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(October 26, 2007)
Question: I'm 53 years old, I show
my age at times, but I have many admirers. I have secrets that I
never give up. My costs are reasonable yet you can always count
on getting something for free. In a world that's moving at breakneck
speed, I am a refreshing constant. I change very little. Who am
I?
The answer of course is El Patio, one of Austin's oldest and most
popular Tex Mex joints. |
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Opened in 1954 by Paul Joseph and run today by his
wife Mary and their children, I owe a debt to this restaurant. Had it
not been for my lunch at El Patio while interviewing for a professor's
position at UT back in the late 70's, I might have passed on the job
and Austin. But El Patio made such an impact on me and it was so close
to the Communications Bldng on campus… that well, it was a no brainer.
Sign me up Dr. Davis! I called my wife that night and instead of telling
her about the RTF department and my job, all I could tell her was that
I'd found this great Mexican restaurant (coming from the North, I had
never heard of Tex Mex) and some BBQ joint on a hill (can you guess
what that was?) I guess even then my priorities were clear: food mattered!
When we finally returned to Austin for good in the
mid 80's, El Patio had never wavered. The food was still good. Quirky,
but good. And with the exception of a new hallway built a few years
ago, little has changed. OK, you have to ask for saltines now instead
of getting them automatically? Saltines? That's right. It's a time-honored
tradition to dip those crackers into the salsa. Mr. Joseph started serving
saltines because UT frat boys would come over, act up, and throw tortilla
chips at each other. The saltine thing stuck and when the family finally
took them off the menu some 40 years later, there was almost a customer
revolution.
I almost always begin my meals at El Patio with
their delightful Queso and a basket of their huge, tortilla-sized chips.
I've begged David Joseph for this menu but he refuses. It's mild, piquant
with perhaps a hint of broth and I can't get enough of it. The Bean
and Cheese Nachos are another treat. I always get the full order of
these crispy, chewy beauties with lots of onion and jalapeno. A half
order just won't cut it. And you've got to have a large Guacamole dip.
There's a freshness and a sweet/tangy vibe to the guac that makes it
hard to resist.
And then it's time to bring on the entrees. We enjoy
the Chalupa Queso Supreme. The combination of beans, cheese, lettuce,
tomatoes, guacamole and queso on top of a crispy tortilla is difficult
to pass up. And the Enchiladas are vintage TexMex. I usually get two
cheese and one chicken. The flavors intermingle and create a superbly
resolute taste experience.I pass on the rice but the refried beans are
a blast: subtle and full of rich flavor. And of course, it's mandatory
to top them with sweet onions. Another fun dish is the David Special:
two beef tacos smothered in queso, two cheese enchiladas, rice and beans.
It's got that smooth, rich taste that characterizes so many dishes at
El Patio.
You know I recently stumbled onto one if those restaurant
web sites that seem to exist for the sole purpose of allowing frustrated
malcontents to spread vitriol like so much peanut butter. Some yahoo
wrote that Pancho's was better than El Patio. Another likened it to
an old-age home. And these are people who claim to understand Tex Mex.
Yeah, and I'm going to jump on www.physicsunlimited.com because I understand
Stephen Hawking. You bet! Let me tell you one thing: El Patio still
rocks. So they don't serve fajitas or tomatilla sauce. So what?
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