Austin Restaurant Reviews: Chispas, Great Beef Ribs at Franklin Barbecue | Eater Austin

"At Jason Dady’s downtown Mexican restaurant I found bright spots on the menu but was mostly disappointed. I described the menu as “focused on tacos, particularly of the chef-ier variety,” and thought several options “lacked balance,” such as a “hedonistic” duck confit taco topped with bacon and jalapeño. There were better, more traditional offerings like the “melt in your mouth” carne guisada and Baja pescado. I liked the salsas, but the chips were “prohibitively thick and borderline stale.” I favored the variety of vegetarian options: a tofu al pastor, a hearty butternut squash with agrodolce, and an excellent wild mushroom version—the cremini and shiitake mixture made meaty with a turn in smoky menudo-chile spices. Overall I called the place “a milquetoast hedge versus a passion play,” unable to find anything “authentically Dady” on the menu." - Erin Russell