You might know Nixta Taqueria for their tacos, but there are exciting things happening at this East Austin Mexican restaurant. I recently tried their masa omakase and it’s a tasting you want to put on your list!
Nixta Taqueria
If you’re an Austin foodie, you’ve probably heard about or even visited Nixta Taqueria. This restaurant opened in 2019 and quickly earned accolades for focusing on maíz. This heirloom corn sourced from a family farm in Oaxaca, Mexico is the base of their menu. Quality and care should be rewarded, why Nixta Taqueria and Owner/Chef Edgar Rico, who staged at Pujol, has a long list of awards. Some of their honors include James Beard Best Emerging Chef, Food & Wine’s Best New Chef, TIME Magazine Most Influential People, and Eater Austin Best Restaurant.
At Nixta Taqueria, you have to order what they’re most known for – the duck carnitas taco, full of flavor and tender meat.
For a unique dessert, try the sholeh zard. It’s Mexican arroz con leche meets Persian sholeh zard, a rice custard with cardamom, turmeric, pistachios, cinnamon, and strawberry powder.
Masa Omakase
While Nixta Taqueria is a counter-service restaurant with an open patio, their masa omakase is a way to stretch their creativity and offer a unique tasting experience.
Let’s back up for a second. It starts with heirloom corn. This Oaxacan family has been farming for multiple generations and their corn is open-pollinated. The corn is then taken through the nixtamalization process, dried, steeped, and milled, to make masa dough. The masa is made into delicious things like tortillas and sopes, which you’ll find on the omakase menu.
The masa omakase is available Thursday through Saturday with seatings at 6 pm and 8 pm. The 6-course menu is $85 per person with options of a $45 non-alcoholic drink pairing or a $60 wine pairing. Omakase reservations can be made online on Resy.
Tasting Menu Details
The menu changes with the seasons and availability of ingredients, but here is what I enjoyed during my dinner (August 2024).
Radish with kohlrabi, pickled corn aioli, tomato puree
Hamachi Crudo with kumquat aguachile, macha chile oil, smoked trout roe
Heirloom Frijoles with northern great and anasazi beans, tomatillo pico, buffalo nata, costeño oil
Sope de Calabasa with smoked corn and squash, tahini, pickled corn, pepita pesto, green goddess
Smoked Lamb Belly with pomegranate, jardin chimichurri, preserved cherry, buffalo feta, pistachios, mint
Jardin Nicuatole with lemon verbena yogurt, fennel gelatin, fennel granita
Yum, what a FUN meal! All the dishes were excellent, with the smoked lamb belly as one of my favorite things I’ve eaten this year. I was impressed with the different flavors, surprise spices, and overall cohesiveness. There is an opportunity to order additional dishes, like their popular duck carnitas taco, but I found the menu to be satisfying.
Details for Your Visit
Here’s a quick list of what to know before your visit.
Omakase: reservation, indoor
Regular restaurant: counter-service, outdoor
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Meal offered: Lunch, dinner
- Happy hour: Tues-Thurs 5:30-6:30, Fri-Sat 5-6, 25% off wine bottles, $3 off glasses of wine, $2 off beer, cider, cocktails
- Ambiance:
- Attire: Casual
- Noise Level: Average
- Pricing: $$
- Dietary restrictions: Available
- Reservation: Available for omakase only
- Seating: Outdoor for regular menu, indoor for tasting
- Pets: Welcome on the patio with a leash
- Parking: Free small lot or street parking
Nixta Taqueria
2512 E 12th St, Austin, TX 78702
https://www.nixtataqueria.com
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