Bottom Line: Tlahco Mexican Kitchen offers authentic Mexican cuisine with plenty of intriguing choices and several dishes that deliver a kick.
As someone who has lived in Texas most of my life, I have of course developed a love for Tex-Mex food with its seasoned meats and cheeses and sauces. But since Texas borders Mexico, we have restaurants here with dishes that are closer to what you would find in that country without so much of the Texas spin. I have discovered several of these over the years (Picos in Houston is highly recommended), and when new ones open I make it a point to check them out.
Tlahco Mexican Kitchen recently opened in North East San Antonio and it has been on my hit list for a while. This is actually the second location, with the first just inside the loop and easy to overlook amidst many Tex-Mex joints in the same area. Tlahco is an Aztec word that means middle and is apparently where the more common word taco is derived from since fillings are put in the middle of a tortilla. (Bet you didn’t expect a history lesson when you started reading this review!) The restaurant offers authentic dishes from various locations around Mexico, some of which will be familiar to lovers of Tex-Mex like enchiladas verdes, some of which are less well known (at least to us Gringos) like Arrachera which is seasoned skirt steak.
After we sat down at our table, we were given a spin on a typical Tex-Mex starter as they brought us chips and bean dip (and that was topped by a couple of crunchy chicharrones). The dip was rich and well-seasoned with a hint of bacon, and it kicked things off quite nicely. My wife asked if they had salsa, and our very friendly waitress gladly brought us both hot and medium. The latter was a green sauce that was quite tasty though on the mild side. The hot was a red sauce that was rich and flavorful and definitely delivered a kick.
I wanted to try several dishes at the restaurant, so we got two appetizers to start with: the grilled jalapenos (pictured above) and the Queso Fundido (pictured below). The jalapenos were wrapped with bacon and stuffed with Mexican white cheese before hitting the grill. They delivered a good, roasted pepper taste with the saltiness and smokiness of the bacon coming through as well and they were swimming in warmed salsa verde. They did not deliver too much heat, but they were still quite enjoyable. Though only four small peppers for eight bucks was a bit pricey. The queso is not the typical Chili con Queso you dip chips in at a Tex-Mex joint. It is a thicker, melted Mexican white cheese and ours came with roasted peppers (you can also get it with chorizo). You slather that tortillas which I assume were either made in-house or came from a local tortilleria. I have had this dish many times at other restaurants, and Tlahco’s definitely stood up when compared to some of the best that I have tasted.
I had perused the menu online before arriving and had eyed the Cochinita Pibil as my likely entrée. Upon arrival, I debated between that and the chipotle or mole enchiladas, but stuck with my first choice (one of those others will be at the top of the list next time I go). Cochnita Pibil is a traditional Yucatan dish consisting of pork that is slow-roasted, usually in banana leaves. It is seasoned with lime and/or other citrus juices along with annatto seeds and other spices and us Gringos can just consider it a Mexican pulled pork (no barbeque sauce needed).
I first encountered Cochinita Pibil at Picos in Houston, and I have made a habit of trying it when I see it on menus at other restaurants. Tlahco did not disappoint at all with their rich and well-seasoned version of this Yucatan favorite. Through the slow-roasting process and the seasonings, the meat develops a sauce of its own that almost have a tomatoey flavor. Paired with the pickled red onions that come as a garnish and tucked into one of those delicious corn tortillas, this is a taste of Mexico that you just have to try.
But for those of us who like some heat, the dish comes with a habanero sauce that kicks things up to the next level. From what I could tell, the sauce was basically just the chili peppers boiled in water with maybe a bit of seasoning and then blended together. The meat in the dish has a little bit of a kick on its own, but the habanero sauce pairs perfectly and takes this to the next level of hot. You will definitely need a Cerveza or something cool nearby to dowse the flames after a few bites!
Tlahco is definitely more pricey than your average Tex-Mex place, but you have to expect that because they are putting in that extra effort to deliver authentic tastes of Mexico (and it is no more than the average chain restaurant these days). And while this place may not be for everybody (especially if you go expecting the standard Tex-Mex fare), I highly recommend giving them a try no matter what. You can expand your horizons as far as Mexican cuisine and surely almost all but the pickiest can find something they like on the menu. Even something as simple as their borracho beans was outstanding and I could make a meal on a bowl of those alone. The waitstaff is quite friendly and helpful and can help you in making a choice if you are not sure what to get. There are two locations in San Antonio and either are certainly worth a visit if you are in the area.
Tlahco Mexican Kitchen
6702 San Pedro Ave.
San Antonio, TX 78216
1662 Encino Rio SUITE 100
San Antonio, TX 78259
Website: www.tlahcokitchen.com