Las Brisas

It must have been a couple years ago when I happened to wander
into Las Brisas on Milpas Street. It was the former home of
Hibachi, an Asian restaurant that served a mix of Korean hotpots,
sushi, and grilled Japanese fare. So though I was bummed that I
wouldn’t be ordering Korean anytime soon (where can we find Korean
food in town now? anyone?), I was happily surprised to find the
quaintest, more colorful Mexican restaurant in town. I shared my
newfound information with friends, one of whom — we’ll call him
Dave the Jeweler — made Las Brisas a nearly daily spot. The servers
got to know him, he brought in friends from near and far, and they
even started to give Dave deals due to his reliable visits. The
most intriguing and unique allure for us, other than the brightly
decorated chairs, steady service, and somewhat hidden atmosphere,
was the lobster, which could be prepared in one of a dozen ways,
all for around $20. And there were even some lobster options for
less than $20, which made our wallets happy too. Where else in town
can you get a lobster for less than $25? (A word to the wise,
however: If you want your lobster cut in the typical Anglo way —
i.e. down the middle — you might need to ask for it that way.
Otherwise, they chop it horizontally against the bug’s spine, which
in some cases works better for tacos.) Over the past couple years,
our dedication to Las Brisas has waxed and waned for no particular
reason. But last night, between dropping off my absentee ballot at
a polling place and heading back to the office to deal with our
live-action election coverage, I made a stop by
Las Brisas for a take-out dinner. (In the interest of full
disclosure, I was actually going to make my once-every-three-month
stop by Taco Bell, but the Milpas Street location near Canon
Perdido is being remodeled. Anyone know anything about that?) Of
course, I’d have to recommend eating there as the way to get the
full experience, but I was in a rush and was looking to not spend a
ton of dough. So I scanned the dinner menu, remembering my
favorties from visits past: the chicken mole, the chicken soup
(which once cured a cold), the lobster Jack Daniels, the fried
lobster, the filet mignon tips…the list of special entrees is
endless. But the other night I settled on the Las Brisas combo. It
was only $11 and included a beef chimichange, a chicken tamale, and
a beef enchilada along with beans and rice. It took less than ten
minutes to prepare, and I was soon grubbing it with glee at my
fiancee’s apartment. And she, who was in the throes of a 24-hour
flu, even managed to eat all of my beans, and she immediately
reported feeling much better after doing so. There’s something
curative in their recipes, it seems. I’ve got to put Las Brisas
back on my regular dining routine, and I’d say you should do the
same. The Details: Las Brisas Mexican and Seafood Grill is located
at 415 North Milpas. Call 883-1710.