ON THE SIDE

Oaxacan Tamaleo

Restaurant brings more delicious Mexican fare to Texas 71

When the new paint job appeared on the building, even the commuters who typically fly down that stretch of Texas 71 between Bastrop and Austin surely had to take notice of the bright and varied colors. After all, purple is tough to miss.

But, judging from a sparsely populated Saturday night dinner at the purple restaurant this summer, the catch-your-eye exterior isn't bringing diners into this simple Mexican spot the way it should. Tamales fans, especially, should be stopping by Oaxacan Tamaleo in droves.

Bret Gerbe photos FOR AMERICAN-STATESMAN

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Owners Billy Stoute, left, wife Leonor Banos-Stoute and son Ben have a great thing going at Oaxacan Tamaleo outside Bastrop.

Bret Gerbe photos FOR AMERICAN-STATESMAN

(enlarge photo)

The restaurant has wonderful posole.

Oaxacan Tamaleo.
1634 Texas 71 W., Cedar Creek; 289-9262.
Rating: Forks up.
Price: Cheap.

If there are better tamales in Central Texas, I haven't found them.

Wrapped in banana leaves, these rectangular tamales ($2.75 each or two for $5) provide a perfect balance between masa and robust fillings: black bean and cheese, pork with green sauce and chicken with red mole sauce. The black bean and cheese, a vegetarian option, is the mild choice, while the other two bring a fair level of zest to the table.

Share all three with friends as an appetizer (my choice) or pick your favorite as an entrée.

If tamales aren't high on your list of favored fare, Oaxacan Tamaleo (opened by Leonor and Bill Stoute and formerly located on Anderson Lane in Austin) has several other offerings, some daily and some on the regular menu.

From the menu, the chicken enchiladas with mole sauce ($8.45) bowled over my Mexican-food-loving sidekick with the flavor — both of the mole and the chicken. The enchiladas were topped with salad and served with rice and beans.

The white posole ($5.50 for the large) will bring me back. The rich chicken broth held hominy, with plenty of chicken underneath. A side platter provided radishes, cabbage and peppers to add to the soup, as well as several chile-laced tostadas to enjoy with it.

To wrap up, try the housemade flan ($3), a delightfully creamy version of the traditional dessert.

Fare like that — flan to tamales — should bring traffic to a halt in front of Oaxacan Tamaleo.