The Skinny: Los Charros II is the official birthplace of the "Fat Baby". After my first meal here I was so full, I claimed to be just like a Fat Baby, plump and ready for a long nap. Needless to say, this dive is one of my faves.
The Fat: A few years ago a friend and I started coming here for breakfast. Back then, $2.75 would get you a huge plate of scrambled eggs mixed with anything from chorizo to sausage, a side of refried beans, potatoes, fresh salsa and warm corn or flour tortillas. I always order shredded cheese and avocado with my breakfast, for $.50 each, it's so worth it.
These days, that same plate costs $3.25. The price increase is of little importance to me. When I see price increases at other places, I sometimes get peeved because I know they're just doing it because they can. Here, they do it because the have to and because they should. The food is scrumptious, substantial and still a steal.
If you're an OJ lover, get some. They squeeze it fresh to order and it's amazing! Be sure to specify that you want the small glass. The small is pretty big so unless you want to end up with an enormous glass, reminiscent of a goldfish bowl, you'll do as I say.
The best thing about Los Charros II is that they serve breakfast anytime of day ($1.25 extra if you order it after 11am). It's perfect for those of us who choose to roll out of bed on a Sunday and prefer to avoid the "post religious services" crowd or the "uber popular brunch-a-mania" wave that washes over the city between 9am and 5pm.
I've never once had to wait for a table. On the same note, this place fluctuates from 5 to 50 other diners at any given time of day. Never empty, they know they got the goods.
If you're not an eggs and tortillas gal, go for the Torta. The warm sandwich can be a vegetarian delight or filled with steak, fajita chicken, barbecue beef, etc. and is served on a soft French loaf and stuffed with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado and sour cream.
They make incredible Gorditas, crispy Tostadas and even serve up a mean Mexican Hamburger; all of which are under $4.00. A few other lunch and dinner items hover around the $7.00 range and will fill most grown men up well before they clean their plates.
The decor is...well...interesting. The seating looks like it may have been extracted from the post renovation buy-out of a 1970's McDonald's. The back wall sports an uncomfortable mural of a bear family with a super strong politically incorrect vibe - sort of like those oldschool cartoons with the guys that blew up their lips from smoking dynamite cigars. Thankfully the mural has since been covered up by juice dispensers for their Aguas Naturales - natural fruit drinks of melon, mango, strawberry and the like. The rest of the walls have been (repeatedly) painted in loud hues of yellow and blue and about half of the windows are covered with faded car window tinting.
I wouldn't suggest taking your high-maintenance girlfriend here if you're trying to impress her. Once you know she loves you for your mind, however, Los Charros II is a great place to fuel up for a long day of...whatever.
P.S. The waitstaff are super efficient but most of the ladies barely speak English, which rocks as far as I'm concerned. They're cool and decent and just there to make sure you get fed. So, when you order, go ahead and try out your old Spanish lessons from 6th grade. You suck, they suck; it's all good. You'll still get your food.
Location: 404 N. Shepherd 713.426.6226
Showing posts with label Mexican. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mexican. Show all posts
1308 Cantina - Give it a Try
The Skinny: The killer Margaritas are kin to the ones from their mother ship, El Tiempo. After two, you won't know who's who.
The Fat: Mexican food is Mexican food, some will say. This place is no better than the best, but better than most and that means a lot in a sea of Mexican restaurants.
While I'm a huge lover of the cultural fare that infiltrates the Houston area, back in my hometown of Tampa, Florida, I always despised the sorry attempts the local restaurants made to serve Mexican food. But after a few years of H-town living and after reconfiguring my taste buds' likes and dislikes, Tex Mex has moved near the top of my list of culinary cravings. What can I say? I'm a fan!
First of all, I love to take my time when I dine. If I want to eat something on the fly, I'll whip up a grilled cheese and a side salad in the comfort of my own home. So - Mexican restaurant or not - if I'm out, I'm in it for the long haul; the drinks, the apps, and the conversation between courses. And so we started, ever so slowly, with their Margaritas. Yowza!
Well, one drink later, I was fully prepared to skip my sentimental yearning for leisurely dining and head out to the bars. Still, with my dining companion as the sole voice of reason, we managed to get ourselves together and order some food. We were going to see a friend's band play later that night and wanted to be "vertical" for the event.
The chips are crisp and the salsas (green and red) are tasty and fresh. We decided on a few apps to share. The Seared Tuna appetizer was a bit of a let down; a little overpriced for the portion size, but perfectly cooked and delicious nonetheless. If you want seared tuna, I'd save my fresh fish craving for another spot.
We also ordered the 7 Cheese, Crab, Artichoke & Spinach Dip. This masterful pot-o-heart attack was out of this world. A side of warm tortillas is served with a bowl of a gazillion cheeses (seven, to be exact) melted together with bits of crab and -you guessed it- Spinach and Artichoke. It was hard to distinguish the flavors from one another, but yummy just the same. It's a dip. That's how they work.
