Austin

(From January 2012)

In news from cursed dining locales (even CNN Money called 1025 Barton Springs a "deadly spot"), the El Chile team has transformed a former EC outpost into a showcase for Mexico-City born chef Alma Alcocer-Thomas (relax, the Chilanga is still on the cocktail list.) The building retains its quirky South Austin feel, with its white walls and stone staircase leading to a rooftop deck; on a nice day you can imbibe alfresco while gazing over the 1st Stop Food Store to the lights of downtown. Chef Alcocer-Thomas, whose Cordon Bleu training has served her well at a number of places (like Jeffrey's), has a style that renders her food both earthy and light, everyday and elevated. The menu leans more Mex than Tex--duck enmoladas, quail with mole, three rellenos--and lively flavors and complex sauces dominate. Try the chuleta de puerco: a Mexican Coke-marinated pork chop, perfectly cooked, served with a pasilla-Coke sauce and a relleno stuffed with rice and melted cheese.

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(From September 2010) This mid-scale offspring of the Burleson Road original focuses on the rich flavors of Mexico’s interior. And the kitchen is spot-on, from the simple, creamy guacamole punched up with a little cilantro (we slathered it onto hot corn tortillas) to the smoky salsa (think mole and chipotles), perfect for dipping. We approved of our tacos de camarón al pastor—shrimp marinated in achiote, grilled with pineapple, and garnished with an avocado verde salsa—but ended up swapping with our companion. His chilorio, traditional northern-style pork in a guajillo-ancho sauce, proved irresistible. Our savvy server recom-mended tasty alternatives for a low-carb-dieting friend. Beer, wine, & margaritas (good tequila selection).

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(From January 2011)

Even a snack like a huarache, a masa tart topped with chihuahua cheese, mushrooms, truffle oil, and huitlacoche (an earthy corn fungus), had layers of flavor. And imagine what the kitchen does with a dish like tacos arábicos, filled with spice-rubbed venison swabbed with two sauces: a cooling tzatziki-type yogurt and a spunky chipotle blend (these tacos were served at the James Beard House in New York recently). The Oaxacan black mole (with both sliced breast of duck and confit of leg) is emblematic of the avant-garde Mexican cuisine that is Condesa’s signature. For fun, though, Mexican-street-fair corn on the cob has been added to the menu; it’s not all serious here. Bar.

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(From November 2010)

The interior of this spare Mexican spot on the East Side is rather dark (think stained hardwoods, black tables, small sconces), but the vibe is anything but. Our server amicably set up an additional table for us outdoors so the kiddos could relax a bit and we could enjoy the evening sun while noshing on guacamole (a tad too tart) and delicious queso fundido. Once our entrées arrived, we moved back inside and feasted on the pescado al mojo de ajo (sautéed tilapia in garlic butter and lime) and splendidly simple tacos de carnitas: slow-braised pork shoulder, cilantro, onion, and lime tucked inside warm corn tortillas. A sumptuous sangría blanca—white wine infused with pears, apples, and cinnamon with a splash of champagne—proved to be the perfect dessert. Bar.

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(From September 2010) This hip new taco and tequila bar has exploded just off West Sixth Street. From the sleek, somewhat industrial interior to a menu consisting mainly of small plates, it’s clear this isn’t your ordinary taco joint. Gratis crispy sweet-potato chips with ancho mayo arrived the moment we sat down. Entertained by the table-side guacamole preparation, we sipped tart and spicy jalapeño-cucumber tequila cock-tails and decided on two taco selections: the rojo shrimp (brushed with ginger-chipotle sauce) and the chile-glazed steak. The three accompanying salsas spoke their own fiery dialect. Bar.

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(From January 2012)

Although tucked into a strip mall, this brazenly sexy spot is anything but demure. In one of the round booths with Marilyn Monroe winking from the wall, coddle a crisp, clean Herradura cucumber margarita. Yes, you can always absorb the booze from puffy tacos, but now that Vivo has a name chef--the ever-migrating Paul Peterson, of Little Texas Bistro in Buda, the Gage Hotal in Marathon, and Rick's Chophouse in McKinney--you should try something like the crab enchiladas: corn tortillas lushly stuffed with crab and scallions in a creamy poblano sauce. The smoked, tequila-braised pork belly with Dr Pepper-chipotle barbecue sauce is Peterson's too; ditto the brisket tacos. The more challenging, sophisticated menu items are a welcome counterpoint to the graffiti art and portraits of Latina lovelies. Bar.

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(From December 2010)

Chef Edgar Torres has Tex-Mex in his DNA—he’s the son of the owners of Mi Madre’s—but the Culinary Institute of America grad is taking Mexican food in an exciting direction. His guacamole consists of beautiful mashed avocado served in a molcajete surrounded by condiments for the diner to add at will: colorful roasted tomato and jalapeño plus mango and pickled onion. His tender pork chop is glazed with a quince-guava demi-glace and sided by a light Mexican “ratatouille” of chopped chayote, jícama, onion, and corn. Some dishes need tweaking: harissa-infused chile sauce on slightly overcooked shrimp was dauntingly spicy and harsh. The setting sets smart mustard-yellow walls against dark wood accents. Bar.

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