For the Love of Tacos

By Sheryl E. Taylor

When thinking of the Lone Star State, a few things quickly come to mind: football, BBQ, and sweltering heat. What about a food lover’s paradise? It’s true. Texas, particularly Houston, is considered a culinary melting pot that never disappoints and, in fact, often surprises.

Not known as a hotbed of Mexican food, Houston’s Spring Branch District hosts a restaurant that offers an authentic taste of Mexico: Tacos Doña Lena (TDL).

UHD alumnus Angel Cabrera runs the taqueria. His mother, Maria Magdalena “Lena” Cabrera, sold tacos in her native home of Mexico before coming to the U.S. in 1992. With the encouragement of her son, she continued to sell tacos, tamales, and other specialties for more than 25 years from the front porch of her family’s apartment.

“When I was 10 or 11 years old, I was like, ‘Hey Mom, you were making money in Mexico, maybe you should do it again,’” he recalled. “That’s how she paid for my UHD education.”

School Before Tacos

Cabrera, a self-described “really good student” wasn’t documented at the time, and the trajectory of his life after graduating from high school was steeped in fear.

“I felt like my world was coming to an end,” he said. He credits an aunt who encouraged him to “not stop” his dream of earning a degree. “UHD made me feel comfortable and not seen as an awkward and shy 18-year-old teenager who was afraid to speak up,” he remembered. “I couldn’t get financial aid, but UHD helped me with a Texas grant.” Cabrera graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish with a minor in Education.

After graduating from UHD, Cabrera had aspirations of becoming a teacher. “I wanted to inspire young immigrant kids like me to follow their dreams and fulfill what they want to be in this life,” he said. Even though he was unable to become a teacher, the universe had greater plans.

The Universe Called

For the next 10 years, Cabrera worked for Barnaby’s Café in varied positions from waiting tables to management. “I always knew I loved the restaurant business because of my mom,” he said. “She’s an extremely good chef and has so much passion for what she does.”

At this point, two events collided for Cabrera: a 30-something life crisis and a change in DACA status. “I was at a point in my life when I was considering whether I should earn my master’s degree or should I do what I’ve seen my mom work so hard for her entire life,” said the 37-yearold. “While I was at UHD, I felt that I had to have a more traditional profession to make a difference and be a role model.” He decided to make his mother’s dream a reality.

Dream to Fruition … Even During a Pandemic

With his husband, Brian Ponce, and mother on board, the hard work began. Fast forward to 2020 at the onset of an unprecedented pandemic, Tacos Doña Lena opened its doors. It has since been featured twice (once on the cover) in the local LGBTQ publication OutSmart Magazine for its “Gayest & Greatest” Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Mexican in 2020 and 2021, and on Yelp’s community list of the Top Places to Eat in 2021. Cabrera was also named among Houston Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” Class of 2022.

The Reward and the Gift

While holding back tears, Carbera shares his greatest achievement—gifting his parents a house.

“Never, ever give up on your dreams. When people look at Tacos Doña Lena, I want people to see more than a restaurant. It was just a dream. It doesn’t matter where you come from; it doesn’t matter your background; it doesn’t matter if you’re an immigrant … as long as you’re determined to achieve that goal, you can do it.