To most people in the United States, Mexican food is synonymous with eateries like Taco Bell, Chipotle, and Don Pablo’s. However, just like other types of ethnic cuisine, the food items at these restaurants are watered-down, Americanized versions of the real thing. So, if you ever get the chance to go to Mexico, you should be able to try out dishes uncorrupted by outside influences. Here are some authentic Mexican foods you should try out in Mexico:

Gordita

If you are Mexico City in particular, you might not be able to avoid the gordita—not that you would want to anyway. It is a deep-fried thick tortilla that, after being drained of excess grease, is handsomely stuffed with a combination of ingredients, which range from the traditional cheese, meat, and salsa to more elaborate items like beans, eggs, and potatoes. Its name means “little fat one” for a reason, and in the streets of Mexico’s capital city, they are extremely popular; people buy and consume lots of them in the midday.

Elote/Esquite

Also popular in the streets is elote, which is a corn cob usually covered in white cheese, lime, mayonnaise, and chile powder. People eat elote by holding the “handle,” which is actually the elongated husk of the corn cob. Elote particularly enjoys popularity in stores and restaurants, as well. Moreover, in the streets, there is a variant called esquite, which is essentially elote in a cup; all the ingredients—including the corn kernels—are mixed in a cup for customers to eat the mixture with a spoon. Esquite is mostly common in the central and southern regions of Mexico.

Taco

Now here’s something a lot more recognizable. No Mexican food or dish, apart from the burrito, is more ubiquitous than the taco. In the U.S., ingredients like ground beef, chicken, cheese, beans, salsa, and lettuce are shoved in hard white or yellow corn tortilla shells. Depending on the restaurant, other ingredients, like guacamole and cilantro, either add to the cost of the taco or are not available at all. In Mexico, though, such ingredients are commonplace—as are soft tortilla-based tacos, which are not as popular in the U.S. Also, many street vendors have spits from which they carve out the meat—much to the delight of onlooking customers.

Chilaquiles

According to Del Mar Escapes, a place you should consider when wanting to rent a luxury villa, traditionally eaten for breakfast or lunch, chilaquiles consist of a round and thin tortilla cut into quarters. The four pieces are then lightly fried, laid on a plate, softened with salsa or sauce, and sprinkled with white cheese. The resulting dish is served with refried beans. The curious combination provides a distinctively tangy taste that makes it one of the country’s more popular dishes. To make it creamier, people add sweet Mexican cream, and additional ingredients like fried eggs, avocado slices, and pulled chicken make it a richer dish.

Pozole

Also known as posole, this Mexican soup has been around long before the Europeans decided to pay the Americas a visit. In fact, pozole was the sacred food of the Aztecs due to the fact that corn was used to make it. Today, it enjoys the status of Mexico’s national soup. And with the passage of time, people have introduced more ingredients—such as chicken, pork rinds, chili peppers, and turkey—to make the pozole a more enticing dish than ever before.

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