5405 North IH 35  (map) Austin, TX 78723 512-458-2531 M-Th - 8:00am - 9:00pm F-Sa - 8:00am - 9:30pm Foodquest: August 10, 2006, August 18, 2006, August 29, 2006, September 15, 2006 Foodies: Slowdog, Qwerty,  Ping Cost: $5-$15 Rating:

The tinted windows at Amaya's Taco Village belie the bustling scene that greets you as you open the door.  The predominantly Hispanic diners and staff attest to the authenticity of the cuisine.  Small advertisements adorn the tabletops and are somewhat reminescent of banner ads on websites.  While waiting for the food, the ads make for an interesting read with offerings from auto repair to home improvement.   Amaya's Taco Village offers menu items that are both familiar and unexpected with items like Menudo being a welcome surprise.  However, some items like burritos are not offered.

The concept of a crispy taco is one that for better or worse has been decidedly influenced by the likes of Taco Bell and others.  In the usual rendition, a corn tortilla is shaped and fried until the tortilla is hard and crispy.  Often, this results in the bottom of the taco splitting in half and spilling the contents of the taco with the first bite.  

Amaya's Taco Village offers a unique take on the usual crispy taco that truly sets it apart.  While its rendition is somewhat controversial, the result categorically redefines the concept of a "crispy taco".   Rather than being brittle and crispy, the shell of the Amaya taco is still somewhat malleable.  Thin layers are present in the shell making it  flaky and crumbly in addition to crispy.  The result is something that is truly amazing.  The crispy shell yields to the bite, yet offers a satisfying crunch without the hard bite of many crispy tortilla shells.  The crumbly texture complements the filling by allowing  for a multi-layered surrounding that offers both  crisp and flaky elements.  The structure is reminescent of  the construction of pie crust in  that thin layers of fat seem to be embedded in the shell which allows it to both crumbly/flaky and crunchy at the same time.

The Rib Tacos offer moist and tender rib meat that has been slowly roasted until it easily falls off the bone.  Combined with the generous portion of lettuce, tomato and cheese, the taco is massive both in size and flavor.   Before visiting Amaya's Taco Village, We'd considered crispy tacos somewhat of a lost category as a whole, but the tacos here have now made us reconsider our position.  Whether filled with rib meat, fajitas, or ground beef, the tacos are consistently well made with the meat fillings juicy and flavorful. 

The taquitos can be served plain or topped with enchilada sauce and cheese.   The seasonings of the enchilada sauce with its hints of garlic and cumin add a flavorful element to the taquito while the sauce and cheese help to soften the crunchy skin of the taquito.  

Please click below for Carne Guisada and Menudo-