Armandos: The Man Behind the Food

If you only know Armando Palacios, 74, for his eponymous River Oak’s Tex-Mex restaurant, then you don’t know half of his story.

When he came from his hometown of Harlingen to Houston in the early seventies, he worked several jobs, including high-end menswear, where he developed his sense of style. But one day in 1978, he decided he needed something more exciting to tell his classmates at his ten-year high school reunion, so he opened a restaurant just like that. The first location was a small house on Shepherd Drive at San Felipe. And while the early days of Armandos saw Palacio doing everything from kitchen work to bussing tables, it wasn’t long before he could relax into the gracious host of Armandos, which became the place to dine in River Oaks. It was the perfect combination of good Tex-Mex, strong margaritas, and a see-and-be-seen crowd.

And then he met Cinda Murphy, the love of his life.

“I was working with an architect on a bungalow I bought on Center Street, and they sent Cinda to head up the project,” he recalls. “Much like the beginning of Armandos, the rest is history.”

He moved Armandos to the Westheimer Road location, where there was more space. But despite the continued success, in 2000, he decided to close the restaurant.

“I am a big believer in divine intervention,” Palacios says. “I had opened the New World museum behind my home on Center Street, met the love of my life Cinda, and started a life with her and our daughter, Ali. The location on Shepherd was no longer the right fit, and I knew a bigger and better location would come along when we were ready for it. When I got the call about the location on the corner of “Main and Main” in River Oaks (also known as Westheimer Road and Kirby Drive), I knew that was it.”

But it wasn’t just the rebirth of Armandos the couple was involved in. Their family-owned hospitality company, Palacios Murphy, continued to grow and now includes the boutique Hotel Lulu, its new Lulu’s Italian café, Mandito’s casual Tex-Mex, and Popi Burger, all in Round Top. Why the move from Tex-Mex to Italian?

“I would not describe our expansion as a switch by any means. We are diversifying our offerings as we grow,” Palacios says. “Tex-Mex will always be the foundation of our company. In fact we are opening another Mandito’s in Bellaire early next year. We wanted to expand our dining options in Round Top, where our original Lulu’s is located. Cinda and I love Italian culture and cuisine, so it was an obvious fit.

“I have been going to Round Top since 1978,” Palacios says of the quaint Fayette County town known for its antiquing. “I was inspired to buy my own piece of Round Top history and purchased the former home of the first settler in Round Top, James Winn. I was fortunate enough to meet Faith Bybee at the Festival Institute before they had the exquisite concert hall they have now. I was hooked on this small town that was also an escape for many influential Texans.” Because of the Houston/Round Top connection, Palacios Murphy opened a River Oaks Lulu’s Italian café in Houston last year in the same center that houses Armandos. But if he had to choose a favorite property, it would be the hotel.

“I have to say I love everything we have done, but the grounds at Hotel Lulu in Round Top are just exquisite,” Palacios says. “Which is also home to Lulu’s restaurant and our hotel bar Il Cuculo. From the drop-dead gorgeous stone building from the mid-1800s to all of the charming bungalows we have transformed into the 14 hotel rooms, Hotel Lulu is genuinely unbelievable. There is nothing like it in Texas, maybe even the U.S.”

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He clearly loves Round Top, where he and Cinda own horses and a donkey, all of which are rescues from Habitat for Horses. They just chaired the annual fundraising gala for the Gardenia E. Janssen Animal Shelter and supported the Festival Institute in Round Top. Through the restaurants, they also donate to many charities. But as much as they love Round Top, Houston is special to them.

“Houstonians are by far my favorite thing about Houston,” says Palacios. “The people are incredible and have exquisite taste in art, culture, and food. The diversity, the hospitality, and the opportunity are all unrivaled. Houston is a young city, and if you want to create something and you work hard, you can do it. There is a sense of optimism here.”

Armandos Famous Margarita

“A good margarita comes down to fresh quality ingredients our house margarita recipe is very simple.”

2 ounces blanco tequila

1/2 ounce of FRESH lime juice

½ ounce light agave nectar