Foodie News
Texas Monthly heaps "Mex-Tex" love on Hugo's, snubs Yelapa
Hugo's Mexican restaurantPhoto by Paula Murphy
Chef Hugo OrtegaPhoto by Terri Fensel
Hugo's mole verde
It looks like Texas Monthly has found a way around some of the regional infighting that surrounds any "best of" list — particularly the lists centered around food.
In the December issue, the magazine focuses on the emergence of "Mex-Tex" — a more authentic breed of restaurants with culinary pedigree ranging beyond the frontera to the interior and coastal regions of Mexico. And Houston favorite Hugo's earned a top spot as one of the five "mejores."
But among the top five, as on the rest of the list, in lieu of rankings the restaurants are named alphabetically, with Austin's Fonda San Miguel, Cuquita's in Dallas, Fort Worth's Salsa Fuego, and San Antonio fave Soluna joining Hugo's at the top.
The authors, including TM staple Pat Sharpe and Houston reporter Robin Barr Sussman, single out Hugo's seafood, moles, carne asada and desserts for particular merit, lauding the restaurant as "Houston’s temple of interior Mexican cuisine," and giving credit to owner and executive chef Hugo Ortega for his version of dishes from his native Puebla — "his creative interpretations take them beyond earnest tradition," coos the magazine.
Houston had a total of nine entries in the top 50, tying it with Dallas and San Antonio for the most representation, with Austin close behind with eight contenders.
In addition to Hugo's, Texas Monthly named these eight as the other top Mex-Tex eateries in Houston:
- Cyclone Anaya's
- Gorditas Aguascalientes
- Irma's
- Jarro Café
- Original Ninfa's on Navigation
- Pico's Mex-Mex
- Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen
- Teotihuacán Mexican Cafe
We're disappointed the phenomenal coastal Mexican newcomer Yelapa Playa Mexicana didn't make the list, but it does raise the question: Where does Tex-Mex end and Mex-Mex begin? If Tex-Mex originals like Ninfa's and Irma's can make the list, what would disqualify other other Tex-Mex joints (besides the fact that Ninfa's and Irma's do their thing better than anybody else)?
CultureMappers, what do you think of the list? Is "Mex-Tex" legit? What other restaurants did Texas Monthly miss? And is Hugo's the best in Texas?
