Veteran Chefs Bring Michelin Skill to Affordable Tacos in Aurora

AURORA, Colo. — At Molino Chido, a new taco shop that opened in November from veteran chefs Michael Diaz de Leon and Tommy Lee, the tortilla is more than a wrapper – It’s the attraction.

“Nixtamal” corn is cooked in a solution of water and calcium hydroxide, Diaz de Leon said. It’s then ground into masa, mixed with water, flattened, and formed into circular tortillas with the help of a little machine.

The traditional process, they said, makes the tortillas more fragrant, more nutritious, and easier to digest than mass-produced tortillas.

Co-Owner Tommy Lee brings his experience from Hop Alley and Uncle Ramen to the new taqueria at Stanley Marketplace in Aurora.

“The tortilla is kind of the highlight, and everything else is to accentuate the tortilla,” said Lee. “It’s a labor of love. It’s kind of rustic, and gritty, and the food and the beverages are polished, but the experience is like your street style, more authentic experience.”

Storage space is at a premium. Large bags of corn, flour, and beans sit near the dining area in concrete farm troughs. Bottles of soda sit above the tortilla-making viewing window, and green, metal folding chairs with the restaurant’s logo fill the space, and the design is meant to evoke a feeling of being in Mexico City.