For you Mexican food fans who miss the Merida's Restaurant's Yucatanian food (or would like to try different and delicious Mexican food), here is good news. Some of the staff from the old Merida can be found at DURANGO'S Restaurant located at Nasa 1 and El Camino Real where you can get the menu items from the old Merida. Remember the Yucatanian dishes like Cochinita Pibil (Yucatan style marinated roast pork), Panuchos (deep fried home made corn tortillas stuffed with black beans), Salbutes (crisp taco stuffed with marinated roast pork), and empanadas (tortillas stuffed with beef and deep fried)- these are all as good as you remember. They also serve a full line of the usual Mexican appetizers, soups, chicken mole, and combination plates and all are delicious. And yes, they serve Margaritas and Mexican and American beer.

Chon Perla, and his brother José Perla who you may recognize as having been waiters at the Merida (and other local restaurant since Merida closed), are the owners of Durango's. they brought the Merida chef to prepare the succulent food, their mother from El Salvador to make the wonderful flour tortillas, their sister Noemi to help out and make it work.

The food is better than at the old Merida, the prices are reasonable, and the service is excellent. They have reasonable priced lunches and daily specials. When you owe yourself a dinning adventure, "you should 'check them out".

-Written by a loyal customer.

MIXES CHARM, FLAVOR

By Mona Shoup / Houston Chronicle

“Durango’s Restaurante & Cantina is a small neighborhood favorite with a loyal following. It’s a place where parents feel comfortable bringing the kids, where groups meet for dinner and drinks, where friends gather for birthday celebrations. It’s even a place where regulars bring out-of-town guests. The food keeps customers coming back, and the laid back atmosphere of this family-owned/ managed  restaurant gives it a charm. Durango’s  situated in a nondescript strip shopping  center in Clear Lake, specializes in dishes from Yucatán…”