534 E. Oltorf, 442-2799
7am-4pm daily (Fri til 9pm); closed Sun.
Ease into a booth at Texicalli Grill, a funky little south Austin institution,
and after you’ve spent several minutes scanning the ceiling collage honoring
Austin music history — a work impressive enough to have received mention in
Rolling Stone — turn your attention to the handwritten menu. The story
goes that Texicalli owner Danny Young set out to adapt the flavors found in
delicatessens on the Eastern seaboard to Texas tastes. The result is
Texicalli’s straightforward menu loaded with unique takes on traditional deli
sandwiches, salads, burgers, and plate dinners. Attention! If you’re craving a
greasy spoon, go elsewhere. Despite its roadhouse appearance, Texicalli pays
attention to its ingredients, admirably using vegetables that haven’t suffered
canning. Take the cheese fries for example. A dish that often exits kitchens at
other eateries as a sticky mass of processed cheese hiding sodden strips of
potatoes turns out, at Texicalli, to be a more finely-tuned (if still gooey and
comforting) affair. My favorite version features the restaurant’s crisp waffle
fries blanketed with cheese sauce and studded with bits of fresh green onion,
red bell pepper, and real bacon. ($7.25 full order/$4.85 small order) Paired
with the Greggie sandwich ($8.45 large/$6.35 small), a hoagie bun layered with
lean Canadian bacon, Swiss cheese, avocado, leaf lettuce, and a mound of
sprouts, you’ve got yourself a hearty, but not entirely unhealthy meal to
tackle. Another notable Texicalli offering, one that has developed a cult
following over the years, is the Dixie Red Hot sandwich ($6.75 large/$5.10
small), a boneless breast of chicken marinated in Tabasco, grilled, and topped
with a slice of Monterey jack, strips of red bell pepper, and leaf lettuce. The
best part about the Dixie just might be its accompanying side order — a pile
of earthy, dense, sweet potato home fries. If sandwiches aren’t your thing, the
restaurant’s salads are full meal deals and Texicalli does a mean business in
burgers and plate specials. In fact, Texicalli does a mean business, period.
The unassuming place recently celebrated its 15th anniversary. Stop in and help
them celebrate.
— Rebecca Chastenet de G�ry
This article appears in November 29 • 1996 and November 29 • 1996 (Cover).