El Real #7

It seems that all I've been reading lately are write ups about the new Rob Welsh/Brian Caswell throwback to old school Tex-Mex restaurant El Real #7. So I'm sure everyone has heard plenty about the food, ambiance, decor, and feel of this place, but I don't have too many readers anyways so here's my opinion.
The Food:
Anytime I go to a new Tex-Mex restaurant I always try the staples...salsa, queso, cheese enchiladas, house margarita, ships, tortillas, etc. I honestly believe the food can be summed in in the first few bites of salsa and cheese enchiladas. If these items are on point then so will be the rest of the menu. Sadly, I didn't go with my routine on the enchiladas and I opted for my second favorite T-Mex standard...fajitas (later to hear that the the cheese enchiladas are the highlight of the menu). The thick-cut juicy and well seasoned strips of beef fajita meat were reminiscent of Pappasito's including the frothy mexican butter that accompanied the carmelized onions. Not a bad comparison in my opinion. (Sidenote: I like thinner strips with a nice crunchy char and a very red center---->only place that does this right is the original Lupe's out in Katy).
The salsa was fantastic! Surprisingly mild and fresh with flavors of roasted tomatoes and pepper with just a hint of chipotle. I could drink it from a water glass, although Matt didn't like it at all. I've heard people are either loving it or hating it. The queso was good but nothing special and was topped with white grated cheese and some herb I can no longer remember. Reminded me of Austin "Kirby Lane" style queso minus the guac.
Tortillas, when done properly, should start to harden over time. El Real had very flavorful tortillas but started to harden and crack before I even before I even finished my second fajita. It either sat out too long or had far too much oil. Really yummy but their shelf life is maybe 3 minutes.
The rice was....eh :( but the beans were fantastic. Refried and creamy and loaded with the flavor of meat. I remember thinking that they pureed bacon and fatty cow parts to get the fresh from the farm carnivorous flavor, but then I remembered that they cook with rendered animal fat. It's not a flavor I was really accustomed to per se, but very good and I loved it more with each additional bite.
The house margarita was good...very limey, and pricey at $7.25 in a relatively large mug.

I'm excited to see how this place really comes into it's own over the next year or two. I think it has potential to be something very special!