Veg Out: A tale of two Mexican restaurants

By Abigail Dock     11/4/10 7:00pm

In Houston, Mexican places are as prevalent as Starbucks or McDonald's. But unlike mega-conglomerate restaurants, Mexican places can vary exceedingly in quality and specialty. For instance, Chuy's and Taco Milagro are both local restaurants that are similar in price range yet are complete opposites in atmosphere and focus. It's hard to believe they both serve variations on the same cuisine. If you approach Chuy's at night, your eyes are instantly drawn to the huge blinking sign in the front with an arrow pointing toward the building. This sign is an excellent representation of Chuy's personality as a restaurant: loud and fun, without a hint of subtlety. The decor inside is wild, freely clashing in a myriad of colors and shapes. Loud music is piped from speakers that seem ubiquitous, and Elvis' face stares down at you from each wall. Why Elvis? Good question. The jury's still out on that one. But the basic idea is that the Chuy's franchise originated in Austin, and, as we all know, Austin is weird. Chuy's is a family restaurant, so go later in the evening if you have an aversion to small children.

And now to the food: Like everything else at Chuy's, subtlety is discarded and excellence reigns supreme. The chips and salsa are good, but be sure to ask for the "Creamy J," a jalapeno-infused ranch-type dip that is dangerously addictive. The guacamole is disappointing; for some reason, they serve it on a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce, which means that half the dip is unreachable unless you want to wade through the slimy shreds. The chile rellenos are packed full of cheese and breaded like fried chicken. The experience is simultaneously crunchy, tender and gooey, and will thrill your tastebuds and clog your arteries - all while being vegetarian! The vegetable enchiladas are big and made with blue corn tortillas, but the red sauce overpowers the taste of the filling. The rice and refried beans - which are both smooth and hearty - that come with the entrees are exceptionally good. In addition to Mexican rice, they also offer green chile rice, which is good for the jalapeno-inclined eater. Save room for dessert (or don't even bother with an entree) so that you can fully enjoy the tres leches cake. The slice is the size of a small Kleenex box and is richer than Mark Zuckerberg.

If it were not for the same cuisine, Taco Milagro would be the anti-Chuy's. The atmosphere is relaxed and sophisticated, with plenty of tables outdoors by a large fountain. Here, quiet groups of 30-somethings gather for margaritas after work, and small children are noticeably scarce. The food's flavor has more distinctions, exemplified by the sweet potato and chard enchiladas - an unexpected combination that enlightened the palate while pleasing it. The guacamole was superb; my tastebuds were too busy partying to tell what the spices were for sure, but it was far more complex than the basic avocado and tomato mash-up. The soup, which could have been uninteresting and bland, was livened up by a variety of seasonal vegetables and fresh herbs.

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This light but flavorful concoction could easily be a meal in itself. This is especially true considering Taco Milagro's secret weapon: the unlimited tortilla chips and a full salsa bar. While most places offer one or two salsas, Taco Milagro gives you nine to choose from and free reign over how many chips you want to eat. The chips don't come in the usual little red or green plastic baskets that are refilled occasionally by the wait staff; they are offered fresh and hot in small bags you get yourself, so no one knows how many you have eaten. With the help of the chips, a meal at Taco Milagro could easily cost under $10.

Both restaurants are unique experiences that are worth trying. Each has more vegetarian options than you might think but very few vegan options. Chuy's gives you a fun time, while Taco Milagro gives you a chance to relax and get away from it all. Although it is a hard choice, I prefer Taco Milagro, but both restaurants merit a visit.

Abigail Dock is a Jones College sophomore. Veg Out is a column reviewing vegetarian restaurants and their offerings.

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