Park Belly Taco at Resident Taqueria
Tacos Oscar at Xolo
Carnitas Flautas at Bar Buena
Great food doesn’t have to come with a big check — and the MICHELIN Guide agrees. Beyond honoring restaurants with its coveted Stars, it also celebrates restaurants that serve exceptional food at great value with its Bib Gourmand distinction. el Restaurante congratulates these three Mexican restaurants in Texas that earned the Bib Gourmand honor this year:
Resident Taqueria, Dallas Breakfast, lunch and dinner tacos beckon customers to this causal neighborhood spot, where Chef/owner Andrew Savoie’s has created a menu the restaurant describes as “a fresh, intriguing take on a cuisine embedded in the history of the area.” His creative interpretations of tacos include fresh, made-to-order tortillas with ingredients including fried egg, bacon and cheese; pecan smoked chicken; shrimp tempura; and pork belly burnt ends. Elote, garlicky pinto beans, queso, guacamole and red and green salsas are among the side dishes that round out the menu.
Bar Buena, Houston Yuca empanadas with pork and refried beans, carnitas flautas, and aguachile verde (spicy lime-cured shrimp) are among Chef Levi Goode’s Mexican-inspired small plates that complement the tequila and mezcal drinks that the restaurant says are “borne from an appreciation of the ancient artisanal process of mezcal-making.”
Xolo, Houston Cocktails might take center stage, but Chef Javier Becerra’s snacks and small plates — rooted in CDMX, with the flavors of street markets, neighborhood fondas, and family tables — “are more ambitious than standard bar bites,” according to the MICHELIN Guide. Highlights include the Tacos Oscar with cacahuazintle corn (a rare, heirloom variety), Oaxaca cheese, potato foam and caviar; the tetela made with Cónico azul corn (a variety with deep blue-purple kernels), fava bean, crema and queso de rancho (ranch-style cheese); flan with candied pecans; and pan de merienda, a snack bread made with brioche, spices and pecan butter.
Other Mexican restaurants in Texas on the Bib Gourmand list:
Cuantos Tacos, Austin
La Santa Barbacha, Austin
Mercado Sin Nombre, Austin
Nixta Taqueria, Austin
Veracruz Fonda & Bar, Austin
Casaema, Houston
Maximo, Houston
Papalo Taqueria, Houston
Mezquite, San Antonio
Belly of the Beast, Spring