Yes, I'm late to the game on Los Comales, an authentic Mexican restaurant on Summer Avenue. But I finally had a late dinner there last weekend and left impressed. In Mexico, los comales are the clay dishes used for making tortillas. So the name pretty much explains this unpretentious restaurant, where folks settle in for a beer after work. No wonder they like to hang out. Dos Equis is on tap, and the food is fresh and seasoned perfectly with cilantro, carmelized onions, and lightly grilled pablanos. Here's my suggestion for ordering: Skip the standards (although the enchiladas are excellent) and try something new. At $2.75, a chicharron (fried pork skin) sope stuffed with shredded lettuce, avocado, and tomatoes is a meal in itself. Seven Seas soup is my new favorite, a steaming bowl of fragrant tomato broth with chunks of carrots, calamari, shrimp, crab, baby clams, and sausage. A fiery bowl of chopped cilantro, jalapenos, and raw onions is served alongside, but be careful tossing in the extra heat.
Los Comales, 4774 Summer, (901) 683-9530.