El Guapo

I do love Tex-Mex food (and yes it's different from Mexican food), but sometimes the restaurants seem to serve the same things. When I dined at El Guapo in downtown Tulsa, I was surprised at what I found. It's apparently a hotspot at lunch during the week, but on the weekends it was pretty quiet. Since we were celebrating the end of a great weekend, I ordered a margarita. It was quite a bang for your buck, as it was much bigger than some of the ones I am used to getting. It was really tasty. It wasn't too sweet or sour and had a nice almost slushy like consistency, so that it didn't get watered down. They are known for their tacos which sounded pretty good, but I was pleasantly surprised at how different their menu was. El Guapo serves regional Mexican food, so it was definitely not your average Tex-Mex place. They had the basics, but then they had things like a burrito bowl, different types of burritos, and tortas! A torta is a sandwich that usually comes on a bun that is similar to a hamburger bun, has some type of meat, and sauce. They are simple, but absolutely delicious.

So I'm sure you can guess that in the end I opted for the torta (which they surprisingly don't serve at a lot of places down here.) I chose to get the chicken tinga, which is shredded chicken in a mild red chile sauce. It was topped with a red chili aioli, lettuce, tomato, red onion, avocado, and cheddar cheese and served with french fries. It was absolutely amazing. The flavors blended together so well! The smokey flavors in the red chile sauces and the aioli weren't spicy like you would expect. The bun was light, but didn't get soggy or tear and the creaminess of the avocado added a freshness to the sandwich. I ordered it with french fries (I know. Who does that at a Mexican restaurant?), which were actually really good. They were crunchy and salty, though not overly tender in the middle. This has definitely made it on to my list of top Mexican restaurants, it's just a shame I am not closer or I might become a regular. If you can make it there, make sure you take a moment to sip a margarita, enjoy their rooftop patio, and sample their yummy cuisine!

Rolling to Cadillac Bar

 

Next stop on the Houston Restaurant Weeks Tour - Cadillac Bar. The Mexican gem on Shepherd was definitely worth the trip. It started off with a frozen sangria swirl margarita that was full of fruit that balanced well with the zip of the lime in the margarita. For the first course, I chose a shrimp and scallop ceviche. I have tried ceviches, but have never ordered one so this was a first time for me. This one had onions, pico de gallo, and avocado. The cool avocado and the fresh tomato cut through some of the acidic of the seafood marinade. The dish had great flavor, but I am not sure if I would order it again...Mainly because it's a weird texture and sometimes that really bothers me. It came with chips, but I had a few of those before the ceviche came so I tried not to eat too many more.

 

I do like faijitas, but usually they are too big for one. This time I decided to go for it. It was a combination of chicked, bacon wrapped shrimp, and ribs. You are probably thinking ribs at a Mexican restaurant? I know it was a bit surprising, but they turned out to be very good. The chicken had a great smokey flavor to it and the bacon wrapped shrimp (which turned out to also have a little bit of cheese with it) were amazing! Not the epitome of a healthy meal, but hey there were only two of them and I am not eating them every day. This was served with rice, beans, corn tortillas, sour cream, and my favorite...guacamole.

 

What Mexican meal would be complete without a nice piece of Tres Leches? However, I have noticed that throughout Houston Restaurant Weeks, that it has been a popular option. This was a bit fancier than some of the other ones I have had, but honestly it wasn't the best. It had a nice texture and the cake held together very nicely. The topping was a bit heavy and tasted a little too much like a whipped topping. I am more of a whipped cream girl to begin with. The cookie banner was really good though and provided a little bit of crunch for an otherwise untextured dish.

If you haven't tried out Cadillac Bar, then you should stop by. Plus I heard that they have a great brunch. Don't forget that Houston Restaurant Weeks supports the Houston Food Bank. So for all you foodies out there, keep eating for a cause!

 

 

Mai Tai Margarita

Yesterday I got the opportunity to visit one of my favorite Tex-Mex restaurants, Chuy's. I am a big fan of margaritas and was really excited that they had a new one for summer. A Mai Tai margarita, which basically means a pineapple margarita. I wanted to try it because I don't believe I have ever had a Mai Tai, so this was my chance to have an old favorite as well. I was super excited when I saw the bright yellow paper umbrella because most places don't use those anymore. They are so fun and festive, how could I not get excited when I saw it?! It was a really pretty pale pink color and it was topped with a cherry. I was pleasantly surprised after tasting it that it was not overly sweet and there was just a hint of pineapple. Pineapple is something that I really need to be in the mood for because sometimes it can be overwhelming. This is the perfect summer twist on a classic, so make sure you stop by and toast to the first day of summer!

Bottoms Up

Specialty cocktails are becoming more popular, but they are also getting more creative with names that will immediately win you over. Getting to try these new concoctions is always fun, though I can't say I have never tried a bad one. Here are the four I got to try during my stay in Austin.

Driskill Bar

The historic Driskill hotel in Austin has been around for a long time and is a place where guests may encounter ghosts. Though I didn't meet one of their in house ghosts, I did get a chance to visit their bar to try some of their house specialties. Claiming to have the 'official' drink of Austin, the batini is a modern day twist on the martini. Since Austin is known for the bats under the Congress Street Bridge, I decided it was only appropriate to give it a try. This treat was topped with a summer blackberry and was ripe with the sweetness of the fruit, making it very easy to drink. The Texas Orange Blossom, pictured on the right, was another summery drink that mimicked the flavors of an orange creamsicle. Made with locally made Tito's vodka, this was something I wish I could make at home.

La Condesa

One of my new favorite Mexican restaurants, La Condesa didn't disappoint in the drink department. The yellow colored one was a passion fruit and spiced mango margarita. This was not your typical margarita because it was not overwhelmingly sweet. The cayenne and salt rim provided a tiny bit of heat that paired well with the natural sweetness of the fruit. The pink one is a watermelon-elderflower martini. I had never really heard of the elderflower before, but it was pretty delicious in this drink. The fresh watermelon flavor added sweetness and made it the perfect summer drink. Though I was a bit confused as to why the martini was a bit foamy, it was thoroughly enjoyable. Let me know if you know what makes it foamy!

If you had a chance to try any of these let me know what you thought. Feel free to leave suggestions of your favorite drinks or places to visit next time I am in Austin.