24.10.08: Mother's, Austin, TX

His mole enchilada plate

Following in the footsteps of His intrepid trip once again, the digestive duo decided to keep it local and step out to the nearby veggie restaurant of choice: Mother's. Both ordered enchiladas: the mole variety for Him, the spinach-mushroom variety for Her. For dessert, She ordered the Mexican vanilla ice cream with two spoons, and He didn't mind helping to finish the bowl one bit.

Her spinach-mushroom enchilada plate

SHE SAYS: My low-key enchiladas might actually be my fave Austin dinner - I needed a little brown rice and plainness to offset all the richness by now. My enchiladas were plump with spinach and mushrooms, with a hearty topping of jack cheese and a chipotle sauce that was more tangy and less smokey than expected, but still good. My riesling was a bad choice of vino (a sweeter one), but the ensuing relaxation added to the mellow enjoyment overall.

Now...the black bnz. V. plain, not a hint of herb or spice. Perplexing, but I'm guessing here people expect to load on sauces for the requisite flava-flav. Texture v. good again, whole soft bean in slightly thickened sauciness.

The ice cream was an inspired choice, if I do say so m'self. I love vanilla, and the Mex version was a new one for me. Unlike Bourbon or French (same?), it had a honeyed depth (as He pointed out), rich without cloying.

Their Mexican vanilla ice cream

HE SAYS: This joint has a nice, relaxed vibe to it. The wait staff are v. attentive and friendly. The mole enchilada was again very tasty: the sauce was not too sweet and the cheese added to the gooey delish experience. The brown rice was pretty plain fare, but once mixed with the black bnz and cheese, transformed into veggie nirvana. The ice cream offering tasted very much of honey, and she informed me it was the flavour of the distinctive Mexican vanilla. You learn something new every day...