The shrimp cocktail is fantastic; a huge sundae glass filled with shrimp & fresh avocado drenched in a perfectly spiced red sauce and served with toast points. Then get ready for the Cannonball. This thing could kill a village. It's a full avocado stuffed with cheese and chicken and then (get this) deep fried. Sure it's a heart attack waiting to happen, but you'll be done eating it long before that becomes an issue.
I'd take a pass on the Jicama and Mango Salad. While it sounds exotic and delectable (don't worry , we were fooled too), the careless cuts of jicama and mango were little more than an unflattering duo plopped on a plate and drenched in a flavorless lime dressing. The whole dish proved to be messy and quite unappetizing.
I love their classics, like quesadillas, with any filling of chicken, beef or shrimp. Their enchiladas are pretty great too.
If you're looking to be floored by ingenious preparations, have another drink. This place is major Mexican and good at...the basics. But that's what we all love about Mexican food anyway, isn't it? The basics. At 1308 Cantina, you really can't go wrong. Just stick to the things you love about Tex Mex and you'll be happy.
P.S. The service is fantastic! Your chip bowl never runneth dry. Many of the servers won't be able to describe the menu items to you, I think it's because there are about 1000 items on the menu, so stick with what you know.
Oh, and my favorite waiter goes by the name of Larry. He's Mexican, but says that his hippy parents just loved the name "Larry." It's a funny story, ask for him and ask him about it. Then ask him what his middle name is. Then, after your second Margarita, ask him what a "Jose Conseco" is. Good times!
Location: 1308 Montrose Blvd. 713.807.8996
The Fat: Mexican food is Mexican food, some will say. This place is no better than the best, but better than most and that means a lot in a sea of Mexican restaurants.
While I'm a huge lover of the cultural fare that infiltrates the Houston area, back in my hometown of Tampa, Florida, I always despised the sorry attempts the local restaurants made to serve Mexican food. But after a few years of H-town living and after reconfiguring my taste buds' likes and dislikes, Tex Mex has moved near the top of my list of culinary cravings. What can I say? I'm a fan!
First of all, I love to take my time when I dine. If I want to eat something on the fly, I'll whip up a grilled cheese and a side salad in the comfort of my own home. So - Mexican restaurant or not - if I'm out, I'm in it for the long haul; the drinks, the apps, and the conversation between courses. And so we started, ever so slowly, with their Margaritas. Yowza!
Well, one drink later, I was fully prepared to skip my sentimental yearning for leisurely dining and head out to the bars. Still, with my dining companion as the sole voice of reason, we managed to get ourselves together and order some food. We were going to see a friend's band play later that night and wanted to be "vertical" for the event.
The chips are crisp and the salsas (green and red) are tasty and fresh. We decided on a few apps to share. The Seared Tuna appetizer was a bit of a let down; a little overpriced for the portion size, but perfectly cooked and delicious nonetheless. If you want seared tuna, I'd save my fresh fish craving for another spot.
We also ordered the 7 Cheese, Crab, Artichoke & Spinach Dip. This masterful pot-o-heart attack was out of this world. A side of warm tortillas is served with a bowl of a gazillion cheeses (seven, to be exact) melted together with bits of crab and -you guessed it- Spinach and Artichoke. It was hard to distinguish the flavors from one another, but yummy just the same. It's a dip. That's how they work.
The shrimp cocktail is fantastic; a huge sundae glass filled with shrimp & fresh avocado drenched in a perfectly spiced red sauce and served with toast points. Then get ready for the Cannonball. This thing could kill a village. It's a full avocado stuffed with cheese and chicken and then (get this) deep fried. Sure it's a heart attack waiting to happen, but you'll be done eating it long before that becomes an issue.
I'd take a pass on the Jicama and Mango Salad. While it sounds exotic and delectable (don't worry , we were fooled too), the careless cuts of jicama and mango were little more than an unflattering duo plopped on a plate and drenched in a flavorless lime dressing. The whole dish proved to be messy and quite unappetizing.
I love their classics, like quesadillas, with any filling of chicken, beef or shrimp. Their enchiladas are pretty great too.
If you're looking to be floored by ingenious preparations, have another drink. This place is major Mexican and good at...the basics. But that's what we all love about Mexican food anyway, isn't it? The basics. At 1308 Cantina, you really can't go wrong. Just stick to the things you love about Tex Mex and you'll be happy.
P.S. The service is fantastic! Your chip bowl never runneth dry. Many of the servers won't be able to describe the menu items to you, I think it's because there are about 1000 items on the menu, so stick with what you know.
Oh, and my favorite waiter goes by the name of Larry. He's Mexican, but says that his hippy parents just loved the name "Larry." It's a funny story, ask for him and ask him about it. Then ask him what his middle name is. Then, after your second Margarita, ask him what a "Jose Conseco" is. Good times!
Location: 1308 Montrose Blvd. 713.807.8996
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