SX-Repost: Porfirio's Tacos

There are tens of thousands of people descending on our fair city, and they are hungry. SXSW has many things to offer, and Austin's food is certainly a part of the magic.

With that in mind, I'm instituting the SX-Repost series. I'll be re-posting selected reviews of our favorite places, concentrating on places that are near downtown, or are "must visit while in Austin" type places.

The first installment:


Porfirio's Tacos from 5/22/07



Operating out of a very, very modest storefront near the corner of Holly and Comals Sts. just east of downtown Austin, Porfirio's offers breakfast tacos and lunch plates from 6am to 1pm monday through saturday. I guess if you looked at the picture, you already knew that.

Porfirio's also serves pre-made tacos out of a pickup truck that moves around downtown Austin in the mornings. In fact, my first Porfirio's experience was with this truck. I worked downtown as a bicycle messenger back in the mid-90s, and the location of the Porfirio's truck was a very hot topic on the walkie talkie radios. *shirk* Porfirio at 5th and Brazos *shirk*

I missed the Porfirio's truck after I moved on to non-downtown job opportunities, so I was quite chuffed when I recently drove by their practically hidden store front on the east side.

I especially dig the carne guisada tacos, and they'll make them south tx. style with refried beans and cheese by request. If you haven't had a carne guisada, beans and cheese taco, you are seriously missing out. Porfirio's is absolutely the place in town to try this taco combo for yourself.

All of the standard breakfast tacos are excellent as well, with the potatoes being especially great. The crispy beef tacos are also super ridiculously tasty if you happen to make it down there for lunch before they close at 1pm.

Part of what makes the various tacos at Porfirio's so good is the homemade salsa. It's a very spicy green salsa, that has a distinct and lovely flavor. It's not the tomatillo based green salsa you find at most places, and I suspect it's made mostly of blended jalapenos. Unmissable.



5 stars - cornbiter deluxe

Porfirio's Tacos
1512 Holly Street
Austin, TX 78702
512-476-5030