Amaya's Taco Village
Hearty, affordable fare that won't cost more than the pocket change left over after your visit with the tax man
Reviewed by MM Pack, Fri., April 15, 2005
Amaya's Taco Village
5405 N. I-35 (in Capital Plaza), 458-2531
Mon-Sat, 7am-9pm; Sunday, 8am-9pm
It takes a village to do a lot of things, and there's a village-worth of cooks and servers who seriously hustle to keep hungry diners happy at Amaya's. This spacious, no-frills restaurant is a near-northeast Austin institution that is always packed, but the wait is never long, thanks to a quietly efficient and accomplished staff. Particularly at lunchtime, an astonishing number of hungry mouths, many of them faithful regulars and office groups, pass in and out of these doors.
The reason the tables are always full is, of course, the food, which is all about flavor and value (nothing served is more than $9, and most are under $8). This is quintessential Austin Tex-Mex cooking, and Amaya's serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. The menu abounds with specials, such as two-for-one breakfasts during the last week of the month; kids under 12 eat free on Tuesdays; and the popular $6.20 daily lunch specials that range from carne guisada to chile rellenos to fajitas. Six Mexican beers are available ($2.50), as well as $4.50 margaritas.
A gustatory highlight is the fresh and flavorful house-made corn tortillas that accompany everything and are fried to order for the eponymous crispy tacos. The tacos are indeed terrific, but I have a soft spot for Amaya's enchiladas, both the shredded chicken with salsa verde and the cheese-filled with spicy beef sauce, liberally sprinkled with chopped fresh onion. Another favorite is costillas asadas, a huge platter of slow-roasted, succulent beef ribs. Wrap one of Amaya's fresh corn tortillas around some of that, douse with salsa, and you might even forget your tax troubles.
