Tila's

I hope you have heard, but if not August 1-31 is Houston Restaurant Weeks. This started off as a one week event where restaurants created special lunch and dinner menus where a portion of the proceeds were donated to the Houston Food Bank. However, it became so popular that it turned into a month long event. The meals come with two to three courses for lunch and three to four courses for dinner and is affordably priced at $20 for lunch and $35 for dinner. A friend and I decided to try out Tila's for some Mexican cuisine. We were started off with tortilla and plantain chips with green tomatillo salsa and a red sauce. The green tomatillo salsa was fresh and mild and the red sauce was spicy, but not one of those that kills you with spice.

Next I had guacamole, but I was surprised to find that it was not what I usually got when I ordered guacamole. It was more of a deconstructed guacamole. It was actually chunks of avocado, tomato, chopped jalapeno, onion, and lime. It was delicious nonetheless and perfect for a hot summer's day. I decided to try one of there signature cocktails called the Paloma. This was mainly tequila and pink grapefruit juice. It was tart, but subtly sweet from the grapefruit. It was not a drink for people who like super sweet drinks, but it was very refreshing.

Time for the main dish. I opted for chilaquiles, served with black beans and grilled vegetables. Chilaquiles is a Mexican casserole with chicken, green tomatillo sauce, corn tortillas and is topped with sour cream and mozzarella cheese. It's basically like a Mexican lasagna. It was spicy, but the sour cream cut the heat and created a balance. The layers melted into each other and created a symphony of flavor in every bite. The black beans were served in a refried fashion and topped with a pinch of queso fresco. The grilled vegetables were carrot, squash, and zucchini. They had a nice crunch to them were definitely representative of seasonal summer veggies.

Fortunately, Tila's was offering a three course lunch so we also go to try dessert. I chose a Mexican key lime pie. Most of the time when I think of key lime pie, an image of a graham cracker crust filled with a bright green filling with whipped topping pops into my head. This was definitely not the case. There were layers of cookie in it that were covered in the filling. The lime was refreshing and the strawberries were fresh and sweet. I also got to try the cheesecake which had a light glaze on it and was also served with strawberries. These were both really delicious. 

There are more participating restaurants than you can imagine, so check out the whole list at houstonrestaurantweeks.com. You need to make a reservation and the instructions are listed on the website. Mention that you would like the HRW menu and you are all set! It couldn't be easier to eat for a cause, so be sure to take advantage of this offer as many times as you can. Come back and post where you tried and go eat and help support the Houston Food Bank!

Austin's Buried Treasure

While taking in the sights and sounds of Austin with my sister, I was gifted with one of the best restaurant suggestions that I have been given in a while, La Condesa. It's the real Mexican food that you have always wanted...seriously. Situated a short walk from the river, this super trendy place is full of life and food that is beyond words. Since this was a celebration trip, we decided to go for it and do the whole works. Here is the run down of my to die for dinner.

Chips, Salsa, and Guacamole

It started out with four different homemade salsas and one of the best guacamoles I have ever had. The ridiculously smooth texture and the perfect balance of salt made it absolutely delicious. The salsas were a creamy avocado, a habanero and green apple, a smokey red sauce, and a spicier salsa. These were literally dripping with freshness and should be salsa staples. The chips were the perfect thickness, handling the thicker guacamole and the delicate salsas.

Tortilla Soup

I am always a fan of tortilla soup and was very pleasantly surprised that this was not a broth based soup. It was creamy and spicy, with chunks of avocado and chicken. I usually try tortilla soup at most Tex-Mex places I go, and this was the best tortilla soup I have ever had. The freshness of the cilantro tones down the heat, but gives the soup the extra boost of flavor.

Pollo Rostizado Taquitos

Alongside the soup, I had pollo rostizado taquitos, which were small tacos. They had pulled roasted chicken with a citrus rub and salsa verde. These were even more perfect when I added a little bit of guacamole. The queso flameado taquitos were not what I was expecting. There were three corn tortillas served with a bowl of toasty goat cheese and queso mixto. It was almost as good as the Tex-Mex version of queso, but the authenticity made it ten times better.

Dulce de leche

Of course, this meal couldn't be complete without a sinful dessert. Though this one was a bit out of the ordinary, I thought I would give it a try. Dulce de leche is always a delicious dessert, but this one had a sweet corn sauce and was topped with caramel popcorn. Weird combination, I know. But... do not judge it without trying it first. It was a surprisingly magical combination. It was a melt in your mouth cake served with a cream cheese ice cream. The ice cream had a true cream cheese flavor and cut through the sweetness of the cake. The popcorn powder added crunch to the dessert and the perfect amount of savory to cut through the super sweet cake. 

This was one of the best Mexican restaurants I have been to and my sister said it made it on her top 10 restaurant list. This says a lot because she has been to quite a few restaurant around the world. If you live in the Austin area or visit Austin frequently, this is an absolute must the next time you are there! If you have been there, let me know what your favorites were or your favorite Austin restaurant.

Tex-Mex Necessities

There are countless number of food "accidents" that have resulted in the creation of some the most popular foods, and tortilla chips are no exception. Tortillas chips were introduced to the mass market by Rebecca Webb Carranza as a way to reuse the tortillas that weren't perfectly shaped. These fried tortillas triangles have now become a must have for any occasion. As a bonus there is a national tortilla chip day, so be sure to mark your calendar for the celebration on February 24.

Around here, people think that Tex-Mex equals real Mexican food. However, there are several differences. Traditionally, you don't serve chips and salsa and using yellow cheese is a big no no. For me, those are some of my favorite things when going out for Tex-Mex. Each place has it's own variation, so in celebration of Cinco de Mayo week, I have decided to compile a list of my favorite restaurant chips and dips.



1. Chuy's: What can I say, the creamy jalapeno dip is definitely something to write home about. It is pretty addictive and always keeps you coming back for more. They use a thin chip that can usually stand up to the dip, but there are usually a couple of breakages so beware. As a bonus, during happy hour, there is a nacho car where you can make your own queso. There salsa is pretty decent as well, though sometimes I find it a bit too spicy for my taste. You can see the chunks of jalapenos so you know they are actually in there and mixing the salsa and the jalapeno dip, makes for a great combination. If you haven't been here before, this is definitely on my list of "go tos" for Tex-Mex.



2. Torchy's Tacos: Originating in Austin, they just recently opened a location in Houston. I am a huge fan of guacamole and can't imagine ever getting tired of it. When I first visited the restaurant, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The guacamole is some of the best I have ever had. It has some chunks of avocado mixed in, creating a great mix of chunky and smooth. You could definitely tell that they used fresh avocado, and there was the slightest bit of a kick to in. Queso is something that I am a little more cautious about trying since I have had some pretty bad queso. When I saw it on the menu at Torchy's, I decided to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprise to find not only was there a bite to it, but they also mixed in guacamole! Talk about a combination. The best part is that the chips are on the thicker side to accommodate the chunky guacamole and were able to deliver without breaking.



3. Lupe Tortillas: Until I came here, I had never thought to use charro type beans as a dip. I was critical because sometimes they can be pretty bland, but boy was I wrong. These have a great balance of spice and the addition of bacon adds just the right amount of salt and smokey flavor. They are great as a dip, but also on their own as well. However, their super thin chips break pretty easily when you are trying to eat the beans, but they can scoop the salsa pretty easily. Their salsa is fresh and spicy, so if you are not up to the heat it might be hard to handle.

So grab a chair and try some of my favorites out if you haven't already. I love getting suggestions, so feel free to leave a comment with your favorites!