Michelle Cardenas
In an effort to expand our educational experiences, we decided to embrace the culture of The Valley by trying one of the things they do best: food. We visited Ana Liz Taqueria, located in Mission, Texas, known for its innovative Mexican cuisine. The taqueria is owned by Ana Liz Pulido, who won the James Beard Award for Best Chef in Texas in 2024, which you can read about here, here, and here. Despite the award-winning status, however, the prices are very reasonable.
One of the standout features of Ana Liz Taqueria is their commitment to making everything from scratch, including their tortillas. All of their tortillas are made by rehydrating and grinding the corn—a traditional practice in Mexico.
The taqueria staff starts their day at 7:00 AM to begin prepping the food, although the restaurant doesn’t open to the public until 4 PM. This dedication to preparation ensures that every dish is fresh and flavorful.
We approach things differently in LEAP and Ana Liz Taqueria is different. For one thing, the wait was about 1.25 hours, with an additional 45 minutes wait for the food. They also only have tables that seat up to four people, and they only have room for about 18 people total in the restaurant (winning the James Beard award has really strained their capacity and resources).
We wanted to turn this into an advantage, so we divided our groups such that two Hispanic students would be with two non-Hispanic individuals at each table. In this manner, those less familiar with Mexican dishes could learn from those who were more familiar with such food.
The menu included many traditional items, but it also featured a good selection of newly interpreted dishes. We were first greeted by an assortment of salsas, including salsa de habanero, salsa verde con tomatillos, sour cream, and chili oil.
Victoria and I were in charge of ordering an assortment of dishes for our table, which consisted of Professor Yawn and Stephanie. We ordered the traditional tacos de fajita, a staple in Mexican cuisine and a must-try item on the menu. For a vegetarian option, we indulged in tacos de nopal topped with a slice of queso Oaxaca. We also had tacos de discada, which contain a mixture of different meats such as fajita, sausage, chorizo, and chicharrón. The name of this dish originates from the large disk-shaped pan in which all the meats are cooked and combined. In order to balance everything out, we ordered one item from the “Botanas” (Snack) section of the menu. One of the most popular Botanas in Mexico is corn, so we ordered a side of corn ribs seasoned with white salt, lime, and chili oil.
Cinthia and Yajaira were in charge of placing the order for their table, which included Chrissy and Olivia. They also had tacos de fajita and discada. Some of the more interesting items they ordered included the “Copy,” which consisted of a tortilla made with both regular and blue corn with fajita. The tacos de chile relleno also proved to be delicious, with fajita, bell peppers, and melted Oaxacan cheese.
We also had Vampiros (Vampires) de fajita, an intricate and delicious dish. The name of this dish is inspired by the fried dark blue corn tortilla, which resembles the night sky—the time when vampires come out to eat. The Vampiro had a smooth layer of avocado on the bottom, followed by fajita, and queso Oaxaca melted to a crisp. This item was by far one of the table’s favorites and it was something I had never tried before.
Our visit to Ana Liz Taqueria was an incredible culinary experience that not only satisfied our taste buds but also gave us a deeper appreciation for the rich culture and traditions of The Valley.
Ana Liz Pulido’s dedication to quality and authenticity shines through in every dish, making her taqueria a must-visit destination for anyone seeking a true taste of Mexican culinary traditions and ongoing innovation.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 