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Pork and Beans on a Bun

Pick up a sack of inexpensive sandwiches at the laid-back Tortas El Angel on Shepherd.

I had gone to Tortas Las Llardas looking for a truly great torta hamburguesa. I had read about their hamburguesa estilo-D.F., or Mexico City-style hamburger, with bacon and a grilled pineapple slice on top. I liked the unusual burger, which came with a large, juicy hamburger patty. But as it turned out, the burger was served on a bun without the avocado and beans, so I'm not sure it even qualified as a torta. If you know of a great tortaburger, let me know. I'm still on the lookout.

I am thinking of going back to Tortas El Angel and asking for a double meat tortaburger. And if I could convince them to also cook the burger patties a little juicer, we might have a winner. Everything else about El Angel's tortaburger is perfect.

Remarkable: The "Pepito" with steak, onion and raw jalapeño.
Troy Fields
Remarkable: The "Pepito" with steak, onion and raw jalapeño.

Location Info

Tortas el Angel

1018 N. Shepherd
Houston, TX 77008

Category: Restaurant > Mexican

Region: Heights

Details

Hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

"Pepito" regular: $5

"Maestro" regular: $6

"Tortaburger" gigante: $8

"California" regular: $5

1018 N. Shepherd, 713-862-9222.

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There's a lot to like about this humble little sandwich shop on North Shepherd. The Pepito and the Maestro were standouts, and I am looking forward to trying the fajita-and-melted cheese sandwich. (I wonder if they would add a fried egg to any of these for a little extra.)

Once you embrace the torta, you will find that various versions of the sandwich can be quite impressive. At five bucks, they are also a great deal on dinner. Yes, tortas are mushy, but so are hamburgers. (Which is why I think a hamburguesa torta is such a great idea.)

The number of new torta shops opening around town suggests that the Mexican sandwich is gaining in popularity — maybe mushy is the next big thing.

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  • danhole 05/15/2009 12:16:00 AM

    I went there quite awhile back and had a torta where I chose the meat and topping, which was marinated pork, cheese, and I don't remember what else. I wasn't too impressed. My daughter had a fajita and cheese (Texana) that was really good. She did not want the mayo on it but got it anyway, a bit of a language barrier that day, but she still ate all of it. When I go back, that is what I will order.

  • Fred 05/14/2009 12:15:00 AM

    I'll take a good torta over a bland burger any day. The bean smear and the bread are the keys to a good torta. I wish more burger joints in town offered the refried bean (and fired egg) option on their burgers for the best of both worlds. My neighborhood La Tapatia serves a pretty decent torta that's become a lunch favorite of mine. They'll even throw on a fried egg if you ask nicely :)

 

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