Tejas

3910 West 50th St
Edina, MN 55424
952-926-0800
http://www.tejasrestaurant.com/

Category: Southwestern

Rating (Scale 1-10, with 10 being the highest):
Food: 9
Service: 8
Ambience: 8

Recommendation: Excellent. One of the top restaurants in the Twin Cities – a model of consistency and one that has kept true to the cuisine it represents.

When you step into this restaurant, you may feel as if you have been transported to a different part of the country. Sure enough – the ambience is very true to the Southwest US and gives you a very warm and inviting feeling. It exudes rustic charm coupled with modern flair. The restaurant isn’t very large and the small bar in the back does seems to get a little cramped. The outdoor seating that faces the parking garage isn’t slick, but in the summer, you’ll be hard pressed to find an empty table. The open kitchen adds to the appeal as the scents and flavors permeate the restaurant and start titillating your taste buds.

The cuisine has a nice variety of meats and seafood and the preparation is definitely influenced by the region it represents. But we wouldn’t dive into the food without ordering what in our opinion is the finest margarita in the Twin Cities. The Elizabeth II, served straight up, is as good as it gets with the right balance of acidity and sweetness. Other good ones are the Eda Margarita and the Lubbock Lemonade. Their Guacamole is supposed to be famous, but we think it lacks flavor and punch. However, the Chipotle BBQ Gulf Shrimp is excellent. The complimentary Blue Corn Bread is a nice touch.

You’ll have a tough time picking an entrée from their menu – all the dishes sound amazing. From our multiple experiences here, we would highly recommend the Braised Lamb Shank which is incredibly tender and is served with a mint jelly that adds a nice sweetness to the dish. The Beef Tenderloin is also excellent. The lightly battered crispy onion rings add a great texture element, while the creaminess from the béarnaise is a splendid touch. Other recommended dishes are the Grilled Flank Steak and the Australian Barramundi. The desserts aren’t bad, but do not live up to the quality of the entrees. The Molten Chocolate Cake is quite good and if you want to try something different, the Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Fritters is the way to go.

$$$. Entrees are priced between $15 and $30. The margaritas aren’t cheap (all priced above $10) but are worth it.

Update (April 16, 2008) – There probably isn’t a restaurant in the Twin Cities we know better than Tejas – we’ve lost count of how many times we’ve been there, and in each instance we’ve left satisfied. This last time, I decided to skip the Elizabeth II in order to try the Santa Fe Margarita, which is made with Patron Reposado and Citronge. As always, I ordered it “Up” and although I didn’t mind the drink, I think it was a little sour and didn’t surpass the Elizabeth II (which I switched to after my first drink). The apps were fabulous – the Pan Seared Calamari was prepared wonderfully; the calamari wasn’t drenched with overpowering flavors, but still had a slight kick from the chipotle. The Creamy Chipotle Barbeque Shrimp could have done with less cream but I can’t complain about the end result. We also thought highly of the Shrimp and Crab Tamale. I did the Pan Seared Diver Sea Scallops and I’m not quite sure what I think of it – on one hand the scallops were soft and buttery, but on the other I felt the orange butter sauce didn’t enhance the dish in any significant way and there were bites where the grit from the scallops was off-putting. Our charming server kept us entertained and did a good job managing a large table.