Tila's mixes classic with cutting edge

Tila Hidalgo Leach has been serving her guests cherished, authentic Mexican fare based on family recipes since the mid-1980s.

Since the mid '80s, Tila's has challenged the boundaries of traditional Mexican cuisine with inspired, age-old family recipes. From brie cheese and pear quesadillas to tequila-marinated salmon with fresh kiwi and mango slices, the cuisine is anything but predictable. Only the vivid imagination and tequila-inspired tastes of Tila's could conjure up such extraordinary fare. Customer favorites include Salmon Borracho and the signature marinated Chilean Sea Bass – a must-have for those-in-the-know.

ADDRESS: 1111 S. Shepherd, Houston

HOURS: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday

PHONE: 713-522-7654

WEBSITE: www.Tilas.com

OWNER: Tila Hidalgo Leach

WHAT YOU'LL FIND: If Cheech Marin and Frida Kahlo ever had a daughter, she'd probably open a place like Tila's – Houston's eclectic home for authentic Mexican cuisine. For decades, savvy Mexican-cuisine aficionados have gathered at this abode to savor recipes handed down from generations to original dishes found nowhere else.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: "I just can't get enough of Tila's cooking." – Arthur McDougle, customer