Restaurants

El Jardin

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On my first visit to El Jardin, I wanted to see what Drape was thinking. So my dining companion and I tried some old-fashioned Tex-Mex plates. She got the Jardin Deluxe. The first plate was a lame preformed crispy taco and a puffy tostada with average chile con queso poured over the top. There was also some guacamole. The hot plate had one cheese enchilada and one pork tamal under chili gravy with more cheese on top and some rice and beans on the side.

I got the number two dinner. It featured a bad ground-beef taco on the salad plate and two cheese enchiladas beside a tamal on the hot plate. The tamales were stuffed with big chunks of meat, but they weren't very soft. The chili gravy was a darker brown than usual, with a meatier flavor. The cheese enchiladas were average. All in all, I found the old-fashioned Tex-Mex at El Jardin disappointing.

On her blog, Alison Cook fantasized about taking Joe Drape around Houston and introducing him to some real classic Tex-Mex joints. I have been fantasizing about taking him all over the state to see how good old-fashioned Tex-Mex can be.

I know that preformed taco shells have been the standard since the 1950s, but frankly, they suck. I'd like to give Drape a fresh-fried taco at Henry's Puffy Tacos in San Antonio, followed by an old-fashioned taco hot off the griddle at Matt's El Rancho in Austin.

Then I'd take him down to Larry's in Richmond for a cheese enchilada stuffed with processed cheese. Cheddar doesn't bleed into the gravy the way Velveeta does. I love the combination of chili gravy and gooey yellow cheese that's left behind on the plate. If you are going to eat old-fashioned Tex-Mex, why not go all the way?
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Drape told me that it was a friend of his who lives in the neighborhood who recommended El Jardin, and in the end, I don't really disagree with his buddy's choice. Sure, Irma's and Ninfa's on Navigation and lots of smaller places are more charming. But are they really typical of Houston Tex-Mex?

I like the "everyman" quality of El Jardin, and I get a big kick out of the over-the-top decorating style. Plus I love the idea of taking out-of-towners down to the waterfront, since most of us forget we even have a waterfront.

El Jardin is a lovably goofy joint that represents Houston Tex-Mex better than most. Go check it out for yourself — it's a scenic drive. Forget the combination plates and the crispy tacos. I recommend the margaritas, the fajitas and the huge shrimp — just like it says on the front of the menu.

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