Oh I love Curra's. It's one of my faves so I saved it for the last couple days. They really do it right with tons of homemade sauces, fresh, quality ingredients, great drinks, and outdoor seating under brightly colored umbrellas.
The specialty beverage at Curra's is the avocado margarita. I can't remotely remember how many times I've brought or sent people to Curra's to try it. I love this drink! Admittedly it's not for everyone, especially people who don't like having fun or drinking things that tantalize the taste buds. The avocado margarita is thick, creamy, and almost smoothie-like. It has a lot of lime in it so that cuts the avocado and brings it back from the brink of a smoothie into the realm of mixed drinks. With its flecks of cilantro, tequila, and a salted rim, this decadent, velvety drink is one of my very favorites I've ever had.
So I wouldn't call myself a regular at Curra's, but I've been frequently nommin down here for 10 years - it may have been the first place I ate Tex-Mex in Austin. The tamales are a super big treat because normally tamales are a Christmas food and they're difficult to find throughout the year. Not at Curra's! They serve tamales year round. My faves are the veggie and sweet tamales. The veggies are nestled inside the fluffy, slightly rich masa which makes the tamale really moist. The sweet tamales are filled with walnuts, raisins, cinnamon, and brown sugar, but they aren't overly sweet. I usually save one for dessert though. Yum!
While I pretty much always get the same thing at Curra's, Paul tries something new every time and this time he hit the jackpot. Inspired by my meal at Chuy's, he ordered a shrimp and cheese chile relleno. The pepper is not breaded but it's still fried and stuffed with gobs of cheese and perfect blackened shrimp. The sauce is something like suiza which is the Mexican/Tex-Mex answer to vodka sauce. It's tomatoey and creamy and luxurious.
I've been trying to figure out what it is about Curra's that makes me love it so much more than other similar restaurants. Perhaps it's the lack of pretension and the casual atmosphere. Perhaps it feels more authentically Austin to me. And likely it's because I feel nostalgic for my first few wide-eyed and naive years in Austin when I lived at the Metropolis on Riverside and frequented Curra's because the veggie tamales happen to be vegan and my 18-year-old self was strictly vegetables only. Most definitely though, Curra's serves up food that is so good you want to clean your plate and order a second dinner.
Curra's Grill - 614 E Oltorf St
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