The Vazquez sisters have already made their mark on Austin’s (and the nation’s) food scene with their delicious breakfast tacos slung from their food trucks and fast-casual brick-n-mortars under the Veracruz All Natural moniker. Veracruz Fonda & Bar elevates the Vazquez experience with a greatly expanded menu and elegant table service on a proud corner in the Mueller development. The space has a seaside elegance that evokes its namesake in Mexico with bright, beachy colors, high ceilings, and swathes of natural light. The sisters’ inspiration has been their mother and her recipes, and mom is accordingly honored with three large murals that preen from an inside wall. The menu is graced with “Menu inspired by Mama Reyna.”
I have to confess that, so far, I’ve only been there for breakfast taco meetings, which is a shame because the menu is deep for lunch and dinner and warrants further testing. On the other hand, the tacos are first rate, even a step up from their original marquee. Housemade tortillas (blue corn or flour), fresh ingredients, and gorgeous presentation. I LOVELOVELOVE how they brilliantly use tiny enamelware coffee mugs for salsa, including the fiery jalapeño verde.
Given my three visits, I’ve tried all of the breakfast tacos, including the El Tradicional (egg, bacon, refried black beans, potato, Monterey jack cheese), the Migas Originales (egg, tortilla chips, tomato, onion, cilantro, Monterey jack cheese; the taco that made them famous), the Migas Poblanas (egg, tortilla chips, poblano pepper, red onion, black beans, queso fresco, avocado), the El Diferente (refried black beans, potato, mushroom, poblano pepper, corn, avocado), and the El Sancho (chorizo, egg, Monterey Jack cheese), each six dollars. All are fantastic. One of my power dates concluded they were the best breakfast tacos he’d had in years.
The Fonda also has a full coffee bar that slings your standard espresso cups but also a Veracruz specialty, the Café Lechero ($6 for 16 ounces). The Lechero consists of two shots of espresso and a ceremonial long-armed pour of milk that froths from the delivery. If you are lucky, they’ll also bring you a mini-conchita (Mexican pastry) with your Lechero. According to tradition, you should clink the side of your glass before the pour in honor of the trolleyman who inspired the beverage.
The rest of the menu is fish-forward with totopos, picadas, and regular tacos (including the conchinita pibil they served at their Burnet location before the dozers dozed ’em). For mains, they have calabacitas, enchipotlados, mole, and dessert. On the bev side, they have various juices, smoothies, agua frescas, mixed-drinks, beers, and wines.
All is all, I’m in love! Great vibe, good food, and fun location.
Veracruz Fonda & Bar, 1905 Aldrich Street #125, veracruzfonda.com
November 2024 update: We stopped in for dinner recently after being challenged with a 1 hour, 55 minute wait for dinner at Nando’s Peri-Peri around the corner. The place was hopping, but we snagged two seats at the bar. The margaritas were delicious. The Bride tried the tacos (cauliflower and fish) and loved both, declaring the fish taco the best since Wahoo’s closed awhile ago (although I see that it is coming back!). I tried their mole (despite having mole the night before) because I love mole and, holy cow, that very well may have been the best mole I’ve ever had (and I’ve had my share of a lot of good [and bad] mole). The mole had flavor as deep as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge with a symphony of flavor, including a pucker of citrus. The rice was solid (even The Bride liked the rice) as were the plantains and the refried black beans.
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