As I sit at home on this wonderful Sunday before Labor Day, on one hand, I look back on 2020 – so far, 8 months have been completed, 6 of which have been under the duress of COVID. March and April we were under quarantine, then things slowly started reopening and to this day, we have to wear masks. My favorite sport, college football, is a shadow of its former self – conferences like the Big 10 and Pac-10 have shut down for the season, while others (including my own graduate alma mater’s Big 12) have now postponed games yet another week. My own kids are in virtual classrooms, wondering (as their parents are) whether things will ever go back to normal. Pretty depressing, huh.
Well, yes and no. On one hand, this has truly been a year for the books (and we’re only 2/3rds of the way through!). On the other hand, though, this pandemic has been a blessing in disguise. First off, after a rough 2019 (from a work and health point of view), I got to spend much more time with my family. It was a great way to rediscover and reconnect with them, after a very tangential relationship the year before, due to work-life balance, or near-complete lack thereof. It also allowed me to really think things through – my own life, my career and what I want to do, both in the short and long haul. In fact, I will venture so far to say that were it not for the pandemic and the extra pensive time it gave me, Heataholic may not have been born. And this pandemic has also given me the ability to speak to other companies and I recently accepted an offer with one of them, in what I hope will be a better experience, at least for the near future!
So, in short, while things this year have been, well, …challenging, I have a lot to be thankful for (and still 2-1/2 months to Thanksgiving where it all becomes formalized!) – family, friends, health, finances and so many little things. While I have always known this, Heataholic has really allowed me to parse my memory and what is around me fully to realize just how blessed I am to be surrounded by so many good places to eat and how fortunate I have been to have eaten in so many wonderful places in my lifetime. When there are so many out there less fortunate who often struggle to eat every day, I am thankful that I have the ability to be close to and the means to have so wonderful options for the meals I can consume and then live to tell about them.
And with that, I move to one place I am so grateful for having opened in my neighborhood – Santiago’s Tex-Mex and Cantina. Santiago’s is a newcomer to my neighborhood. It opened up in the summer of 2017 and our family has made great use of it! Due to both its convenience, its freshly made food and for your truly, its ability to provide more than adequate heat, Santiago’s is our go-to place when we need either quick and delicious takeout in response to our weekly schedules of work, kids’ activities and the normal stresses of everyday life or when we simply want a nice family dinner without driving too far and have a craving for some delicious Tex-Mex! The inside is average for a typical Tex-Mex in suburban Austin – TVs galore, nice Southwest decor and a full bar. With COVID, unfortunately, we haven’t had much of a chance to enjoy Santiago’s in person, but still order takeout, usually once a week.
And yes, Santiago’s does serve breakfast tacos, but only on weekends and we’ve never been there during that time, but rest assured, it will happen soon! So in this review, I will review their core Tex-Mex and why I, Heataholic, love it. Simply put, it’s the salsas!
Santiago’s provides 4 different kinds of delectable sauces, and while two of them are not spicy, all four of their flavors are something to rave about! For me, it doesn’t matter what I eat – I just get enough of my favorite sauces! Lots of carnivorous items on the menu at first glance, but they can customize everything. I usually go either for either a Quesadilla with cheese, mushrooms and pico, Cheese Enchiladas but with a substitute sauce (any of the ones I’ll be discussing), Enchiladas Vegetarians, Veggie Nachos or the Veggie Fajitas. And of course, who can forget the endless chips and salsa!
The salsa, my friends, is why I love Santiago’s! Simply put, there are 4 kinds of salsas you can have:
- Regular Salsa – comes with every basket of chips
- Chipotle (Diablo) Sauce – the spiciest!
- Green (Ranchero) Sauce
- Creamy Jalapeno Sauce
The regular salsa is what comes with every basket of chips and you can always ask for more. It isn’t obscenely spicy, but does give a good kick, and together with chips, is a great prelude to an even better meal. Freshly made every day, it provides a robust blend of tomatoes, onions and green peppers to enhance your taste buds. And those green peppers are so finely cut – as I’ve stated before on different posts, the greater the surface area of your spicy items, the more intense the spice!
The Chipotle (Diablo) sauce is just as it name says – it is diabolical! Yours Truly can handle it with ease (had to insert that shameless pitch!), but it can pack some heat! Fire-roasted chipotle peppers with a hint of smoke comprise this creamy, reddish-orange sauce. I often get this on the side or as the topper on my cheese enchiladas.
The Green (Ranchero) sauce lets you taste the fresh peppers, onions and vinegar that comprise it. Like the regular salsa, not obscenely spicy, but does have a good kick.
Last, but certainly not least is the Creamy Jalapeno. In Austin, anytime anyone mentions creamy Jalapeno sauce, the first thing that comes to mind is Chuy’s! And yes, Chuy’s is awesome (don’t worry, they’ll get their own post soon enough!). While this does not have the “addictive” and ubiquitously known characteristics of Chuy’s famous sauce, it is its own masterpiece. More creamy than spicy, you can still taste the Jalapeno flavor as it stands out.
Every time I go to Santiago’s, I make sure to get all 4 of these salsas and they never disappoint! It doesn’t matter which entree I go with – these sauces are a great addition.
In due time, I will try their breakfast tacos, but given the quality so far, I know ahead of time it won’t disappoint!
Details:
- Address: 16420 RR 620 N, Suite 101, Round Rock, TX 78681
- Phone: (512) 358-1265
- Website: https://santiagostexmexandcantina.com/
- Menu: https://santiagostexmexandcantina.com/menu/
Spicy Flavors:
- Regular Salsa
- Chipotle (Diablo) Sauce
- Green (Ranchero) Sauce
- Creamy Jalapeno Sauce
Personal Faves (I will likely be adding breakfast tacos once I try them!):
- Cheese Quesadilla with Mushrooms and Pico de Gallo
- Vegetarian Fajitas
- Cheese Enchiladas
- Vegetarian Nachos
- Enchiladas Vegetarians
Spice on, my friends!
