THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Tejas

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Tejas Restaurant Review:

As a whole, American Southwestern cuisine doesn't seem as vital as it once did. But to his credit, Tejas’ executive chef Mark Haugen manages to make it still seem fresh. Even though he has branched out with the more fun and funky Bar Abilene in Uptown, Tejas is still Haugen's main culinary mesa. It's hard to make a bad decision here, but we tend to order from the grill, which springs forth mystical items like the maple-cured pork tenderloin with whiskey-braised greens and whipped sweet potatoes or hickory-grilled flank steak, served “fajita-style.” Haugen also is a master smoker; you don't realize how integral something as simple as smoked tomato can be until you try the tortilla soup with chicken, avocado, smoked tomato and jack cheese. This warm, simple dish evokes a desert campfire on a cool evening and makes Tejas' faux adobe walls seem suddenly real. Service is as friendly and informal as the dining room, although sometimes it’s a little too laid back (as in downright slow). But it doesn’t matter so much, since an important part of Edina's social life expects to see and be seen while dining here.