(September 15, 2006)

You know I am constantly indebted to the readers of www.diningoutwithrobbalon.com for alerting me to new, little restaurants that I might otherwise have overlooked. Such is the case with Los Pinos, a neat little Mexican restaurant 4919 Hudson Bend Road near the village of Lakeway.

Owner and Chef Margarito Maldanado brings an unusual pedigree to his place: eight years spent at upscale Austin icons Mirabelle and Castle Hill and before that a turn at the late and lamented Brio on W. 6th. Not what you would expect from someone at the helm of a Mexican restaurant. But this young chef has taken that experience and crafted a menu that spans the gamut of influences: from Dean Fearing to Michael Vilim. And it rocks!

I am seriously impressed with the appetizers at Los Pinos. The Chile con Queso Especial is a complete delight. The flavor is beautifully nuanced without being overly tricked up on the cheesy side. The ground beef and guacamole add to the taste. This queso is what tortilla chips were made for!!

I’m also quite fond of the Ceviche. The white fish marinated in lime juice and pico de gallo has a pristine taste with a nice little after kick. Fans of the genre will enjoy this one. And the Nachos Compuestos with bean and cheese are a crispy joy to the palate. Forget all the additives. Keep it simple. The refried beans and melted Monterey Jack are more than enough. Except of course, you have to have jalapenos! The Tortilla Soup comes from a Dean Fearing recipe. And if you don’t nail it, the soup comes out on the thick side, more like a stew. Love the flavor, but it’s a bit too dense for me.

The entrees display many sides of the culinary skills that Chef Maldanado brings to the table. First and foremost, let’s talk about the Carnitas de Puerco. These sumptuous morsels of fried pork are a Mexican classic. Marinated in fresh orange juice and spices, these little bite size pieces of bliss are exquisitely tender and laden with a rich, crispy flavor. I must also highly recommend the Beef in Chipotle Cream Sauce. This is sautéed skirt steak (a diaphragm muscle and the choice of Fajita lovers across Texas) done in a chipotle cream sauce with mushrooms, corn and Jack Cheese. Served with Los Pinos wonderful corn tortillas, this dish is about as good as it gets. And we also love, on the seafood side, the Shrimp Flautas. The coalescence of the fried shrimp and the crispy fried tortillas is simply much too hard to resist. And likewise the Fish Tacos evoke taste sensations that are almost hard to describe. Imagine the crunch of the slaw and the soft, aromatic shrimp wrapped in a supple and lovely corn tortilla.

Desserts at Los Pinos range from the smooth and beautifully textured Flan-which should be almost mandatory at the conclusion of the meal to the Crunchy and creamy Fried Ice Cream, which should be another serious consideration.

Los Pinos is open for breakfast as well. And they serve up some serious breakfast tacos at very reasonable prices. Open now for almost a year and a half, this place is catching on. And for good reason. The address is 4919 Hudson Bend Road. Remember that number. You’ll thank yourself for it.

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