Las Tortas Perronas
This Spring Branch restaurant offers huge, delicious, lettuce-free tortas. We try two varieties and get some inside information on their signature teleras.
1837 Bingle Rd., Houston, TX 77005
(713) 461-1900
Facebook page
10 AM–9 PM, Mon – Sat; Closed Sun
We’ll preface this review by betting that you’ve been looking for these tortas and perhaps didn’t even know it. If you hanker for a truly satisfying sandwich, head to Spring Branch posthaste because you’ll likely discover happiness. If you want to hear the reasons behind this bold speculation, read on.
Tucked between an insurance office and an ice cream shop in a Bingle Rd. strip mall, Tortas Perronas has quickly acquired a local reputation for quality during the three years since its opening day. When we arrived, the place was packed with customers tucking into massive sandwiches. We took our place in the line to order, but the wait went easy because this tiny restaurant is fun to be in. Covering the walls are stickers and signs celebrating the joys of tortas (or tortugas as the menu poetically calls them). One banner relates the colors of the vegetable fillings to Mexican pride, and more than one sign disparages putting lettuce in sandwiches (or tortas at least). You can also enjoy a view of the kitchen and the busy cooks melting skillets of cheese.
The tortas: When it was our turn to order, the man at the counter (who turned out to be one of the owners) informed us that their three most popular sandwiches were the hawaiiana (ham, pork chop, pineapple, and cheese), perrona (ham, milanesa steak, pork leg, and cheese), and norteña (chorizo, milanesa, and cheese). We went with a perrona ($6.99) and a güera (chicken breast, cheese, and extra avocado; $6.49). The sandwiches came dressed with a smear of refried beans, tomato, avocado, onions, mayonnaise, pickled jalapeños, and chipotle salsa. Note: If you like it hot, ask for both jalapeños and chipotle.
The verdict: After a short wait, our order was called, and the sandwiches came to us through the kitchen window. When we peeled away the wrappers, the toasted, three-lobed telera rolls with their crackly, flour-dusted exterior portended we were about to try something special. Though crusty, these large rolls differ radically from a bánh mì baguette. The telera crust has a softer, more crumbly texture, and the mouthfeel suggests a reasonable amount of shortening. For sandwiches crammed with slippery ingredients, the rolls hold together well, providing a soft, flexible bread mitt for the plunder within. The beans, mayo, cheese, and avocado create a layered unctuousness, and the smoky chipotle salsa and tart pickled jalapeños add heat and dimension to the overall taste. Both orders elicited a Damn! from us, but we preferred the perrona for the pierna (roasted pork leg), which gave a carnitas-like boost to the flavors. These luxurious sandwiches left us so satisfied supper felt optional.
Sandwich pride: While we ate, the owner emerged from behind the counter to ask how we were doing. We got into a discussion about the bread, and he described the difficulty of translating a telera recipe from Mexico City to Houston’s much lower altitude. It took strenuous experimentation with different variables and bakers to hit on a perfect result, and he is justifiably proud of his shop’s rolls. He informed us the table salsas (a jalapeño-based verde, and the brick red chipotle also served on the sandwiches) are made in-house, and he considers the chipotle Tortas Perronas’ signature salsa. Finally, he patiently explained that while he personally likes lettuce, and that you can go almost anywhere in the world and buy a sandwich stuffed with lettuce, it does not belong in a Mexico City-style torta. This all powerfully spoke to the love and attention to detail that go into everything made at Tortas Perronas, and we give it our highest recommendation for those days when you need some sandwich-based escapism or want to share something amazing with a friend or loved one.