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(From November 2010) Pan-Latino and Caribbean, not Mexican, boasts the menu, and the kitchen delivers with such unusual dishes as richly aromatic Argentinean pot roast and beef shank cooked in red wine (much in the style of France). There’s also shrimp with garlic and tequila, blackened-outside-raw-inside tuna steak, and appetizers that include moros y cristianos, or black beans and rice. Exuberantly colorful stained glass (from the studio just behind the restaurant) punctuates the decor, and a happily noisy clientele makes Azuca one of the city’s merriest dining rooms. Bar.

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(From February 2012)

Street fare inspires the menu, although a few Tex-Mex standards (like the really tasty cheese enchilada specials) are on the menu too. But why choose the South Texas ubiquitous when this is almost the only place to find rare treats like exquisitely flaky empanadas? These flaky, eat-with-a-fork envelopes have fillings both savory and sweet; the pork guisada with red chile and comino is an entrée-worthy star, while the mango-raspberry proves a tropical pie to die for. Inside are booths and cafe tables; out back is a shaded beer garden/icehouse patio. Beer & wine.

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(From September 2010) Things have been done right at this venerable Tex-Mex spot since 1976. Sip a margarita while dining on the charming outdoor patio; the fried fish tacos are made all the more delicious by the addition of crunchy marinated cabbage and a creamy “mayotle” (you can figure that one out, right?). And for dessert, don’t pass up the deep-fried latte. A Texas State Fair award winner, it’s a sopaipilla topped with cappuccino ice cream, whipped cream, and coffee crystals. Bar.

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(From January 2011) Wrought iron, earth tones, and Argentinean-inspired art and sculpture make this hot spot for beef a standout among El Paso’s fine dining restaurants. Originally established in Chihuahua, Garufa’s newest location offers skilled service not often seen outside classic New York steakhouses. Prosciutto-wrapped asparagus served on a bed of spinach and topped with the olive oil used to sauté the asparagus is crispy and salty. The traditional Argentinean steaks are top-notch and served juicy and fragrant with sautéed onions and jalapeños. Plus there’s house-made chimichurri on the side. Bar

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(From February 2012)

With no mango on the menu and no fast food in sight, the newest spot on the square in Tyler is a mystery. What we did find, though, was a simple setting, warm service, and an abundance of delightful Venezuelan dishes. We sampled the maduros con queso, tasty fried plantains with melty cheese, and the cachapa, a grilled sweet-corn cake filled with cheese and shredded chicken (a delicious mix of flavors, though the accompanying black beans and rice were on the bland side). A friend marveled at her patacón: shredded beef, tomato, onions, and pickle sandwiched between slices of plantain. The refreshing cantaloupe and watermelon aguas frescas were like drinking liquid fruit.

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(From June 2011)

Having come up with the recipe that would be the genesis of El Pollo Loco, it only makes sense that the popular Palenque Mexican food enterprise has now grown to include a Latin-inspired rotisserie chicken restaurant. The succulent roasted bird is served up with traditional beans and rice and made-in-house flour and corn tortillas; the interior is modest; and the service is quick and friendly—just what you’d expect from a member of the Palenque family.

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(From July 2011)

This little strip center place in Bridge City is the real deal. From our starter of crispy fried plantains to the authentic Cuban sandwich—a crusty bun piled with tender pork, ham, and Swiss cheese—we delighted in every menu item we sampled. Be sure to try the ropa vieja, the house specialty of shredded beef simmered in a lively sauce of tomatoes and peppers, or the steak sandwich, pounded thin Cuban-style and laced with shoestring potatoes for a satisfying crunch. 

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(From June 2011)

It’s tiny and cosmopolitan and the food, reflecting the cuisines of Argentina, Venezuela, and Columbia, packs a wallop. If nothing else, order a cachapa: a grilled sweet-corn turnover crammed with chicken and cheese. And we confess that we’ve never cared much for plantains, but these are world-class. Equally delicious are the chicken-cheese empanadas. A crisp meringue and alfa-jore cookie dusted with powdered sugar were just enough to satisfy our sweet tooth. Breakfast and brunch dishes are available all day. Beer & wine.

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(From January 2012)

Time has proven the wisdom of burnishing standards to shine anew here. A beef tenderloin is dressed with queso fresco and dabbed with a butter sauce redolent of guajillo chile. The lowly burrito embraces tender duck, while a simple citrus salad is bedded with earthy manchego and toasted pumpkin seeds. Our favorite remains the quick-fried tongue enrobed in mashed aguacate, pickled onions, and a luxurious árbol chile salsa. There’s an inventive hand at work in the kitchen of this fine hotel dining room. Bar.

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