You know how they say that good things come in small packages? In New London, MANY good things come out of the small package that is Montauk House Cafe on Montauk Avenue.

What was once, I believe, a soup-specialist lunch spot quietly changed hands in February. Maybe you, too, started seeing sandwich boards signs outside the cafe that read “Hungry?” in cheerful chalk. A skeptic who’s seen too many good New London eateries close, I presumed nothing much was doing in the sign-less space. I was so very wrong, and I’m beyond chagrined that it took me until this month to experience the delicious eats that come out of Montauk House’s kitchen.

Yes, Montauk House Cafe offers standard lunch fare like wraps, salads and sandwiches (more on all three in a minute), but the ultimate sign of greatness, for me, was the taco menu. I could eat good Mexican cuisine pretty much every day if challenged, and I might be facing a serious weight-gain issue now that I know where to acquire good Mexican 10 minutes from the office. Of six taco-filling choices, I tried three: pork, black bean and chicken.

All tacos start with soft, very fresh tortillas and come with quite zingy but actually tasty hot sauce. The depth of flavor to the pork ($6.75), which is braised, blew us away initially; then we chortled with delight as we realized the savory symphony going on with the taco's other ingredients: pickled red onions, cilantro and terrific cotija cheese. It hardly needed sauce, but when we added a few drops for the sake of science, the overall taste of the taco got turned up to 11. Ditto on the black bean taco ($6.50): it was wonderful sans sauce, but even better with it. At first glance, you might question the heft of a non-meat mix of black beans, jalapeno corn relish, the pickled onions and cotija cheese. I promise you the combo of the palatable bean mixture and those excellent tortillas will leave you pleased with your veggie choice. As for the chicken taco ($6.75), it ranked as third best, which does not mean it wasn't tasty, it was just up against stiff competition; it was very good, and, with its mix of grilled (and juicy) chicken, pico de gallo and cotija cheese, it offered a slightly different flavor profile than the others.

The two grinders we tried from the current list of six on the menu met the very high bar set by the tacos. I tried the South in Your Mouth ($10.50) by myself recently, and while I knew I would be very full if I finished this hearty construction, I couldn’t stop myself from doing just that because it was that spectacularly delicious. Yes, the price seems a little high, but this grinder is jam-packed with its brilliant mix of pulled pork, perfectly tangy mustard vinegar barbecue sauce, spiced (house-made) pickles, red onion and slaw. I must note that I typically don’t love slaws of any kind, but in this case, it added an enjoyable layer of flavor and texture to the grinder. The star of this show, though, is the excellent, juicy, tender pulled pork. Best supporting actor goes to the fantastic roll upon which all of that tasty goodness resides. A bit flaky on the outside, but soft within, it’s a fine vehicle for greatness. Also, if you try this grinder, grab lots of napkins. You’ll thank me later.

Choice number two was the Yardbird ($10.50), and the description alone should indicate how fabulous it was: buttermilk fried chicken, jalapeno slaw, tomato, pickles and garlic mayo on that same specimen of roll. The overall flavor of the grinder was more subtle than we anticipated — more bright than spicy — but a few chews in, you realize just how finely curated these ingredients are. The chicken was lightly fried and did not weigh down the sandwich; every ingredient has a role to play, and all performed well.

We wanted to change the channel a bit, so we sampled the Falafel Wrap ($6.95). Though a veggie option, this is a hearty choice thanks to the two sizable house-made falafel balls within the wrap, which is also packed with greens, more of those pickled onions, cukes, tomatoes and feta cheese. It’s a smart mix of ingredients, and we liked the wrap well enough (it was significantly tastier with a dash of the hot sauce that came with it), but, after the earlier flavor bonanzas we sampled, I found it a bit of a bore — a little more citrus zest to the mix might’ve done it for me. My husband loved it, and I can absolutely say it’s a very well done creation regardless of one’s flavor excitement level.

In one more stroke of cleverness, Montauk House Cafe also offers an array of prepared salads (you can even buy a serving of three served on a bed of greens). As huge fans of summer-y salads, we grabbed an order of the excellent Asian Noodle Salad ($3.75 for a small, $5.75 for a large) and the mighty fine potato salad ($2.95 small/$5.95 large). The noodles are of the angel hair (or smaller) variety done in subtle Asian style (read: not too tangy, not too much of a soy bomb) and mixed with a hearty dash of veggies. It’s light and lovely.

The potato salad was a fairly classic rendition, which suited us fine, but it wasn’t overly mayo’d (a plus for me) and it presented a refreshing citrus (maybe lemon?) note at the end of each bite. There might’ve been finely diced pickles tossed in the mix, or it was a smart sprinkle of dill that added yet another light layer of flavor. It would be the hit of any picnic.

After a long conversation with the cafe’s owner, Robert Ramsay, who was on kitchen duty on a recent Saturday, I can tell you to expect more news coming out of the Montauk House organization soon. Anyone who prepares food this delicious knows of what he speaks, and there are big ideas brewing in that small shop on Montauk Avenue. Also, expect the menu to change and evolve as local tastes dictate what works best to offer. We have a gem here, folks, so take note.

Montauk House Cafe

111 Montauk Ave., New London

(860) 574-9019

Cuisine: “Handcrafted food,” per the menu; selection of grinders, classic sandwiches and salads, plus tacos; local ingredients used often; specials appear often

Atmosphere: Very casual, small space; order at the counter and sit at one of a handful of tables inside and out on a cute patio

Service: Very nice people all around. If you’re in a rush, call ahead; everything is prepared fresh and greatness takes time; delivery and catering available

Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Handicap access: Sidewalk allows for access, but there is a small step to gain entry to cafe interior; small space inside

Credit cards: Yes

Reservations: N/A