Generic Mexican?

After 5 years in the same downtown location, Emilia Hurtado Doña Emilia’s mgmt must’ve realized,

“Well, shit…a 250 seat Columbian restaurant may not be working here…and Austinites DO love their tacos- so, if I cant beat em- I’ll JOIN em’!”

On January 8th,  the restauant will re-open at the same location as Latin Café - how’s that for generic?  Apparently, “Latin” includes Tex-Mex, South American & Caribbean options- check out the new menu here…One interesting item is the breakfast taco with coffee crusted carne asada beef & pico.

While I can’t say I’m optimistic about the new direction (do i smell the lingering stench of a doomed location? nope - that’s just my upper lip apparently- matt’s el rancho started there over 50 yrs ago- cabeza=pwned) look for a review very soon.

- cabeza

Latin Café · 101 San Jacinto Blvd · 512.478.2520 · donaemilias.com

TacoTown would like to welcome our new contributer-  Nick of Nick’s Adventure’s in Food, coming straight outta Champaign-Urbana, Illinois!  Nick will be helping us in the quest for edible mexican food in the midwest..

Follow her…
Too many times I have doubted Grace over food, her cooking, and her choice of establishments in which we choose to dine in. It seems that every time that I have a great doubt, she proves me very, very wrong. Our latest outing was no exception.

Green Street is a place of hustle and bustle, at least in whatever form you can call such a thing in a Midwestern town. Of course the primary crowd that congregates around Green St. are those who are somehow related to the University of Illinois, students, teachers, staff, construction workers, all types of people from all walks of life. I think this diversity helps to create Green St. into what it is, eateries that range from Chinese to Korean to Pizza to Mexican. Now, I have always been a big fan of Mexican food, and I’ll be the first to admit that I am a stupid gringo when it comes to Mexican food, but I think I have learned enough from books and Mr. Bourdain to understand that the Mexican food I get is usually a very unauthentic cuisine, developed and molded to fit the tastes of Americans. Lot’s of cheese, sauce, covering of flavors, a departure from the real natural taste of foods that most cultures really seem to enjoy. Read the rest of this entry »

TacoTown saw it comin….Pro eating douche Adam Richman thought he could just mosey into our town, swipe an taco eating record, purge himself in the ladies room, then collect that hefty Travel Channel paycheck…WHAAALE - maybe he didn’t get the memo: the East-side’s Juan in a Million don’t make no sissy tacos:  The Don Juan breakfast tacos weigh in at around 3/4lbs. each…So, not surprisingly - he peetered out at 4.5 tacos- a few short of the record 8 tacos…weak sauce!! come back when you have an appetite, holmes.

they got some videos posted here >

cabeza

Corazón at Castle Hill
1101 W 5th St Austin, TX 78703 | Map | Menu | Website | Photos

Beef Carne Asada with Pablano Cream sauce

After 22 years of owning and operating one of Austin’s original fine dining favorites, Castle Hill Cafe, David and Cathe Dailey have translated their experience living in San Miguel de Allende into their new neighborhood restaurant & bar, Corazon.  The executive chef is now Michael Taddeo. The building and some of the classic CH dishes still remain.  But they’ve updated the interior design and added a small but inviting Full Bar. here’s a quick run-down of Taco Town’s lunch trip to Corazon:

Service
ice-tea fillups every 30seconds, waiter gave good recomendations, and even brought out the secret habby sauce for us. great service for a lunch/ Chappy says: snooty undertones. copious ice tea refills

hand painted signage facing 5th st.

Atmosphere

I thought the brooding castle theme was kinda gay for a daytime lunch…Clientel was fur-coat silver spoon housewive sluts…Hey, great location, though.  Chappy said “it wasn’t too fu fu…tho grego would prolly not approve.”  Bernie said “the bathrooms are fuckin freezing” all 4 times he went in there to “washup”…He also noted the fact that their baffroom trash bin is a cloth bag that can just be washed, thus saving the Hefties.  Good work, GREENIES.

Quality
Overall great freshness and presentation- I dig the banana leaf garnish & jello-mold rice servings
Chappy says: creative sauces and combinations

Chips/Salsa
The chips were thin, warm and fresh, ass.  Red Tomatillo Salsa was pretty good, tangy (7/10)
the Habanero/Mango sauce was awesome - very sweet and hot. We had to order by special request, and the waiter warned us it was really hot. We told him “pah-leez…why don’t you just step aside, pal”.  This salsa was simply delectable.  Chappy was craving more, but had to stop for health reasons. (8.5/10) Read the rest of this entry »

best tortilla soup in town? Chappy says yes!

There’s a brand new El Chile Restaurant in Northwest Austin- in the old Mesa Hills Cafe building.  The reviews so far are mixed at best.  Look for a TT writeup soon.
El Chile | 3435 Greystone Drive | Map | Menu | Reviews

We also got a “numero dos”, downtown version of El Chile’s kid brother taco/coffee shop, El Chilito.  They’re open weekdays 7am-3pm.
El Chilito | 918 Congress Ave. | Map | Menu | Reviews

-cabeza

We arrived in San Marcos with our bellies empty and not much time to sit down and grub.  The venue we were playing at happened to be right next to this place called Cancun Rob’s.  Personally, it looked right up my alley.. what with all the fishnet, christmas lights, and caribbean decor.  I was sold but Chappy, TacoBlob, and Beako De Gallo were definitely not.  So Beako de Gallo went to hit up some advice from the gas station right next door.  Because you know, the people at gas stations are always so adept at restaurant suggestions.  Well, right away the lady in there told Beako that this Cancun Rob’s place was simply bombastic;  “best fajitas and tacos in town”, she says. Read the rest of this entry »

Austin Club Salad: Smoked chicken, bacon, avocado. Carrot shreds, hard boiled eggs, cucumber, cheese, tomato, peppers and red onions.

The salad saga continues…  I’m always looking for low-cal alternatives for lunch. Hot Tip: Try front loading your meals with more calories in the daytime and less at night- probably more realistic way (with cardio & no donuts) to lose weight while you are pumping away at the office.

Thundercloud Subs

Austin Club Salad is pretty good.  Hearty and healthy, bacon and smoked chicken make for a nice combination especially with avocado.  I always get the Thundersauce- vinegar & oil with paprika (or cayenne-  not sure but it’s got some kick), extra pickle wedges and a few jalapenos or banana peppers.  They actually charge extra for each individual pepper which I think is extremely silly.  After a bag of chips and tax you’re lookin at $8 or $9.  I was feeling obligated to tip- especially for the things I’m about to say. Read the rest of this entry »

Our dad Willie sings a lost Christmas hymn/
and the words ring true, “Let not mankind bogart love…”

-cabeza