El Tiempo

Truthfully, when it comes to Tex-Mex, I honestly think that there are better place to go in town, but since this is mandated by my boss in NY, I will do the hospitable thing and take our trainer. I mean, literally, on a conference call, my boss called me out and said how can I not take our trainer to the "MUST" eat place in Houston. Alright, I'll do it. If New Yorker thinks this is good food, maybe I'm just missing something.

I will say that their menu had expanded quite a bit since I was there last at the Richmond location. This time it's almost too much to choose from.

I ended up with 2 soft tacos with beef with side of rice and instead of beans, they allow you to swap with seasoned vegetables. The veggies (first photo), was more soggy than I like my veggie. The only time, I think, veggies can be soggy like is if they are in a stew or soup setting, or if they are thinny sliced. Otherwise, it's soggy with no texture lose the appeal of having a side of it.

The other thing I forget, is that their dishes are very much dry and you have to add your own sauce. For my soft tacos, it was really tortilla, meat, lettuce, tomato, and cheese and that was it. For our trainer guest who had a beef taco was just tortilla and meat. There are so much potential for tastes to be discovered here, and it all just became a lost opportunity.

Anyway, they have good margaritas and sangrias, which totally makes up for it. Since you'll be too drunk to realize there's more tastes to be experienced, and those salt on the rim of the glass already helped seasoned your palette before putting food in there.

What I was truly amazed and may be talked into going back is their big Seafood Deluxe Parrilla. We have seen table after table ordering it, and the presentation is impressive with lobster, shrimp, fajita meat and the fixin's. If you want to go all out, they have an add on for Ribs, Quail, Carnitas, Sausage, Mushrooms, and Chile Relleno. Talk about going to town. You definitely need friends to come help you out, although I did see them having a 1 person serving size. HA!

El Tiempo
Washington Corridor Location
5602 Washington Ave
Houston, Texas 77007
(713) 681-3645
http://www.eltiempocantina.com/