Yeah, I have to agree with the El Chile dissent. To me, the salsa is more novel than delicious, and doesn't have the spicily refreshing flavors of a good traditional tomato salsa. That's why I like Polvo's salsa bar; you can switch to the traditional stuff when you get tired of the fire-roasted salsa (yeah I know, Polvo's has its own issues.) Plus, the last time I was there, I felt the chef took his creative license way too far by referring to the thick and saucy bowl of chicken stock and cumin as tortilla soup.

For better or worse, the El Chile-El Chilito-Stortini (ex-El Gringo) triumvirate has become the most prominent station of east Austin gentrification (not to be heavy-handed, but it's true) and I wonder if the restaurants would thrive as well if they weren't in such a trendy/hip location. El Chilito has some pretty decent food and has lots of American Apparel models hanging around the parking lot and working the register, but Mi Madre's will always have vastly superior breakfast tacos. (But I do have to admit a strong affection for Red House, the annex bar of Stortini; pleasantly yuppified atmosphere and radical sandwiches.)