Tejano with a side of bacon

Such a great morning. We tried a new spot for breakfast and had a blast, as well as an incredible meal. The entire experience was a feast for the senses.

El Hidalguense is one of those "hole in the wall" dives that are a dime a dozen in Houston; however, this one stands out from the crowd by serving up some damn fine Mexican grub.

We picked a booth and settled in. I immediately loved the fact that instead of providing us with a basket of chips, we were instead given fresh taquitos with a bowl of smoky salsa.

The huge glass of orange juice I ordered took a while to arrive (I could've ordered a beer ... that's what everyone else was having with their breakfast!). But all was forgiven after my first sip -- it was freshly-squeezed and amazingly sweet. So, so good.

But the show-stopper was, without a doubt, the absolute best chilaquiles I've ever eaten -- served with a generous portion of fresh avacado, queso fresco, and pico de gallo on top. Seriously divine.

And the tortillas were made to order, piping hot and perfect.

The food was the best part ... but a very close second was the atmosphere. A band of three caballeros (Aidan called them the cowboy singers, as all three were wearing straw hats) struck up authentic Mexican music for us to enjoy while we dined. It felt like memories from the past of early morning, post-hang-over breakfasts, eaten down on the border after a summer night of margaritas and music, back when the border was safe. Great times.

I can't believe I've grown up and have lived less than 5 miles from this diamond in the rough, yet never found my way in before today. Shame on me.