The menu at Tortas Las Llardas (6001 Hillcroft, 713-272-7008) proudly proclaims in Spanish: “Now Houston can try the authentic and famous sandwiches from Las Llardas, direct from Mexico City.” Here is a place dedicated to one thing — the torta. And the best of the bunch is la capitalina ($5), which translates as “from the capital.” Like all of the sandwiches, it is made with a large, flat, warm, oval-shaped roll, cut open. The bread is covered with refried beans, mayo, tomatoes and avocado, then filled with slices of pork, ham, breaded steak and hot dog sausages, all bound together by melted Mexican cheese. The result is an incredibly delicious sandwich that’s very hard to put down.
This article appears in Feb 1-7, 2007.