HO2007 - Guadalajara Hacienda

An extensive menu that bridges Mexican and Tex-Mex food with expertise and creativity.

By George L. Rosenblatt
Photography by Jim Caldwell

A GuestLife Houston Great Restaurant

South of the border, the name Guadalajara evokes the image of Mexico's great cities. North of the border, in Houston, the name Guadalajara evokes images of Mexico's food.

While Mexico's supercities include only one Guadalajara, Houston's super-comida includes several easily accessible Guadalajara Mexican restaurants. At all of them, Mexico's kitchen traditions of fresh, wholesome ingredients reign in dishes both familiar and innovative. In a city where really good salsas abound, for example, Guadalajara's stands out with its flavorful accents of cilantro and peppers. Whether dipped in the salsa or nibbled out of hand, the accompanying tostadas are tasty chips of freshly made corn tortillas gently fried.

At restaurants along the Southwest Freeway, inside the I-610 loop, and north of town near the Woodlands, Guadalajara serves its specialties in an appealing atmosphere that is at once festive and friendly. The newest location on I-10, east of Memorial City Mall, is an authentic example of a timeless Mexican hacienda. Colorful lights festoon dining areas and outdoor patios. Tables sit comfortably along walls whose painting and structure suggest the streets of Tlaquepaque, long a picturesque artistic sector of the city of Guadalajara. Lots of lush plants cultivate the restaurants' aura of tropicality. Indeed, the restaurants' popularity bubbles like queso fundido because they serve delicious dishes in an atmosphere of many appeals. That ambience is simultaneously soothing and energizing, sunny and shady, cool and cozy, family-friendly and, with its roomy bar, nightlife friendly.

Most important, however, the food is flavor friendly, well beyond the relative simplicity of handmade tortillas, fresh salsa and pico de gallo. It is also deliciously creative, mirroring the vast, inventive culinary repertoire of Mexico itself.

Chicken enchiladas? Si, como no? (Yes, why not?). But how about enchiladas filled with shrimp and crabmeat topped with cheese and a creamy avocado sauce? Fajitas or chile con queso? Yes, of course. But how about your choice of beef or chicken fajitas chopped and blended into chile con queso, with fresh mushrooms added for good measure?

From an extensive menu that bridges Mexican and Tex-Mex food with expertise and creativity, Guadalajara Restaurants invite exploration of their meat, poultry, and seafood entrées, their flavors and their charms.

MENU HIGHLIGHTS

Starters

Campeche Cocktail
Fresh shrimp and lump crab meat combined with fresh tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro

Guacamole Vallarta
Chunks of boiled shrimp blended with fresh avocados, tomatoes, red onions, seasoning, and cilantro

Ensaladas

San Miguel Caesar
Fresh romaine and grilled chicken tossed with chipotle caesar dressing, roasted corn-black bean relish, corn tortillas chips, and añejo cheese

Ensalada Del Rio
Grilled salmon with raspberry-chipotle glaze, roasted pecans, Mexican cheese, over mixed greens with mango-lime vinaigrette

Entrées

Red Snapper Veracruz
Known in Mexico as "Huachinango," grilled over hard wood and topped with Veracruz sauce. Served with Hacienda Rice and grilled vegetables.

Carne Asada Vallarta
Three jumbo bacon-wrapped shrimp atop our delicious carne asada, sautéed mushrooms, red onions, bell peppers, and pepper jack cheese. Served with cilantro rice and fiesta green beans.

Portabella Relleno
Jumbo roasted Portabella stuffed with chicken and creamed spinach

Dessert

Sopapillas

Tres Leches Cake

Mixed Drinks

"Guadarita"
Frozen or on the rocks

Above: Carne Asada Vallarta

Guadalajara Hacienda
Open Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

• 27885 Highway 45 North The Woodlands, Texas 77380, (281) 362-0774
More Information - Websites, Maps and Directions

• 9799 Katy Freeway, Houston, Texas 77024, (713) 461-5300
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Guadalajara Mexican Grille and Bar
• 2925 Southwest Freeway Houston, Texas 77098, (713) 942-0772
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