migas with chorizo
As the world changes around us longtoothers, it’s good to have an old stalwart as a reminder of ye güd olde days of a smaller (and more affordable)—yet just as delicious—Austin. Yes, we have our $17 margaritas, $30 enchiladas, and $48 tacos adorned with christened agave, shredded duck, steamy bone marrow, and nutty gremolata. However, sometimes all you need is affordable, classic, and down-home good. And Enchiladas y Mas checks all of those boxes.
Robert Martinez and Roe Hernandez opened Enchiladas y Mas in 1994 in Central Austin before moving to Anderson Lane in the late 1990s. After Robert and Mary Martinez announced an impending closure in 2020, Eva and Carmen Hernandez, daughters of former co-owner Roe Hernandez, bought the restaurant to keep it going. And thank goodness! All the cheese and the lard and the hotter-than-McDonald’s-coffee plates still move briskly from the kitchen to the tables to the forks. The décor is practical with a pleasant small-town vibe where you judge a place by how many pick-ups trucks park out front (and there are a lot here).
Enchiladas y Mas is known for its chorizo migas ($8 with refried), which glisten with grease and the goodness of Saint Bibiana. The beef enchiladas topped with beef sauce ($8.25 with refried) sizzle with the sweet savory swell of bovinity. The salsa is spicy and keeps on coming. I’ve only gone for lunch, but I hear the margaritas are strong, smooth, and limited.
Eva and Carmen made a good business decision by putting more mas in Mas because snagging a table during the lunch rush is a hard get. Now that Enchiladas y Mas is in new, younger hands, here’s to hoping they stick around for another 30 years.
Enchiladas y Mas, 1911 West Anderson Lane, (512)467-7100, www.facebook.com/enchiladasymasaustin/
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