Roberto’s Brazo Fuerte at Tacodeli, from Facebook.
All the cool kids are doing it. They’re reading The Fang, Lake Highlands High’s school newspaper and product of the Wildcat journalism department.
The April edition has a great piece by freshman Megan Haness on the top five quesos in Lake Highlands, which you may read online here. She puts Mariano’s cheesy concoction at the top – but you’ll surrender your Texan card if you ever call it cheese dip. El Vecino, Taco Joint, Mi Cocina and Torchy’s are next, in order, on her personal list.
With all due respect to this talented food critic, we here at Advocate have 5 quesos we’d like to add to Megan’s fine list.
You won’t find it on the menu at Mattito’s, but Bob Armstrong dip is the worst-kept, best-tasting secret in town. Named after former Texas Land Commissioner Bob Armstrong, “Bob’s,” as insiders call it, was originally an off-menu item at Matt’s El Rancho in Austin. The affiliated restaurants split and Bob’s went on the Matt’s menu, but it never went onto Mattito’s. It features layers of chile con queso, seasoned ground beef, guacamole and sour cream. Mattito’s is at Forest Lane and 75.
It’s tough to compete with the queso blanco at Taco Diner. Topped with jalapeno enmielado and optional brisket or ground beef, the queso is lighter and creamier than most. Taco Diner is in the Lake Highlands Town Center, Skillman and Walnut Hill.
Gabriela and Sofia’s doesn’t put on airs. They come right out and confess on the menu that their queso is made from “melted golden Velveeta mixed with onions, bell peppers and tomatoes.” Though it’s just outside the boundaries of LH, the joint at Meadow and 75 is always full of neighbors when we pop in.
Tacodeli serves a creation called Roberto’s Brazo Fuerte, and it will change your life. The power combo of queso, guac, pico de gallo and Akaushi ground beef is like no other queso in Texas. Tacodeli is in The Hill shopping center, Walnut Hill and 75.
Besides their standard queso, Emilio’s Mexican Kitchen offers a delicious queso flameado, sometimes known as queso fundido. Served thick and bubbling in a skillet, it features poblano peppers, Monterey jack cheese and chorizo. Emilio’s is in Timber Creek Crossing, Skillman and Northwest Highway.
Jordan Grinnell is the journalism teacher at LHHS, and she mentors the student writers at The Fang. Lauren Turner is editor-in-chief.
