Houston Chronicle

Mama Ninfa’s Tacos Y Tortas is open.

TACO OPTIONS INCLUDE GRILLED REDFISH, SHREDDED CHICKEN, CARNITAS AND FAJITA.

- Darla Guillen Gilthorpe is a freelance writer. BY DARLA GUILLEN GILTHORPE | CORRESPOND­ENT doors in June. Up next for the team is the opening of additional Mama Ninfa’s locations around town, which will have a full bar.

New Houston food halls rich with great chef-driven concepts have recently made their debut in Houston. The latest to open, downtown’s Understory, joins that culinary collection with a restaurant that is sure to please fans of bolillo loaves, tacos al pastor and queso.

Mama Ninfa’s Tacos y Tortas, which opened this week at Understory, 800 Capitol, is a fastcasual offshoot of legendary TexMex restaurant The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation.

Helmed by the Greater Houston Restaurant Associatio­n’s former president Jonathan Horowitz’s hospitalit­y group, Legacy Restaurant­s, and its corporate executive chef Alex Padilla, the cozy 622square-foot tunnel-level suite will offer breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.

Chef Padilla has adapted some of his Original Ninfa’s recipes for this new format.

The menu includes five tortas, Mexican-style sandwiches, including the Adobo Chicken stuffed with grilled chicken, chorizo remoulade and cheese. There’s also a Cubano on the menu, a Cuban sandwich with pulled pork, coleslaw, sliced ham and cilantro pesto.

A la carte options include Pescado, a grilled redfish with chipotle aioli; Tinga de Pollo, shredded chicken in chipotle salsa; and Camarones a la Diabla, bacon-wrapped Gulf shrimp with chorizo remoulade.

The tacos-and-tortas theme extends to the all-day-breakfast menu, which features salsa-topped huevos rancheros, chilaquile­s in salsa verde and even a yogurt parfait for those seeking a light meal to start their day.

Mama Ninfa’s Tacos y Tortas will welcome guests with a soft-opening period to perfect any kinks before it begins its normal operating hours.

Legacy Restaurant­s’ most recent restaurant launch, The Original Ninfa’s Uptown Houston, opened its

 ?? Kirsten Gilliam / Legacy Restaurant­s ??
Kirsten Gilliam / Legacy Restaurant­s
 ?? Becca Wright / Legacy Restaurant­s ?? Legacy Restaurant­s’ corporate executive chef Alex Padilla
Becca Wright / Legacy Restaurant­s Legacy Restaurant­s’ corporate executive chef Alex Padilla

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