Herbert’s: A Search for the Real Deal
I stepped out of the hot Texas sun with my sunglasses still on into a window unit cooled interior. Even after putting my glasses on top of my head, the dark room with low ceilings didn’t impress me.
On the walls were framed autographed pictures. I spotted a couple of sports stars, a picture of George Strait with the owner, and several other pictures. The register was tucked in behind candy and fund raiser jars.
I held up my hands. Table for seven.
The front dining room had three tables. One obviously used to wrap silverware. The dining room on the left had been added later and held six tables.
Quickly two tables were moved together and I sat down to wait. The table wobbled back and forth and the chair I was sitting in had one leg too short. Every time I moved it rocked.
I was on the hunt for REAL Mexican food and this place had been recommended. I hoped the food was better than the decor.
My friends came in and we all looked at the menus. I caught the eye of the waitress and asked about drinks.
“Canned Cokes and Iced Tea”, She said. We all ordered iced tea.
The tea came out in giant sized, plastic glasses. The teaspoon was barely visible in the dark, opaque, liquid. On the table was a sugar dispenser that you poured to create your own sweet tea.
A waiter brought out the chips and salsa. On the table was a large bowl of individually wrapped margarine.
We looked at each other and grabbed for the chips. All of us together dug in and then liberally dosed our chip with the red and green salsa.
You can tell how good a Mexican Restaurant is by their salsa. This didn’t disappoint.
We all gasped as the jalapeño laden salsa hit our tongues. The need for the margarine was revealed.
I grabbed for my tea and gulped it down.
I smiled, grabbed another chip, and repeated.
This was what I was looking for.
I ordered the Herbert’s Special. It was only $5.50. Perfect price for a college freshman.
The plate came with a taco, chalupa, cheese enchilada, guacamole, and rice and beans. Oh, and fresh tortillas on the side.
Once my plate came out, I looked over it and smiled. And then dug in.
I think I moaned every time I bit into another part of the delicious food on my plate.
I can honestly say I have been going to Herbert’s for forty years. I live in Houston now...but a drive to San Marcos is a perfect diversion and easy to get there by lunch.
We have taken our kids there...and their buddies. We have introduced friends to it’s wonderful food, and I know at least one person visited there from New York.
The decor is still the same. It does have another dining room added thirty some odd years ago on the back. And the tables no longer wobble.
But the best thing, they are still using the same recipes they used forty years ago when I first walked in. And that salsa...Oh My Gosh...still hot and sooooo good.
This restaurant is part of my life journey. It’s what Doug and I call “Our Place.”
College to marriage to pregnancy to kids in highchairs to kids in school to a kid in college going to the same places we walked.
It’s still a “hole in the wall”...no fine dining here. This is purely for those wanting the Real Deal.
The decor is comforting now. I no longer see the crowded walls and low ceilings. The food is what I go for.
And if you ever call and you can hear that we are on the road...ask if we are Herbert’s bound. More than likely our answer will be yes. If we don’t answer, we are in the midst of our tacos.
Quickly two tables were moved together and I sat down to wait. The table wobbled back and forth and the chair I was sitting in had one leg too short. Every time I moved it rocked.
I was on the hunt for REAL Mexican food and this place had been recommended. I hoped the food was better than the decor.
My friends came in and we all looked at the menus. I caught the eye of the waitress and asked about drinks.
“Canned Cokes and Iced Tea”, She said. We all ordered iced tea.
The tea came out in giant sized, plastic glasses. The teaspoon was barely visible in the dark, opaque, liquid. On the table was a sugar dispenser that you poured to create your own sweet tea.
A waiter brought out the chips and salsa. On the table was a large bowl of individually wrapped margarine.
We looked at each other and grabbed for the chips. All of us together dug in and then liberally dosed our chip with the red and green salsa.
You can tell how good a Mexican Restaurant is by their salsa. This didn’t disappoint.
We all gasped as the jalapeño laden salsa hit our tongues. The need for the margarine was revealed.
I grabbed for my tea and gulped it down.
I smiled, grabbed another chip, and repeated.
This was what I was looking for.
I ordered the Herbert’s Special. It was only $5.50. Perfect price for a college freshman.
The plate came with a taco, chalupa, cheese enchilada, guacamole, and rice and beans. Oh, and fresh tortillas on the side.
Once my plate came out, I looked over it and smiled. And then dug in.
I think I moaned every time I bit into another part of the delicious food on my plate.
I can honestly say I have been going to Herbert’s for forty years. I live in Houston now...but a drive to San Marcos is a perfect diversion and easy to get there by lunch.
We have taken our kids there...and their buddies. We have introduced friends to it’s wonderful food, and I know at least one person visited there from New York.
The decor is still the same. It does have another dining room added thirty some odd years ago on the back. And the tables no longer wobble.
But the best thing, they are still using the same recipes they used forty years ago when I first walked in. And that salsa...Oh My Gosh...still hot and sooooo good.
This restaurant is part of my life journey. It’s what Doug and I call “Our Place.”
College to marriage to pregnancy to kids in highchairs to kids in school to a kid in college going to the same places we walked.
It’s still a “hole in the wall”...no fine dining here. This is purely for those wanting the Real Deal.
The decor is comforting now. I no longer see the crowded walls and low ceilings. The food is what I go for.
And if you ever call and you can hear that we are on the road...ask if we are Herbert’s bound. More than likely our answer will be yes. If we don’t answer, we are in the midst of our tacos.
Comments
Post a Comment