The cheese enchilada plate is a Tex-Mex mainstay, but try getting a vegetarian version that isn’t tarted up with spinach or mushrooms. These slightly more exotic variations have their place, but they aren’t going to win the hearts and minds of those who grew up on the classics before renouncing chili gravy. For a meatless Tex-Mex archetype, look no further than the enchiladas mexicanas ($6.75) at El Paraiso Mexican Restaurant (2320 Crocker at Fairview, 713-524-0309). There’s no lard in the refried beans and no chicken stock in the rice — just three corn tortillas filled with white cheese and fried in a mild red sauce with more cheese grated on top. The salsa that comes with the complimentary chips has more of a kick, so spoon a little over the platter to spice it up to personal specifications. It’s comfort without compromise.
This article appears in Jun 20-26, 2002.