The restaurant business, maybe more than others, tends to be a family thing, Branches of the family spread out and open the same place at a different location, or a different place doing the same things, These expansions come about as simple expansions, they can come as just business decisions, and they can come with family disagreements. Sometimes these disagreements are amicable, sometimes not. As a customer, and one somewhat in the know, we are sometimes privy to more than we want to know about situations. We used to enjoy the rants of one guy, whose sister had a place across the street. Oftentimes we can’t even keep track of who is who in these sagas. On the north shore, we have readily admitted to absurd amounts of time spent at a particular Mexican restaurant. At the center of an enormous empire and considerable offshoots is Saul Rubio, a handsome and very savvy guy from Mexico City, with a rather large family. Saul has two restaurants in our area called La Carreta, but there are many others in the state. Our obsession with La Caretta began when ML was in high school. They have a great shady patio right off the West Causeway Approach. It was here that mother and daughter began a ritual of girl talk over iced teas about high school, life, and guys. (Though I keep telling her to quit listening to me, especially about the guys.) The food at La Carreta is not exceptional, definitely not authentic, but it is good enough for us to be such regulars that we know all the servers well enough to stop and chat when we see them anywhere else. Saul’s sister, and owner of the Mandeville location,often commiserates about kids with me. Nearly all the servers seem to be related in some way. The first splintering occurred quite a few years ago, when Tacqueria La Noria opened on Highway 59 in Mandeville. The food was better, more authentic, but we never did warm to the surroundings like we do at La Carreta. We went a few times and gravitated back. And about six years ago, Omar, who if I understand correctly, is Saul’s nephew, started Habanero’s, a tiny space on Highway 21 at Brewster Rd. Omar wanted to offer more “real” Mexican food like you see on the streets of Mexico City. He had faith that the north shore diners would be in. Here we saw Molcajete filled with meats and vegetables and a nopale poking out. Blue corn tortillas, and spice. Lots of spice. Mexican street corn, ceviches, and sopas. We gave Omar zero chance of making it on the north shore. What he was offering was good, but it was so exotic. On the north shore? All around the dining room the servers were faces from La Caretta. I think half the wait staff went with him. We returned a few times to Omar’s place, eventually going back to the unchallenging food at La Carreta. About six months ago, Omar moved to the space on Highway 190 practically across from La Carreta. It was previously another short-lived Mexican place, Papi’s Tortilla Factory. We went in to see him. Here was more servers from La Caretta, in a kind of glamorous and hip environment. Blue corn tortillas, spicy bean dip with chips, lamb, tamarind spiced shrimp. We got Covington guacamole, which I regretted. It had large pieces of crispy bacon, more like a chorizo, on it, and grilled pineapple. I was not very hungry, so I stuck with the tacos, which were everything you want in a taco. The chicken was crunchy on the outside, which I requested, and the shrimp were fine. The carnitas were not as good as the less adventurous place across the street. Tom got Enchiladas Rancheras and liked it very well. But he said he liked the original location better, so we went again a few days later. The number of La Carreta expats had multiplied since we were last here. Also, the place had been glamorized like the new one on 190, Still small, it was definitely edgier, reflecting their slogan of urban street food. We got choriqueso, which was definitely spicier than our usual place. And I got Mexican street corn that neither ML or I liked enough to eat more than a bite or two. One of the guys we remembered from La Carreta came to chat. He showed ML a video of street vendors in Mexico city. She got excited. This is what they are trying to do, he explained. He is a partner, and there are now four locations of Habanero’s, including one in Shreveport. Omar is successfully bringing exciting, edgy, really spicy, exotic food from Mexico to the north shore, and further out. We are likely going to keep our Carreta tradition. But this place was packed. And so was the other one. So if you are looking for Mexican food that doesn’t just call itself authentic, but actually is that, you will have to drive to the north shore and see Omar and all the ex-waiters from La Carreta. It’s closer than Mexico City. Habanero’s 69305 Highway 21 Covington 985-871-8760 Mon-Th 11-9 Friday & Saturday till 10 Sunday 11-8 1331 N Highway 190 Covington Mon-Th 11-9:30 Friday & Saturday till 10:30 habaneros.com
