When living in Houston, Mister intrigued me the first time he described a “puffy” taco. Shortly thereafter in 1998, he took me to Henry’s Puffy Taco (at the second location) because puffy tacos and tortilla soup brought back memories when he lived in San Antonio. We met some folks he had worked with at St. Mary’s before sitting down to a fabulous Tex-Mex dinner which was tasty and inexpensive.
Recently, when I was scheduled for a business trip to San Antonio, I was determined to visit Henry’s again: both for the memories and the ability to call home and brag about it.
A lot has changed since 1998. The new location is slick in a Joe’s Crabshack or Chili’s kind of way. The interior lighting has improved, and the staff is friendly and attentive, however it feels more Disney-fied than the Henry’s of old. The food is still inexpensive and I’d consider joining friends for happy hour (weekdays 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.), but the reality does not live up to my memories.
For those who haven’t had experienced it, the puffy taco is a taco in a “puffed” shell and filled with meat (chicken, beef, pork) or, for vegetarians, beans and cheese or guacamole, and topped with shredded lettuce and tomatoes. For $0.25 extra you can add cheese or sour cream to your taco or get a side of jalapenos. The tacos are filling, so I wouldn’t recommend more than two, although I made it through three during dinner. I was disappointed that the infamous puffy taco shell was greasy and a bit dough-y in the middle.
The chips were solid and the salsa had a nice light burn. The margarita was okay, but I had swerved away from my traditional rocks and salt so I only have myself to blame there. However, the lemonade was quite good, although there are no free refills.
Overall, I have satiated my need to relive the past. While I may not return because I didn’t have a beautiful food moment, I would recommend the food over some of the establishments on the Riverwalk. It can be difficult to get to immediately after 5:00 p.m. due to 410 Loop traffic, but the location is family friendly and the servers will let you sit and chat long past dinner’s end.
Margarita and Chips
Beef and Chicken Fajita Puffy Tacos
Henry’s Puffy Tacos Cantina
6030 Bandera Rd.
San Antonio, TX 78238
210 . 432 . 7341
April 1, 2009
3 x Faj. Taco w/ Cheese $ 6.60
2 x Chicken Taco w/ Cheese $ 4.40
1 x Side Sour Cream $ 0.25
2 x Lemonade $ 3.90
1 x Margarita (Small) $ 3.95
Total $19.10
I also want to thank Rosie for being willing to humor my dinner whims and taking this picture. It made Mister laugh.
Puffy Taco v. Wandering Fork
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