Hall of learning

3 Caminos is entryway to Mexican cooking

Carnitas burrito at Tienda Mexicana 3 Caminos in Aiken, South Carolina/ Photos by Michael Stern
Carnitas burrito at Tienda Mexicana 3 Caminos in Aiken, South Carolina/ Photos by Michael Stern
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As much as its menu, a restaurant’s décor lets customers know what they’re in for. Décor at Tienda Mexicana 3 Caminos is the kitchen’s pantry and root cellar. While walking through the small retail grocery area up front connected to the restaurant in back, you will pass cactus pads piled in a laundry basket, herbs drying in a secluded place, and crates holding assorted fruits and vegetables. You can buy some of the produce if you want, but mostly it’s there for the kitchen’s use.

Fruits and veggies
Cactus pads
Drying herbs

The point is that 3 Caminos makes food from scratch. This becomes even more apparent when you look into the kitchen as you place an order. The way to do it, once you’ve studied the wall-mounted menu, is to approach a pass-through window at the far end of the dining room. One of the staff will greet you and find out what you want to eat. Behind them you will see cooks at work, seeding peppers or working masa harina to make dough for tamales.

 
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