At El Regio, they do chicken right

Be it foie gras in Provence, grub worms in Oaxaca, or a particular cheese aged in a particular cave in the Pyrenees, there is no better social barometer than the foods we eat. A people's foodways are crafted through centuries of cultural and economic circumstance, new patterns of migration, the rise and fall of empires.

Having come to Austin from New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and witnessing so many favorite, time-honored cultural institutions facing uncertain times, I wanted to taste the real Texas, the Old West of yore, through copious amounts of barbecue, slathered in smoky sweetness, peppery saw-mill gravy ladled from cast iron skillets, chile rellenos, lovingly battered by the hands of abüelitas.

Needless to say, my first Austin dining experience fell a bit short of my expectations. Instead of an unforgettable Texas experience, I received a plate of oily, Velveeta-laden enchiladas, gluey and haphazardly glopped on a greasy plate. The service, compliments of a surly, tattooed 20-something, could be hardly be described as such. The waitress seemed more interested in adjusting her tongue-jewelry than providing anything resembling hospitality.

After almost a year of calling Austin home, I came to understand that the real Texas does in fact exist in Austin, but it is elusive, lost in cell phone static. Now, as a rule, I steer clear of gringo-friendly theme restaurants. If I feel entirely within my element - if I order in English - I don't expect to arrive at any monumental culinary revelations.

Truly delicious cuisine comes from the streets. As throngs of Seacrest-coiffed metrosexuals vie for tables at the hippest, most overpriced warehouse district eateries search of the next big thing, El Regio, an unsuspecting drive-thru on a decidedly working class strip of Riverside Drive, is resetting the bar for delicious, ethnic cuisine at prices students and working folk alike can afford.

"Do one thing and do it well" is a mantra El Regio live by, and one other less-focused eateries could do well to learn from. El Regio specialize in Pollos Asado al Carbon, the predecessor to the nationally popular Tex-Mex fajita, served from food stalls in el regio Montana, the mountainous region home to Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. Their namesake mesquite grilled chicken, marinated in lime juice, chiles,and spices, is served unadorned in white paper with whole, charred onions, sweet and caramelized, fluffy rice, corn tortillas and smoky borracho beans.

El Regio's piece de resistance is a creamy, deceptively hot jalapeno avocado salsa verde. This fiery salsa, with a squirt of lime, flawlessly blends with the sweetness of the onion and mesquite grilled chicken. For the more heat- sensitive, a milder, tomato based salsa roja is included as well.

El Regio has recently added carne asada, grilled flank steak marinated in tangy lime juice, chili, and spices, to the menu. Served with the usual accoutrements, fresh pico de gallo, and one dangerously hot roasted jalapeno, the addition is a welcome one. Authentic carne asada is generally a little too well-done for my taste, but El Regio's serves a respectable version of this Norteno specialty.