Well, when you're on a business trip, aside from working, you are really sleeping and eating. So, there's going to be some restaurant reviews here, and you already know about my hotel.
We went to Ninfa's after the show closed one evening, at 6pm. It is definitely within walking distance, and there is probably a tunnel that could have led us there, as the Allen Center is a large complex of offices and shops. We were a group of five looking for a place to just get off our feet and have a bite. Any restaurant looks like an oasis when you're in that condition.
This is one of over 50 different locations in the city; it started as a family business, expanded, suffered from too rapid an expansion, went into bankruptcy, and was picked up by other family owned businesses. There was a Mama Ninja, but she died in 2001.
The restaurant is very spacious, and the walls are really bright and adorned with Mexican serapes, Tecate beer posters and other Mexican tipicos. It's all wooden chairs and tables which can be moved at a moment's notice to accommodate a large group. The service was a bit slow; but they are very generous with the warm Nachos and the pico de gallo (beware, it's spicy!). Everyone had Tecate beer, and I had a virgin piña colada which was quite tasty. I had been wanting to have flautas, and was told how they melt in your mouth here, so I went for it. I was really disappointed in that they were terribly dry, and the chicken far from melted in my mouth. Served with rice and beans and a side of guacamole (excellent) and sour cream. A couple of people had the beef fajitas which smelled good; there is a house signature dish called Ninfa’s Special which combines a beef taco, chile with cheese puff, a pork tamale, cheese enchilada with rice and beans. Too much for me!
There were other specialities introduced by Mama Ninja which have endured: chicken tacos al carbon (charcoal broiled), together with a specialty green sauce which I found a bit "picante". But I should not be your barometer when it comes to spicy foods.
The restaurant was one of Citysearch's Best Mexican Food nominee for the years 2001 and 2002.
There is also an original drink concoction attributed to Mama Ninfa, called the Ninfarita , and can you guess what that is? It's a margarita mixed with other liquids. I'll never know because I'm not from the drinkers, but that shouldn't stop you if you are nearby!
Should you have room for dessert, you can have the wonderful sopapillas which are generously dusted with confectioner's sugar, or fried ice cream with special sauce. If the flautas had been up to par, I would have been more enthusiastic about the restaurant.