Each week, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s always hungry reporter visits a different restaurant and tells you about the experience.
By ANON E. MUSS, Journal Services
There are so many Mexican food restaurants in Shreveport-Bossier, I’m surprised I waited this long to review one of them.
I had read things on social media about Habacu’s Tex Mex Restaurant (2050 Old Minden Road), both good and bad. Long wait times. Poor service. Good food. So, with many different opinions floating around, I decided to find out for myself.
My friend and I went for lunch on recent Thursday. That morning, I wanted to go to the restaurant’s website to see what was on their menu. Strike one. No website. I’ve said it before and I will say it again: In 2023, there is no excuse for a reputable business not to have a website. Without one, a business appears unprofessional. And no, having a Facebook page is not the same as having a website.
We walked in at 12:10, and a voice from across the restaurant said someone would be with us “in just a minute.” It was probably less than a minute before a smiling hostess appeared, asking if we would like a table or a booth. There were plenty from which to choose, as there were only 12 customers spread throughout the dining room and bar. (There’s also a covered patio and two party rooms.)
The atmosphere was a good mix of old and new. When you enter the foyer, be sure and look to your left. When was the last time you saw a pay phone? There were seven TVs in the bar area, and others spread throughout the dining room. There were good sightlines to watch a game or other programming.
Speaking of atmosphere, the restaurant was very quiet most of the time we were there. Too quiet. Then as we were about to leave, music began playing. I asked our very nice server, Claire, why we had not heard it earlier. She said the sound system had been broken and was being repaired.
While my friend sat down at our table, I went to the restroom. Upon my return, I was surprised to see not only the customary chips and salsa, but a cup of bean soup, and a basket of something called Chicharrones. I usually don’t like surprises, but this was an exception.
Let’s first talk about the bean soup. It was good and warm, although I thought it odd we were given only one cup. Claire explained that some people don’t like bean soup, and the restaurant didn’t want to serve it and it not be eaten. She said that if we each had wanted a cup, she certainly would have brought another one.
As for the Chicharrones, they looked like Funyouns (those onion flavored rings). A google search referred to them as “Mexican Wheel Chips.” Claire said Chicharrones taste like pork skin. I don’t eat pork skin, so I can’t make that comparison. What I can say is Chicharrones taste a whole lot better when dipped in the spicy jalapeno sauce with which they were served. Wow! I loved the taste! But take my word for it – make sure you have your beverage of choice before you try the sauce. I didn’t and was left fanning my open mouth with my hand while waiting on a glass of water. The spicey jalapeno sauce definitely lived up to its name. (My friend had a Diet Coke ($3.49.)
There wasn’t an ounce of grease on our chips, which isn’t always the case at a Mexican food restaurant.
I found them to be well-baked and crunchy. My friend thought they tasted a bit stale. We both liked the salsa — not thin and not clumpy. It, too, had a little “kick.”
With all of that to snack on before our meal, we didn’t see the need to order an appetizer (See, boss? I saved you some money!) But Habacu’s offers several, from Nachos to Quesadillas to Fajita Bacon Jalapenos. Appetizers range from $7.95 to $19.99.
For my meal, I ordered the Fajita Taco Salad ($12.99), which was one of 20 “Lunch Specials” served from 11am-2pm, varying in price from $7.99-$13.99. I asked Claire if she recommended chicken or beef. She said chicken was her “go-to”, so I took her suggestion.
When my salad arrived, I was a little disappointed. The shell looked small. However, as I began to eat, I realized the shell was deep, and that a lot of the good stuff was at the bottom. The chicken wasn’t cut into strips, like when you eat fajitas. It was cut into nice-sized chunks. Underneath the chicken was lettuce, sliced tomatoes, cheese, beans, a scoop of guacamole and a scoop of sour cream.
The salad was good. But what made it really good was the dressing on the side. When I asked Claire the name of the dressing, she would only say that it’s made at the restaurant. It was really good and spicy.
My friend—based on one of Claire’s suggestions—ordered the Shredded Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream Sauce ($10.99), which was also a lunch special. There were two on her plate, along with a nice portion of rice and beans. My friend really enjoyed the enchiladas, which Claire said were also house made. My friend said the sauce was not too thin and not too thick. She said it had a little “kick”, which she liked.
Something happened while we were eating which I can’t remember ever happening. My water glass was basically empty, and I was sucking the straw trying to get any moisture to come up. A server, someone other than Claire, happened to walk by at that exact moment. She stopped and said, ‘Let me get you a refill.’ Now that’s service, when someone other than your server sees a need and takes care of it.
I ate all my salad, and my friend ate both her enchiladas while leaving some of the rice and beans. We were full (remember all we had before our meal), and just didn’t have room for dessert (Boss, you’re welcome again.) But Habacu’s offers two choices: Fried Cheesecake ($4.99), and Sopapillas ($5.99) which come six to an order.
The total for our meal, excluding tax and tip, was $27.47. I was happy to see that not only did the receipt (which still had the restaurant’s old address from when it was in Minden), suggest tip amounts based on various percentages, but that those amounts were based off the subtotal, and not the final total.
We lingered for a while, but could have been out the door at 1:20, an hour and 10 minutes after we arrived. As we left, four servers were seated at the back of the restaurant, wrapping silverware in napkins. All four of them simultaneously thanked us for our business and wished us a “good day.” As I’ve said before, it’s always nice when workers express their appreciation.
The lesson learned on my visit to Habacu’s? Don’t believe everything you read or hear, especially on social media. Granted, I was there for lunch and not dinner, when perhaps they are busier. But we didn’t wait to be seated, had good service, and enjoyed the food. I give Habacu’s Three Forks. I would go again, but because there are so many similar restaurants, I would not go out of my way. However, the next time I’m in the area and hungry for Mexican food, I won’t hesitate to eat at Habacu’s.
Is there a restaurant you would like the Journal to review? Email: SBJRestaurantReview@gmail.com
1 Fork: Would rather eat a box of dirt
2 Forks: Will return, but only if someone else is buying
3 Forks: Will return and look forward to it
4 Forks: Will return and go out of my way to do so
