DineOut

by Eric A.T. Dieckman

DOWN MEXICO CITY WAY

Maria Selma serves the flavors of the Mexican capital

"I always liked the kitchen," says Rene Hidalgo, chef and co-owner of Maria Selma (1617 Richmond, 713/528-4920, www.mariaselma.com).

When Hildalgo was young in his native Mexico City, he was often home alone and would cook for himself. "I moved to Sacramento, California, in '88," where he worked as a Hyatt dishwasher. A chef who noticed his enthusiasm and ability gave him a shot at cooking. From there, he transferred to a Houston Hyatt. In the '90s, Hidalgo moved to Bistro Vino, where he was chef for seven years, then in 2000 he became sous chef at Brownstone. He decided to open his own place when he realized nobody offered food true to his Mexico City palate, even if some claimed they did. In August 2002, he took that responsibility onto his shoulders. Since he opened Maria Selma, a number of Mexico City ex-pats have found Hidalgo's brightly colored place, glad to discover a taste of home.

Hidalgo shares the restaurant with fellow co-owner Joseph Varon. Varon's most prominent contribution: naming Maria Selma after his mother. Hidalgo's contribution: the traditional interior Mexican food.

In Mexico, the peckish might visit a fonda, a small restaurant that serves simple, typical food. This is the inspiration behind Maria Selma, but Hidalgo has found that recreating the food of his home can be problematic. Some items are hard, if not impossible, to find, and tastes are not always the same. "Corn is sweeter," Hidalgo explains, as are other vegetables when compared to their Mexican counterparts. "Sometimes it's really hard to match hot peppers to sweet ingredients. The food tends to go more to the sweet side."

The big winners on the menu are the top-shelf Selma's Margarita made with fresh lime, the eggs Albanil, and the enchiladas. Eggs Albanil is served with a spicy eye-opening tomatillo sauce. (Sadly, breakfast is only available on weekends. However, huevo-time recently expanded from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. to 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) Maria Selma enchiladas are unlike what we are accustomed to in the Lone Star State. Hildalgo points out that in Mexico City, and therefore in his kitchen, "We fry the tortilla. That changes the flavor of the whole dish. We don't roll the tortilla. We don't stuff it. We dip it in sauce, then we fold it on the plate. Then we top it with chicken or beef. Then we use fresh cheese-queso fresco," just a sprinkle, not a Tex-Mex mound. Instead of a pile of diced onions, only a few rings are found on top. One sauce used with the enchiladas is guajillo, made with tomato, dry pepper, and spices. The bright red sauce has a mild heat and a rich flavor. Enchiladas poblanos, served with mole, are a favorite of regulars and Hidalgo himself.

Overall, the food is subtler than the fare at the typical taqueria. Or maybe it's just that there isn't as much delicious fat as Texans are used to. But this isn't Tex-Mex. This is Maria Selma.

Eric A. T. Dieckman reported on Barnaby Cafe's 10th anniversary in the December OutSmart.