• EAT: Thinking outside the bun? Forget the drive-through. Chismosa Taqueria will hook you up with all that you crave.

The fairly new Mexican takeout place is housed in the front part of what used to be O Asian Grill in Miami Beach. While you wait for your order, you can sit in the small spot dotted with a few stools -- but, warning, it's hot. Better to amble back into the cavernous empty space; no one stops you. The former club-restaurant's chichi bar and banquettes remain intact, though the upstairs is vacant and eerie.

I chose to walk outside and take in the always frenetic SoBe pace. Chismosa is located right where Lincoln Road begins, and before it turns charming. There's a gigantic CVS, souvenir shops and electronics stores and prime people-watching ops.

Onto the food. No one -- Mexican food fan or not -- can go wrong by ordering the gooey quesadillas packed with chicken, ground beef, steak or pork; all the meat is cooked in front of you on an open grill. Hence, the heat, as well as amazing, smoky smell.

But it's a taqueria -- meaning they specialize in tacos, so don't overlook them. Order your choice of meat fillings, or go vegetarian with beans, and pick a hard or soft shell. Corn tortillas are baked on premises, they say. Good stuff.

The nachos, piled high with cheese, refried beans, sour cream and pico de gallo, especially hit the spot. Add guac for more mmm, mmm goodness.

Extra: Chips and salsa galore are thrown in gratis with each order. Impressive when so many places charge for them.

• DRINK: Corona, of course. They sell it on premises. A cold one practically begs you to drink it.

• WATCH: The word ``chismosa'' means gossip in Spanish, so rent 2000's Gossip, with a young, attractive cast including Kate Hudson, James Mardsen and Joshua Jackson. It's about a college rumor/experiment that goes terribly awry.

-- MADELEINE MARR

Place: Chismosa Taqueria

Address: 330 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach

Price Range: Appetizers $3.75-$6.49, tacos $2.75, burritos and quesadillas $5.75-$7.95, house special (two tacos with chips and a soda, $6.99)

Contact: -305-538-0500, www.chismosatacos.com.

Hours: 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Monday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-6 a.m. Thursday-Sunday

FYI:Cash only, for now

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