The New York Times recently asked a dozen of its journalists who visit restaurants across the nation to identify their favorites.

Simply called “The Restaurant List,” the resulting write-up features the 50 places in the United States that the Times’ staff members are most excited about right now.

Half of this year’s selections have opened since the newspaper’s 2022 list was published, but plenty of others have been around for years.

That’s where the Spring Branch Management District’s El Hidalguense falls.

There, for the past 25 years, the Gonzalez family has been serving a very specific, regional style of Mexican food in a city where Tex-Mex is king.

“If the giant vats of bubbling caldo de res don’t impress you, the indoor spit just might. Every day, whole goats are roasted, chopped and, if you want, slicked with a fiery chile paste, then served with charro beans and blanket-soft tortillas,”  Priya Krishna said in the article.

“This is the rustic cooking of Hidalgo, a state in central Mexico whose famously colorful houses are depicted on the restaurant’s sign and splashed onto the table decorations.”

On the restaurant’s Facebook page, the description is simple: “El Hidalguense is a family-owned and operated restaurant that serves authentic Mexican food.”

And the restaurant’s social media posts after the national honor and write up were equally simple.

First, just simply: “Thank you,” with a link to the article.

Later, “OMG it’s packed in here.”

A previous post featuring a visit from James Beard Award-winning Chris Shepherd enjoying a meal at the restaurant foreshadowed the attention the small, unassuming restaurant might get.

On a recent Tuesday that followed publication of the article, the restaurant was pretty quiet, actually, with just a few tables full and a mix of what appeared to be regulars and newbies.

Carlos Gonzalez (Carlos Junior), owner of El Hidalguense, took over from his father, Carlos Senior.

“The focus and mission of El Hidalguense,” Carlos Jr. told the Spring Branch District previously, “is to be authentic, and keep our traditions and culture alive through our food.”

In the kitchen, Carlos Sr. relied on the culinary expertise passed on to him by his mother. As a child in Hidalgo, he spent much of his time helping his mother cook traditional dishes for her 11 children. To supplement the income of this large family, his mother started making coffee for miners working in the area. Soon, her business grew from coffee to food, and she became renowned in the community for her delicious cooking. Her meals became highly sought-after, especially during holidays requiring special dishes.

Carlos Sr. then worked as a butcher, and opened his own taco stand, before diving into the oil and gas industry in Mexico. It was the Mexican oil company Pemex that brought the Gonzalez family, with 3-year-old Carlos Jr., to Houston. While working his corporate job, Carlos Sr. reestablished his taco stand in southwest Houston. Due to the success of the taco business, he decided to open a larger restaurant in Spring Branch.

Good thing the restaurant is large enough to accommodate those who have been coming to the restaurant for years and also those who may be just hearing about it from the national press.

“My favorite thing is when people come in who are used to Tex-Mex food, and they experience how I grew up, my family, my culture, and they like it. It’s fun to see people try something different and enjoy it,” Carlos said.

El Hidalguense Restaurant
6917 Long Point Rd
Houston, TX 77055
(713) 680-1071
https://www.elhidalguenserestaurant.com/

— by Dorothy Puch Lillig