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reviewed on: July 31, 2009
If there’s one thing I’ve truly come to enjoy through the years, it’s Mexican food. Mexican is one of those things you can go without for a month or so, and then you suddenly find yourself thinking about it—pining for it—obsessing over it. You become like a junkie wondering where he’s going to get his next fix, and the monkey won’t get off your back until your craving is satisfied. If you’re content with plain old run-of-the-mill Mexican, you can find it just about anywhere in town, but if you’re looking for something with a bit more flair, you’ll have to probe a bit deeper.
A few weeks back I got a call on The Restaurant Show from a listener who’d discovered a new Mexican restaurant, and from the excitement in his voice as he described the food at La Brisa, I knew it had to go right to the top of my must-visit places.
La Brisa is on South Pearl just south of Alameda. It’s an interesting block, with most of the east side of the street taken up by the Royal Crest Dairy. On the west side there’s a dry cleaner and the Candlelight Tavern, a neighborhood bar which has been around most of forever. And sandwiched between the two of them is the quaint little oasis called La Brisa. You’ll spot it immediately because, with the bright umbrellas on their streetside patio, it really stands out against the drab appearance of its neighbors. Once inside, you’ll find the same simple charm—a hardwood floor backed by walls of avocado green and lemony yellow, a smattering of clothless tables, and a refrigerated case well stocked with Mexican beers. Yes, they have a liquor license, with margaritas soon to follow.
Like the décor, the menu is deceptively simple and, at first glance, seems to include many of the same dishes you’ll find elsewhere. It’s only after you begin to sample the food that you discover the delightful little touches that elevate this food way beyond what you’ll find most everywhere else.
My first visit was at lunchtime when I tried the Chile Relleno, large poblano peppers stuffed with gooey cheese, cloaked in a delicate egg batter (yes, they’re the soft variety), deep fried, and served with a light tomato sauce. Absolutely fantastic.
On the second visit, in the evening, there was more time to linger and enjoy the chips with a thick, fiery salsa before exploring this great assortment of burritos, soft tacos, fajitas, and other favorites. This time around we tried the Carne Adobada, an overflowing plate of grilled, marinated pork accompanied by rice that was actually tasty and fluffy, refried beans, guacamole, pico de gallo, warm tortillas and, as a surprising extra touch, strips of sweet julienned pineapple that tended to offset the heat of the sauce. All this for $9.50.
La Brisa also offers a Dinner Combination which consists of your choice of one, two or three items along with rice and a choice of refried or charro beans. Take the charro beans. Not that there’s anything wrong with the refritos. It’s just that the charro beans are so incredibly good, prepared with bacon, onions, ham, sausage and chorizo. They’re also available as a stand-alone item under the “soups” section of the menu.
La Brisa
375 South Pearl (a half block south of Alameda)
303-282-4790
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