Must Have This: Restaurant

Note: We appreciate the patience of our readers during this trying time of unstable electricity. During a particularly frigid yesterday, the power supply in Austin fluctuated between simply Not Working and Almost Possibly Working. Apologies.


We have stated time and time again our fondness for Mexican food. We hold it in very high regard, and consequently take the evaluation of it very seriously. We would go so far as to say that Ninfa's on Navigation may, in fact, be our very favorite Mexican restaurant.

Few cities are as primed for excellent Mexican food as Houston. San Antonio is also one (we have a favorite here, too, which we will no doubt reveal on Must Have This at a later date), Los Angeles is another (we have not been here in ages, so we don't have a favorite to speak of). Houston, being the fourth largest city in the US, and not at all far from the Mexican border, seems quite the obvious location.


There are many good, even great Mexican joints in Houston, and we would encourage anyone visiting (and you really should visit, don't let anyone tell you otherwise) to seek out a handful. They range in size and style, price and location. More than one of them rightfully belongs on Must Have This. Ninfa's on Navigation (alias Mama Ninfas and The Original Ninfa's) is however, in our well-versed opinion, the best in the city. It's combination of ambiance, service, price and taste earn it our top marks.

Where to start? Obviously, a margarita. We think the only real way to get them is frozen with no salt, but we begrudgingly understand those who prefer them on the rocks (and we will let the salt slide- although we do think it truly ruins the tart sweetness of the drink). Ninfa's are the perfect balance of potent and flavorful- incredibly fruity without tasting the least bit fake. And as with any Mexican restaurant worth anything, chips and salsa will appear on your table. One of our favorite things about the restaurant is that there is not just one salsa, but two, and neither of them is too spicy. Don't be afraid to try both- each is fantastic in it's own way.

As for the main event, there really is no bad choice. We have never had anything less than 'great.' The chicken mole, fajitas, tacos al pastor, and tacos al carbon are all excellent dishes, all of which we have devoured in a perhaps less-than-tactful way. Our personal favorite, however, is the Tejas combo. On one plate, fajitas, cheese enchilada, taco (we order ours soft instead of crispy, as an excuse to have one more house-made tortilla) and rice and beans (get the black beans, trust us) all combine to form possibly the most perfect Mexican meal of all time. You may think we jest; we do not.

The building has been slowly expanded as the restaurant has grown, and we find it charming to see the modest beginnings of what eventually became an empire. We can remember before the current new dining furniture arrived- the main room was an amusing mish-mash of old vinyl covered dining room chairs. The enclosed back patio is a fabulous place to sit and sip margaritas. The new patio bar is getting a lot of attention, and we thought it looked spectacular when we stopped by last weekend (we sat inside, with our long-standing favorite waitress, Kady).

Truly, we cannot find a reason you shouldn't go. Be warned, however, while reservations aren't required, they certainly are recommended, as the place fills up quickly, and the wait for a table can stretch well past an hour on busy nights.

The Original Ninfa's is located at 2704 Navigation Blvd in Houston.