Austinites Are Losing the Restaurant That Taught Them About Mexican Food

I don’t often frequent a particular taqueria or restaurant, as my work as taco editor keeps me on the move. But for the last fifteen years, there has been one place I’ve returned whenever my schedule would allow. Every time I was in Austin and wanted a quick, comfortable dinner, I visited El Naranjo, the contemporary Mexican restaurant owned by Iliana de la Vega, who also serves as executive chef, and her husband, Ernesto Torrealba. The fourteen-year-old restaurant has announced it is closing on July 18, and heartbreak doesn’t begin to describe my feelings over the news. I will lose a beloved space where I felt at home, where de la Vega was as likely to be seen sweeping or busing tables as working the…

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