Are there any true tex-mex fans out there in Tyler that understand that Taco Bell and those Chinese slash Mexican buffets are not real Mexican food? On The Border is pretty good and I love eating there but after the other night when I went to Villa Montez, where Mansion On The Hill used to be I had to change my tune. Villa Montez is in a very classy place if you are not familiar with the location at 3324 Old Henderson Hwy which is on the way to the Oil Palace, for those who need a landmark. It is way before the Oil Palace but that should help to place it for you. The restaurant only opened a few months ago but when I went to eat there I had to wait for a car to leave because the parking lot was completely full. This immediately made me think that there might be something good inside that building.
We get inside in they say there will be a 25 minute wait so we head into the bar and sit in these very comfortable trendy chairs. The bar area is very comfortable and homey and was packed. Sitting in the bar area makes the wait much more bareable. We made are way to the table after a short wait and I ordered the Carne Asada. My wife ordered the Prime Rib and my parents ordered the cheese and chicken enchiladas. This Mexican food is a milder version of what we know as spicy Tex-Mex but it was fantastic and by far the best enchiladas in town. The beef is Prime USDA and for those who are not aware this restaraunt is the only one in town we know of that serves this quality of beef. They spice the beef up with some Argentinian spice and according to my Argentinian friends this country has it going on in the beef department. The steak and prime rib was exceptional and for the price and deliciousness I would pick this place over On The Border any day.
If you are curious about what the top Prime USDA quality grade means then read the below summary put out by the USDA:
A quality grade is a composite evaluation of factors that affect palatability of meat (tenderness, juiciness, and flavor). These factors include carcass maturity, firmness, texture, and color of lean, and the amount and distribution of marbling within the lean. Beef carcass quality grading is based on (1) degree of marbling and (2) degree of maturity.
Prime USDA is the best in all of these areas.
Published under: Tyler Texas News
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