Whether you are a native Texan or hail from Mexico or South America, Taco Grill Real Mexicano has a range of dishes to satisfy curiosity for a new cuisine as well as a longing for foods from the homeland.
The restaurant also has a wide selection of South American treats, such as candies, potato chips and special sodas.[/caption]
“It’s a Mexican, South American type [of cuisine],” Assistant Manager Juan Vale said. “The taco menu is popular [with Katy natives]. The traditional menu is popular with people from Mexico, Central and South America.”
The restaurant is family-owned and has been open for eight years, Vale said. Owner Jackie Villalobos hails from Venezuela and most of the menu items are made from family recipes, Vale said.
Decorations including traditional Latin American hand sewn blankets, paintings and other decor cover the walls of the restaurant at 2004 S. Mason Road.
On the menu, diners can choose from a more basic selection of tacos and fajitas as well as a wide range of specialty dishes including arepas, empanandas, pastelitos, tequenos, cachapas and the restaurant’s main specialty—patacones.
Vale said one of the most popular items is the patacones, which has roots in Venezuela and Colombia.
“It’s like a sandwich. [The bun] is [a] plantain, it’s fried and gets like toast. You can then choose shredded beef, pork [or] chicken,” Vale said.
Another popular item is the eatery’s selection of arepas.
“The bread is made from corn meal,” Vale said. “It’s the same meats, but this one comes with a Pico de gallo salsa and a cilantro sauce.”
Another popular item, Vale said, is the “domino” empanada—which has a black bean and cheese filling.
“Most people come for the taco grill,” Vale said. “A lot of Mexicans and Venezuelans come for the arepas and the empanadas.”
The restaurant is known for its specialty salsas, all housemade every day, Vale said.
“We make our salsa, the cilantro sauce and the piquante,” he said. “People can get as much of it as they want.”
The restaurant serves soft drinks, beer, Central and South American sodas and margaritas. There is also a display case filled with hard-to-find snacks and candies from Venezuela.
The restaurant has a drive-thru window where customers can pickup preordered food. There are also occasional karaoke nights, and singers who sign up can belt out tunes in either Spanish or English.
“[Customers] can also order at the window,” Vale said. “We’ll make the food quickly while they wait.”
Vale said Villalobos wanted to bring a taste of Venezuela and South America to Katy when she opened the restaurant.
“Our customers are always very happy,” he said. “They’re happy [the menu] is not just Mexican food. They’re happy it has more choices from South America.”
Taco Grill Real Mexicano
2004 S. Mason Road, Katy
281-371-8226
www.tacogrillkaty.com
Hours: Mon.-Sat., 8 a.m.-9 p.m., Sun., 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
The restaurant also has a wide selection of South American treats, such as candies, potato chips and special sodas.[/caption]
“It’s a Mexican, South American type [of cuisine],” Assistant Manager Juan Vale said. “The taco menu is popular [with Katy natives]. The traditional menu is popular with people from Mexico, Central and South America.”
The restaurant is family-owned and has been open for eight years, Vale said. Owner Jackie Villalobos hails from Venezuela and most of the menu items are made from family recipes, Vale said.
Decorations including traditional Latin American hand sewn blankets, paintings and other decor cover the walls of the restaurant at 2004 S. Mason Road.
On the menu, diners can choose from a more basic selection of tacos and fajitas as well as a wide range of specialty dishes including arepas, empanandas, pastelitos, tequenos, cachapas and the restaurant’s main specialty—patacones.
Vale said one of the most popular items is the patacones, which has roots in Venezuela and Colombia.
“It’s like a sandwich. [The bun] is [a] plantain, it’s fried and gets like toast. You can then choose shredded beef, pork [or] chicken,” Vale said.
Another popular item is the eatery’s selection of arepas.
“The bread is made from corn meal,” Vale said. “It’s the same meats, but this one comes with a Pico de gallo salsa and a cilantro sauce.”
Another popular item, Vale said, is the “domino” empanada—which has a black bean and cheese filling.
“Most people come for the taco grill,” Vale said. “A lot of Mexicans and Venezuelans come for the arepas and the empanadas.”
The restaurant is known for its specialty salsas, all housemade every day, Vale said.
“We make our salsa, the cilantro sauce and the piquante,” he said. “People can get as much of it as they want.”
The restaurant serves soft drinks, beer, Central and South American sodas and margaritas. There is also a display case filled with hard-to-find snacks and candies from Venezuela.
The restaurant has a drive-thru window where customers can pickup preordered food. There are also occasional karaoke nights, and singers who sign up can belt out tunes in either Spanish or English.
“[Customers] can also order at the window,” Vale said. “We’ll make the food quickly while they wait.”
Vale said Villalobos wanted to bring a taste of Venezuela and South America to Katy when she opened the restaurant.
“Our customers are always very happy,” he said. “They’re happy [the menu] is not just Mexican food. They’re happy it has more choices from South America.”
Taco Grill Real Mexicano
2004 S. Mason Road, Katy
281-371-8226
www.tacogrillkaty.com
Hours: Mon.-Sat., 8 a.m.-9 p.m., Sun., 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
