The Woodlands Area’s New Restaurant Favorite Uses Family Recipes to Create Magic — Mexican Mom Is Full of Surprises

Executive chef and “Mexican Mom” Gina Antimo and her husband Jaime Reverte weren’t looking to open a restaurant. Initially, she was looking for an industrial kitchen — and the next thing Antimo knew she had a restaurant in Spring named Mexican Mom Cocina Tradicional.

“I have been catering for over 15 years, and it got to the point where I could not cook at home anymore,” Antimo tells PaperCity The Woodlands. “I looked at the place where Mexican Mom is and I decided to open up a restaurant, and keep the catering business.”

Her modest new restaurant is already becoming a favorite in The Woodlands area for those in the know. Mexican Mom features an open kitchen area with bar seating for eight and seven large tables. Two of the tables feature comfortable couches as seating for one side of the table, making it easy for groups with younger kids to sit in comfort.

The inside of Mexican Mom is decorated in neutrals with deep blue on one wall and placemats. Upside down baskets become light fixtures and baskets decorate the walls.

The Mexican Mom Menu

Mexican Mom’s menu has two sections. One is made up of the staples that are always available and the other has Mexican dishes that change weekly. Many of Antimo’s recipes come from her family.

“Some recipes I inherited from my mom and my grandmother,” she says. “And some are recipes that I prepare from my own cooking experience. And sometimes I even use my mom’s recipes and change them to make them my own.”

We chose from the staples section on my visit, ordering several empanadas and enchiladas verdes with chicken. The chicken enchiladas were tender in a verdes sauce that was delicious. It was lightly spicy with a hint of heat that lingered. The dish was served with tortilla chips that were perfect for scooping up the extra sauce and a side of refried beans that were extra silky.

The empanadas were each tasty, but the standout was the creamy poblano rajas. Nearly as good was the chicken and cheese empandas. The filling was a blend of cheeses and cream cheese for a smooth interior. They were four inches of crisp pastry that was fried but not greasy at all. The empanadas were served with two homemade sauces: a de arbol sauce that carried a firm kick and a green chimichuri sauce that was smooth and a good complement for the beef empanada.

The chocolate tres leches cake was a large serving that we shared — and couldn’t finish. The moist cake was topped with very fresh real whipped cream and turned out to be sweet without being cloying. The sauce at the bottom of the dish let you scoop it up with each bite of cake.

For Antimo, the best part of finally having her own restaurant is the interaction with the diners.

“I feel very happy when I see my guests try my food and experience plates they have never tried before, and how they feel happy when they leave the restaurant,” Antimo says. “They always say they will come back.

“And they know everything is cooked fresh and made with love for each one of them.”

Mexican Mom is located at 1027 Sawdust Road, Suite 375 in Spring. It is open for lunch only on Mondays and Tuesdays from 11 am to 3 pm and lunch (11 am to 3 pm) and dinner (5 pm to 8 pm) Wednesdays thru Saturdays. It is closed Sundays. Reservations are available here.