Curra’s Grill

614 E. Oltorf Street Austin, TX 78704 (512) 444-0012

Daily: 7am-10pm

 

Curra’s Grill on East Oltorf has a rather grandiose nick name: the Mother of all Mex. And why not? Owner Jorge’s mom Julieta was a major force in the kitchen for years. This place is a down-home kind of spot that embraces the cuisine of the interior and coastal regions of Mexico. And it’s not Fonda San Miguel Jr. either. It’s got a style all its own.

I always like to stop by, when possible, for the incomparable breakfast tacos which basically go on all day long and blend into the lunch menu. The Chorizo Mochocado tacos carry an explosive flavor profile and I love the Bacon, Egg and Cheese tacos as well. The tortillas are grilled and virtually blend into the ingredients creating a seamless and really compelling package. Moving to appetizers, The Escabeche is a dish composed of pickled carrots, onions, cauliflower and jalapenos. Strange bedfellows perhaps, but great flavor. And you must sample Curras’s Papas which is a knockoff of a popular Mexican dish. To make us gringos happy, they use French fries, but who cares? The taters have Monterrey Jack, chipotle, chorizo and onions over them and the taste is something else. The Empanadas are another spot appetizer. You can have them stuffed with either lamb or veggie chorizo and they’re fried and served with chipotle pepper and cream sauce. They are irresistible.

The entrees are muy especial at Curra’s Grill. The Cochinita Pibil, which is the Yucatan version of Havana’s Lechon Asado, is a marinated pork leg cooked in a banana leaf. The pork is amazingly tender and the dish has lovely, tropical flavors. The Carnitas, from the Michoacan region, features pork marinated in Coca Cola (that’s’ right) milk and orange juice. The meat is crispy and breaks down to tender little morsels that just melt in your mouth. And the dish most associated over the years with the indomitable Julieta, the Mole Enchiladas, are one of the restaurant’s signatures and rightfully so. Pick your filling: it’s all good. I am also a huge fan of the Cancun Shrimp Enchiladas with almost prawn-size shrimp, bell peppers and grilled onions and guajillo and pineapple. Like everything at Curra’s, this dish pops with flavor forward nuanced touches. And then you have to try the Blackened Fish Tacos. These consist of Strips of snapper rubbed with house made spices and fresh tortillas, pico de gallo and a cream chipotle sauce. Every bite of these tacos is a reward to your palate. And also reward yourself with the Caldo, the traditional Mexican chicken soup. Wonderfully mellow flavors and I love the accent of the quarter corn cob. Delisioso.

Curra’s Grill is a family restaurant with food that can skew way upscale. No pretense. Just plain good.