Kelsey Garza was 19 years old when she took over her father’s restaurant, Sal’s Garpez, in College Station, Texas, after his passing in 2016.
I sat at a table with Kelsey, her grandma Melba, and her aunt Cheri, in Sal’s Garpez. We laughed and reminisced about Sal. Even as a child, he had always wanted to own his own business. He was a hard-working man, and started his career at just 14 years old, working in Wyatt’s Cafe. He worked his way up through multiple restaurants, learning the ins and outs of operations, management, and customer service.
In 2001, he opened his restaurant, Sal’s Garpez, the original location on Harvey Road. It was a small taco stand, in a Shell gas station with just 20 seats. Regardless of that, he ran it like it was a multi-million dollar operation. Constantly enforcing outstanding customer service, consistency and quality of food, and the utmost cleanliness.
Kelsey grew up going to her grandparent's home for dinners and family time, and those recipes and times together were the cornerstones of Sal’s business. He strove to bring that sense of family to his community. He treated everyone who walked in the door like a long-time friend.
Kelsey’s grandma worked at Texas A&M University for over 30 years, and Sal had become a die-hard Aggie fan, they could do no wrong in his eyes, and he always supported them.
So it was no surprise to his family when Sal started catering for the football team. Game days are still a crazy time for the Garza family at the restaurant, but they all pitch in and make it work.
Kelsey started working with her dad at the restaurant when she was 13 years old, and she watched as her dad treated everyone like family knowing which customers wanted extra salsa before they even got to their table. Kelsey said she used to look at him and see how easy he made it look. It was never a job to him. People would come in and he loved feeding them and they got to visit and have a good time together.
Every dish they serve is still Sal’s original recipe, weighed to ensure consistency like he insisted upon. The tortillas are made fresh daily, the salsa is still his secret recipe, and the family works together daily to make it happen.
Sal passed away in 2016 and Keley’s been running it since. In 2021, she moved to a larger location, with more seating availability, hoping to continue honoring her father’s legacy
She said some families followed them to the new location, and have been customers since she was a little girl. Now she’s been in it long enough to see families grow up and move away. “That’s the sad part,’ she said, but she’s proud to be continuing her dad’s legacy, and now, she’s introducing her own young family to it.
The tasting started with an appetizer of fresh fried tortilla chips and bowls of red salsa, green salsa, and queso. The green salsa was the hot one, flavorful, but too spicy for me; so you know I didn’t mess with that one. The red one was perfection; served cold with bold garlic and onion flavors, and just enough heat to make it perfect. The queso was a smooth cheese, with no veggies or anything added in.
The migas plate was a huge portion of scrambled eggs, with fresh fried corn tortillas, sprinkled with melted cheese. Fried potatoes, smooth refried beans, perfectly cooked, crispy bacon, and a roll of fresh flour tortillas on the side. The eggs were fluffy and cheesy; I loved the crunch of the added tortilla pieces.
Menudo can be tough to find in town, it’s a long process to make it, and most restaurants usually only serve it as a limited item. I’m so thankful that Kelsey held back a portion for me. The rich, warm broth had such an amazing flavor; the punch of spice was balanced perfectly by a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of cilantro. I don’t always love hominy, but I did in this because it soaked up all that amazing broth.
The huevos la Mexicana was a huge portion of scrambled eggs, with sauteed onions, jalapenos, tomatoes, and cilantro. It’s served with a side of your choice of meat; I picked the chorizo. It also came with a healthy side of fried potatoes, refried beans, and a roll of warm tortillas. This was my favorite breakfast out of the three, the fluffy eggs with the aromatic vegetables and a scoop of chorizo and beans made the breakfast taco of my dreams!
The chili relleno plate was a roasted poblano pepper stuffed with ground beef and cheese, then topped with sauteed peppers, onions, tomatoes and all covered up in a blanket of gooey cheese. It came with a huge portion of refried beans and rice. This was a huge serving and you’re not going hungry if you order this one.
Two tacos came to the table; simple and beautiful. Beef fajita with cilantro and onions, and barbacoa with cilantro and onions. Both of the meats were so tender that they melted in my mouth. The barbaco was shredded with a deeper flavor of spices and a subtle tang, while the fajita was tender chunks with a grilled char on the outside. Both were amazing, especially with a generous scoop of the red sauce.
The beef enchiladas were the best that I’ve had in a long while. The beef was perfectly spiced and the tortillas tender, but let's talk about the enchilada sauce on top. That was the richest, most perfectly balanced sauce I’ve ever tasted on an enchilada. I could have poured that over the whole plate, used a spoon, and eaten it like soup. I just can’t get over how good it was. This was my favorite out of the lunch orders.
It’s been literal decades since I had a warm sopapia with honey, and it immediately transported me back to my childhood; I quickly remembered why it was one of my favorite desserts for so long. The crispy crunch of the warm tortilla, the sweet spice of the cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top, and the gooey, sweet honey drizzled over it all is a dream come true. Heaven, absolute heaven. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier to eat a dessert in my life.
If you’re looking for authentic Mexican food, where you’ll be welcomed with open arms, a smiling face, and a lively atmosphere, you need to take the backroads on over to Sal’s Garpez in College Station, Texas. Tell ‘em I said hi, and make sure you come back here to let me know what you got - because that may be my next order!
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2305 Longmire Dr Suite 100, College Station, TX 77845
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