DINING FEATURE Galiana’s Tex Mex & Agave Bar Local family operation focuses on quality ingredients, supporting each other D avid Herrera came to the United States from El Salva- dor on his own at 18 years The Herreras then worked on curating a menu of fresh, quality menu items from certi ed Angus beef fajitas to handpicked tequilas from Mexico. “We try to get the best quality that BY MIKAH BOYD
old in 1979. After arriving to Houston, he got a job as a busser at a restau- rant. Herrera worked there for years, moving up the ranks and learning the ropes of restaurant operations. “Basically, that was my rst job out of home because at home [in] El Salvador, I grew up and was raised on a farm basically with horses and cows in the agriculture area before I came here,” Herrera said. “So I was just pretty much working at home, never worked for anybody else.” While working elsewhere, Herrera received training in hospitality, how an upscale restaurant operates and what customers expect from such businesses. After seeing there were no such o erings in Cy-Fair, he decided to use the skills he learned to open his rst restaurant in the area and has continued to build from there. “My last job I worked for somebody else, I worked for 15 years and saw that level of food. It was a French continental restaurant, so very upscale,” Herrera said. “So that was my college; that was my school; what I learned there about service, about really hospitality.” Galiana’s Tex Mex & Agave Bar initially opened in 2017 as Galiana’s Bakery & Cafe, according to Herrera’s youngest son, Dario. The eatery expanded to o er Tex-Mex cuisine as they saw it would be more pro table to operate the bakery inside of a fully operating restaurant.
we can, and it’s just one of those things where we really want to give the best product that we can to the customer, and I feel that we do that,” Dario said. Some of the featured items include street tacos served with a side of Mexican street corn. Herrera said many people also enjoy the fajitas, citing the use of Angus beef and other quality ingredients for its popularity. For brunch options, people can enjoy Carne Asada con Huevos, which features an outside skirt steak with eggs on top. Herrera’s focus on quality and fresh ingredients was one of the values he learned through his experience work- ing in his rst job in the U.S., and he said he has carried that focus on into his role as the owner of Marvino’s Italian Steakhouse, Alicia’s Mexican Grille, Dario’s Steakhouse & Seafood and Galiana’s Tex Mex & Agave Bar. He attributes his success to his ability to continue learning and his dedication to ensuring his customers are happy by going out to tables himself to chat with them. For Her- rera, engaging with customers and sta makes the work that goes into running a restaurant worthwhile. “It’s not easy; it’s very di cult,” he said. “In this industry, it’s going to [be] work. ... To do this, you have to have a passion for this.”
David Herrera owns Galiana’s Tex Mex & Agave Bar. His son Dario Herrera supports the family business. (Mikah Boyd/Community Impact)
GREAT EATS AT GALIANA’S “IN THIS INDUSTRY, IT’S GOING TO BE WORK. ... TO DO THIS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PASSION FOR THIS.” DAVID HERRERA, OWNER This dish is served with refried beans and avocados for weekend brunch. Carne Asada con Huevos ($23.95)
COURTESY GALIANA’S TEX MEX & AGAVE BAR
Galiana’s Tex Mex & Agave Bar 24110 Hwy. 290, Ste. 500, Cypress 832-653-6853 www.galianastexmex.com Hours: Mon.-Thu. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Baja Fish Tacos ($16.95)
One of the eatery’s newest menu items is the Baja Fish Tacos.
COURTESY GALIANA’S TEX MEX & AGAVE BAR
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Galiana’s Street Tacos ($13.95 for chicken, $16.95 for beef)
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Tacos are topped with onion, avocado, pineapple, cilantro and queso fresco.
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COURTESY GALIANA’S TEX MEX & AGAVE BAR
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