Something different, from the flavor to the experience
Words Janine Stankus | Photos Ashley Haguewood
Sara Aguilar had been working in local kitchens for 15 years when she walked into Nixta Taqueria just days before their opening in 2019. From a small town in Mexico, she missed the fresh corn tortillas and ancestral cooking methods of her youth. She saw something of herself in what co-owners Edgar Rico and Sara Mardanbigi were building.
Today, Aguilar is Chef de Cuisine at what has become one of Austin’s ‘buzziest’ taquerias. “She’s a super badass,” gushes Mardanbigi. “She knows how to run circles around people who have years of culinary school…she’s just creative and talented.”
Creativity is a menu staple at Nixta, evidenced by the expert blend of traditional Mexican and global influences that Mardanbigi describes as truly “new-American.” Edgar, a Michelin-recognized chef from central California, has a culinary background in French, Japanese and new-Californian, while Mardanbigi brings her Persian heritage to the table.
Before opening Nixta, Edgar spent six months on a corn tour in Mexico with his uncle, a PhD in corn science. Nixta has since become known for its heirloom corn tortillas, made daily using the traditional Mayan method of “nixtalization” to transform kernels into masa. Mardanbigi describes the palette of their Mexican varietals like “Belatove Colorado, which is a really soft pink color,” and “Cónica Azul, which is a beautiful, deep purplish blue.”
Nixta’s menu highlights masa in many forms. Colorful chips are paired with salsa morita and duck fat refried beans, while a simple quesadilla is drizzled with chipotle mayo and avocado. The decadent duck carnitas taco is a crowd favorite that Mardanbigi describes as “rich and delicious, with the balance of the salsa cutting through the fat.” Aguilar, a vegetable aficionado, touts the Beet Tartare Tostada. “It has pepper, avocado, herbs, and a fresh horseradish that pops,” she says. She’s the artist behind the seasonal heirloom tomato tlayuda, a thin, pizza-like tortilla topped with fresh herbs and veggies from their on-site garden. “It just tastes like summertime,” Mardanbigi grins. “It’s like a breath of fresh air when you’re eating it.”
Nixta’s takes a fresh approach to everything from their ingredients to their traditional dishes to the intentional culture they convey. “It’s like you’re walking into our house,” Mardanbigi insists. “You’re laughing, having a good time. Whether you’re having the best day or the worst day, we’ll be there to make sure you’re doing okay. It’s personal; it’s approachable; it’s educational.”
Of course, culture is not built on food alone; Nixta invests heavily in their people. Each employee gets a $1,000 professional development stipend, as well as opportunities to learn from the best. For Aguilar, who just returned from a stage at Chicago’s Alinea, landing at Nixta was a life completing move. “We have everything here,” she explains. “ We get to work with really good people. We’ve met a lot of chefs from everywhere…We really believe in Sara and Edgar and what they found with Nixta.”
Friendly’s, a Persian Pop-Up:
Nixta hosts a regular pop-up brunch named after the cafe Sara’s father opened in rural Arkansas after he emigrated from Iran. The menu touts Persian dishes with slight Mexican influences, like Aguilar’s take on Mexican breaded eggplant in tomato sauce, incorporating Iranian spices. Or the “sholeh zard” pudding (on the regular dessert menu), a custardy rice pudding infused with cardamom turmeric, cinnamon, and strawberry powder.
