After eating five consecutive barbecue meals for lunch, my father, brother and I couldn’t stand the thought of any more smoked meat for dinner. When we finally decided to forage again, which took hours, we chose Fonda San Miguel, an Austin institution known for Mexican food. When we sat at our table, none of us were hungry, but the terrific food was so convincing, we each ate an appetizer, entree and dessert. Fonda San Miguel has powerful charms.

Tom Gilliland was a law student at the University of Texas in 1967 when he spent a summer studying at the Universidad National Autónoma de México (UNAM) in Mexico City. He fell hard for Mexican cuisine and culture. Miguel Ravago grew up in Arizona and learned to cook from his grandmother, who hailed from the northern Mexican state of Sonora. Hungry for culinary knowledge, Ravago moved to Austin in 1968, where he befriended Gilliland. They opened their first restaurant in 1972, San Angel Inn in Houston, with Ravago as chef, Gilliland as co-owner and manager. Things took off after Diana Kennedy, an authority on Mexican cuisine, dined at San Angel and liked what she ate so much, she began mentoring Ravago. She invited him to cook with her in Manhattan and at her home in Mexico, and to join her on culinary tours of Mexico. Ravago’s skills skyrocketed. With their ambitions larger than the San Angel space, they moved to Austin, opening Fonda San Miguel on November 25, 1975, focusing on “interior” Mexican dishes, a departure from the typical Tex-Mex cuisine available in Texas’ capital at the time. By the late 70’s, the restaurant was a major success.

Fonda San Miguel features one of the more elaborate restaurant entrances, with lanterns flanking each side of the blue tiles that encase the decorative double doors that Gilliland discovered in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. The theatrics continue indoors.

A seven-piece gold chandelier is the focus of the hacienda’s colorful main dining room. Walls are lined with vibrant paintings from well-known Mexican artists. There’s even a squawking green parrot in the front room.

We got a sense of how sophisticated our meal would be once our drinks arrived. My brother ordered a delicious cocktail that incorporated tequila, watermelon and fresh lime juice. My blended guava margarita featured premium tequila and a salt-lined rim.

A dish of airy tortilla chips came with two small molcajetes: mild tomatillo and tangy red chile salsa.

While taking our drink orders, our waiter asked if we wanted ceviche. None of us were contemplating ceviche; suddenly, it sounded like a great idea. A green cocktail glass arrived full of tasty chunks of black drum ceviche topped by pico de gallo and fresh-sliced avocado. The glass was ringed by thick corn tortilla chips, for scooping.

According to the menu, Fonda San Miguel invented tortilla soup when it opened in 1975. Although it wasn’t my gold standard, the cup my father ordered certainly gave credence to the restaurant’s claim.

My brother and I split a mini quesadilla starter that utilized supple grilled tortillas and different fillings: roasted poblano pepper and onion; chicken breast; and mushrooms with tomatoes. Each half-moon was uniquely delicious.

Fonda San Miguel placed four dishes in a December 2004 issue of Texas Monthly that recognized the best Mexican food in the state: Chiles Rellenos; Specialties of the House (cochinita pibil); Mole Poblano; and Camarones Al Mojo De Ajo. We skipped the Mole Poblano, but ordered the other three dishes.

Camarones al Mojo de Ajo involved gargantuan shrimp sprinkled liberally with roasted garlic bits and served with another incendiary salsa.

Cochinita Pibil offered succulent pork chunks baked in a banana leaf and topped with pickled onion strands.

Chile relleno, almost caramelized on the outside, contained a sweet and savory ground chicken, olive, shaved almond and raisin mixture, served atop cilantro cream sauce. Sensational.

We ordered two desserts for the table. Adapted from Virginia Wood’s recipe, “Coffee Toffee San Miguel” also appeared on the first menu in 1975. With a toffee crust and rich coffee custard, it still makes for a delicious dessert.

I doubt better tres leches cake exists. Made with whole, condensed, and evaporated milks, the spongy, soft, and incredibly luscious dessert was drizzled with mango syrup.

George W. Bush apparently proposed to Laura at Fonda San Miguel, and after eating there, I can see why. The setting was spectacular, but more importantly, the food was wonderful. I’ve certainly eaten versions of each dish before, but I’ve never had better.