An Update, of sorts

Chela's Tacos

3420 North St Mary's Street (at Mulberry)

After my rave a couple of weeks back about Chela's Tacos, on Broadway,  a reader informed me that the "other location" mentioned on the restaurant's web site was at North St. Mary's Street and 281, in the space occupied for many years by Joseph's Storehouse. That was good news for me, since that location is, just barely, within walking distance of my house. 

The St. Mary's location is close to being just across the freeway from the YMCA, and I've been thinking (for a long time -- major life-changing decisions must be given thorough consideration) about re-joining a gym; and I could picture myself walking over to the Y for a workout, then up to Chela's for a taco or two. It's a pleasant thought, and nothing motivates me to get to the gym like the promise of tacos.*

So today, my wife and I made that walk: had tacos at Chela's, then checked out the Y. 

The food at this location of Chela's is every bit as wonderful as at the Broadway location. This time I also tried a machacado barbacoa taco, which is very good but not something that sets my taste buds to humming like the machacado deshebrado. Maybe it's partly because I didn't specify corn tortillas, and apparently the default here is, unexpectedly, flour. (Based on experience, I'm pretty sure that everyone who operates a Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurant assumes that Anglos prefer flour tortillas. Is it racist that I've noticed that? Is it racist for them to assume that? Discuss among yourselves if you care about it; I'm only mildly offended by it.) That would be my mistake, I guess, so next time I go I'll remember that, and specify corn. 

The St Mary's location also has a few tables outside, so if the weather's good and there are two of us, we could take the dog -- another strong plus. (They may have table service at this location, although I placed my order at the counter. If they do, I can take the dog even when it's just me.)

On the down-side, the location also houses a cantina, and the room seems geared to that more than to the taquería. The whole space (it's one large room) is done up in a kind of techno style, an approach to commercial interior design that's really starting to seem retro, what with the hard surfaces and exposed wiring and air ducts hanging from a black-painted ceiling. The result is that the sound inside ricochets all over, producing a din that, with a few more bodies in it, would be as unbearable as at the original Rosario's in Southtown.

* Maybe a bakery would.

Absolutely the Best (so far)

Chela's Tacos

5231 Broadway (in Alamo Heights, south of Austin Highway)

 Every time I pass a certain taquería on Hildebrand, I'm reminded that in the recent past, two national culinary authorities* proclaimed it the source of The Best Tacos in America. As I've written before, I don't even consider it the best tacos on that street.

 Still true. Those authorities may know food in general, but they sure don't know Tex-Mex tacos.

I missed it, twice.

 And now I have to add a further caveat: the best tacos, the absolute best tacos, in San Antonio (and, therefore, the United States), that I've found so far, aren't on Hildebrand at all, but on Broadway, at a place called Chela's. It's tucked into as unprepossessing a strip-center as the upscale enclave of Alamo Heights can muster, with parking out front for maybe a dozen fashionable European sedans and SUVs, with more spaces in the back. (The restaurant's web site mentions another location, but refers to it only as "St Mary's," with no address. It may be a food truck on The Strip, or maybe it's some kind of facility at the university of that name.)

 Chela's takes seriously the mantra of fresh ingredients, and it produces results. The machacado tacos I had on my most recent visit, like every time I've been there, were a splendidly balanced blend of eggs, vegetables, and beef. The flavour had a smoothness to it that is hard to describe as anything other than buttery. The tortillas had exceptional integrity -- so often an issue -- and held together all the way to the end of the meal. The coffee was self-serve, with free refills; it's brewed a little more toward the acidic end of the spectrum than I like, but not so much that it needs a dose of salt. (This, from someone who prefers Community Coffee, the Louisiana brand that my go-to taquería on Hildebrand serves.)

 I rarely get over to Broadway these days, and even more rarely during breakfast-taco hours, so I consider the accidental discovery of this place a few months ago to be one of the great good things in my life since the Bush '41 administration. Honestly, if it were within walking distance of my house, I'd be there just about every morning, with a plate of deshebrada machacado tacos in front of me.

* Specifically, Bon Appétit magazine, and that guy from Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on some foodie TV channel.