a torteria -- opens.

Photo by Brad Luttrell

Jose ''Pepe'' Magallanes, owner of Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana, doesn't mind getting in the kitchen and helping out. ''This is not food, it's cuisine,'' he said. ''Food is for schools and prisons.'' There's abundance, but no cheese dip or sour cream -- because that isn't truly authentic Mexican.

Photo by Brad Luttrell

Daphne Snipes and her daughter, Madison, 14, finish up their meal at Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana in Germantown on Tuesday. Daphne Snipes said it was her first time there, and that it was ''so good.'' The two had the tinga chicken tostados, or spicy chicken.

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That's some kind of praise, and indeed, those are some kind of tamales. I wouldn't call them cheap, though, but we'll get back to that.

At Las Tortugas, owner Jose ''Pepe'' Magallanes and his son, Jonathan, are proud to give first-time patrons the spiel about how a Sysco truck has never pulled up to the restaurant -- instead, they shop

daily. Major kudos there. They finish by talking about the authenticity of the food: No cheese dip, no sour cream, no burritos and so on.

I ate a lot of food for this review, making three visits instead of the usual two, and my only very mild complaints about the food are with the De Carnitas Mexico City (braised Mexican pork barbecue shoulder) and the chicken tamale. The complaint? Only that they were bland for my taste. That's all. The quality was top-notch, and the other items we tried had plenty of flavor.

Several items stand out above all others. The shrimp tortuga; the pork tamales and the black bean and cheese tamales; the chicken mole verde tostada; the molletes con pollo (toasted bread topped with beans, melted cheese, spicy chicken and slices of avocado); and the elote con mayonesa y cotija (corn on the cob with mayo, lime, red pepper and cojita cheese).

The corn is positively addictive. Steamed ears are lightly slathered with lime mayonnaise, dusted with red pepper and rolled in salty, powdery cotija cheese. So simple, but I can't think of anything that could improve it. After eating my first ear at Las Tortugas two weeks ago, I've made it at home about half a dozen times.

An order of molletes con pollo brings the most generous serving of cheese you'll find at the restaurant, and it's also the dish I'll return to again and again. It's comfort food. The bread for the tortugas is made in-house daily, so what you're getting is excellent bread, soft on the inside with a toasted crisp exterior, melted cheese and shredded spicy chicken on top. The avocado (served abundantly with most dishes, and all at their peak) gives a cool creaminess, and dots of hot sauce kick it up a little. It's a bargain at $5.25.

But in general, you might get a bit of sticker shock when you make your first visit to Las Tortugas and we need to explore this.

Is an order of fish tacos worth $10.95? Absolutely. They come four to an order, the quality is impeccable, and they're served with the excellent Spicy Salsa Tayde, a green salsa made with avocado, and a delightful small salad with freshly pickled cucumbers. The problem is that when we buy tacos in a taqueria, we buy them singly for $2 or so, and we typically don't order four. Don't worry -- you'll eat them, and you're only paying a couple of dollars more than you would for something of lesser quality elsewhere.

Then we come to this: Are two tamales worth $7.95? Yes, again. These are hefty tamales, not Delta tamales, handmade every morning. The shrimp tortuga, though, well, that's another story. Let me tell you about it before I tell you what it cost.

It might just be the best sandwich in town. It's on that fabulous homemade bread, and plump, sweet wild-caught Gulf shrimp just spill out the sides when you bite in. It's full of tomato and avocado, is dressed with slices of queso fresca and comes with a side of homemade chipotle mayo. You taste it and because you can't talk with your mouth full, you make eyes with your dinner partner and engage in those culinary moans of appreciation.

I confess I didn't look at the price of the sandwich on the board. It was a special, not on the menu. It turned out that Kelly English was in line behind me. When I was squinting at the sign and mumbled "shrimp tortuga," he said "get it." 'Nuff said.

When I started writing this review, I looked at the receipt and saw that it cost $18.95.

I dine out a lot and I'm often a little taken aback by prices. This is a case in point, the $19 sandwich.

The sandwich is plenty big for two, so that tempers it a bit. And it sells likes hotcakes.

"It's like driving a Mercedes," Jonathan said. "You get what you pay for."

I'm in agreement.

Quickly to the chicken mole verde tostada. Mole is many things in Mexican cuisine. Here, it's a paste of pumpkin seeds, chiles and spices that coats tender shredded chicken atop a crisp, standard tostada shell. The flavor is deep, smoky and nutty, a winning combination.

Wrapped up, the food at Las Tortugas is tops all the way. The prices are a bit high, but generally worth it. Exceptions, like the shrimp sandwich, will have to be a personal choice. I do wish the restaurant offered table service and served food on plates with real flatware instead of in baskets with plastic forks, but it's modeled on a Mexican torteria and this is how it is.

The agua frescas, drinks made with fresh fruit, are worth the trip on a hot day even if you're not eating. The lime, watermelon and jamaica, a brewed tea made from the hibiscus flower, are my favorites. If you're there on a day when they've made jamaica palletas (ice pops), treat yourself. Jonathan promises they'll have them in August.

-- Jennifer Biggs: 529-5223

Read more about Las Tortugas at whiningdining.com.

Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana

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Food:

Service:

Atmosphere:

Address: 1215 S. Germantown Rd.

Telephone: (901) 751-1200

Hours: Monday through Saturday 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m.

Category: Casual

Handicapped access: Yes

Alcoholic beverages: Beer

Reviewer's choice: Shrimp tortuga ($18.95); pork tamales ($7.95 for two); black bean and cheese tamales ($7.95 for two); chicken mole verde tostada ($7.95 for two); molletes con pollo ($5.25); elote con mayonesa y cotija ($4.20)