Photo by Joe Olivieri

Photo by Joe Olivieri

Photo by Joe Olivieri

Photo by Joe Olivieri

Chef recreates homestyle Mexican cuisine



By Joe Olivieri



On its menu, Mariana's Kitchen Restaurant calls itself a Mexican diner.



Owner Mariana Mendez said she and her staff serve all of the standards of popular Tex-Mex and Mexican cuisine—such as enchiladas, fajitas and combination plates—with a homestyle approach.



She said every region in Mexico puts its own spin on the popular dishes.Mariana is orginally from Villa Hidalgo, a city in the central Mexican state of San Luis Potosi. The area is known for its spicy mix of Spanish and Native American flavors.



Mariana worked at local Mexican restaurant La Reyna on South First Street before opening Mariana's Kitchen Restaurant on Burleson Road in Southeast Austin five years ago, Mariana's son Margarito said.



Mariana closed the Burleson Road location and moved the restaurant to the frontage road of South I-35 near Stassney Lane last October.



"About half of our customers followed us here. After we shut down [on Burleson], [many customers] thought we had closed for good," Margarito said.



Mariana's Kitchen is a popular lunch spot on weekdays and is busy for breakfast and lunch on weekends, he added.



The most popular menu items are enchiladas, menudo—a traditional Mexican soup featuring tripe—and the barbacoa plate, Margarito said.



Mariana said what sets her restaurant apart from Austin's other Mexican restaurants is the quality of its food and wait service.



"We're pretty flexible," Margarito said. "We do special requests. We want to keep the customer happy."



Flavors of San Luis Potosi



At Mariana's Kitchen Restaurant, owner Mariana Mendez serves some of the dishes of her hometown, Villa Hidalgo, in the central Mexican state of San Luis Potosi. Options include:



  • Enchiladas rancheras—Three cheese enchiladas, seasoned carrots, rice, beans, lettuce and tomatoes ($8.99)

  • Chicken mole—Boiled chicken, red mole chile, rice and beans ($8.99)

  • Chile relleno plate—Poblano pepper, seasoned ground beef, ranchero sauce, Monterey jack cheese, rice, beans and guacamole salad ($9.25)

  • Gordita plate—Two gorditas—beef or chicken—rice, beans and guacamole ($8.99)

Breakfast plates



  • Huevos rancheros—Two eggs, ranchero sauce, papas guisadas, beans and flour tortillas ($6.25)

  • Huevos divorciados—Two eggs; one served with ranchero sauce, the other served with tomatillo sauce; papas guisadas, beans and flour tortillas ($6.25)

  • Migas—Corn chips with scrambled eggs, ranchero sauce, beans, rice, papas guisadas and flour tortillas (starting at $6.75)

More menu options



  • Barbacoa plate—Barbacoa served with rice, beans and pico de gallo ($8.99)

  • Al pastor plate—Savory pork chunks marinated and served with rice and beans ($8.99)

  • Ranchero steak—Ribeye steak strips, sauteed peppers, tomatoes, onions, rice, beans and guacamole salad ($12.99)

  • Flautas-—Three rolled, deep-fried corn tortillas stuffed with beef or chicken and served with rice, beans, guacamole salad and sour cream ($8.50)

Mariana's Kitchen Restaurant, 5510 S. I-35, Ste. 410, 512-382-2105, www.marianaskitchen.org



Hours: Mon.–Sat. 8 a.m.–10 p.m., Sun. 8 a.m.–8 p.m.