XL Food & Drink: On the Side

Sazon

Small eatery one of the best Mexican restaurants in town

Like a Brazilian miner in search of topaz, a restaurant critic has to chisel through a lot of territory to find a gem. That's why the dining quest is never dull; it's impossible to tell when the next jewel will turn up.

Laura Skelding
AMERICAN-STATESMAN

(enlarge photo)

Huitlacoche empanadas.

Laura Skelding
AMERICAN-STATESMAN

(enlarge photo)

Alambres.

Laura Skelding
AMERICAN-STATESMAN

(enlarge photo)

Tres leches cake.

Sazón

• 1816 S. Lamar Blvd.
• 326-4395
• Rating: Forks up.
• Price: Cheap/moderate

The newest treasure is Sazón, a small place in South Austin that is easily one of the 10 best Mexican restaurants in the area. From the huitlacoche empanadas to the tres leches cake, Sazón delivered rewarding taste in every dish.

One of the few restaurants in Central Texas to serve huitlacoche, Sazón fills three handmade masa empanadas ($9.99) with the corn fungus — perhaps more appetizingly listed as "exotic corn truffle" on the menu — and serves them with a lightly zesty avocado sauce. They were exceptional.

Another appetizer, the choriqueso ($6.99) layered homemade chorizo, melted cheese and grilled strips of poblanos in a combination that wasn't nearly as greasy as many similar queso items I've had involving the Mexican sausage. Choose the corn tortillas to accompany the choriqueso; they are made in-house.

The alambres ($10.29) offered a delightful combination of chunks of beef tenderloin, fresh pineapple, red onion, bell peppers and tomatoes grilled on a skewer and presented over rice with sides of charro beans and guacamole salad.

The arracheras al carbon ($10.29), the restaurant's version of fajitas highly recommended by our server, brought ultra-tender strips of flavorful beef on a bed of grilled onions on a sizzling cast-iron skillet. They were served with pico de gallo, rice and charro beans.

For dessert, the homemade flan ($3.50) was a dark, creamy disk of custard, and the tres leches cake ($4) was a moist, tall, two-layer rectangle that was one of the best version's of the classic Mexican cake that I've ever had.

The meal was so superior to the typical Mexican fare that I'm eager to return for other items such as the cochinita pibil and an omelet made with huitlacoche. Sazón is a new pearl in Austin, a place that is alive with vibrant flavors and appealing dishes.