Category Archives: DFW

by | July 26, 2012 · 8:48 am

Revolver Taco Lounge

Not all great taquerías are hovels found in neglected districts. Some shine white and clean in developing enclaves. Case in point: Revolver Taco Lounge, a contemporary Mexican restaurant awash in white with orange accents along West Seventh Street in Fort Worth.

Opened for more than a year, Revolver offers Mexican standards humble in presentation. Here, the Rojas family offers pipian, a green mole with pumpkin seeds, blankets duck breast. A lobster taco is laced with chipotle butter sauce. In the mood for huitlacoche? Revolver’s got it.

The eatery’s tacos come wrapped in house-made tortillas produced from nixtamal (i.e., the hard way) in a kitchen staffed by—stereotypically enough—smock-wearing elderly women, among them owner Gino Rojas’ mother and aunt. Continue reading →

6 Comments

Filed under DFW, Fort Worth, one of the freaking best, Reviews, Taco Tours, Texas

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | July 24, 2012 · 11:55 am

Yucatan Taco Stand Tequila Bar & Grill

A stop on the Fort Worth taco tour a friend and I took ahead of my trip to San Diego, Yucatan Taco Stand Tequila Bar & Grill offers an alternative to Fuzzy’s Taco Shop. However, Fuzzy’s and Yucatan share more in common than what distinguishes them.

Both were founded in Cowtown, both were created by Paul Willis and both use a dubious geographical conceit. Both hedge their bets on seafood tacos. Yet, Fuzzy’s is the one that has reeled in success, crossing beyond the Texas border. Yucatan once boasted area three outposts. The Fort Worth location, the first, is the only one remaining in North Texas. Another Yucatan can be found outside Houston, in The Woodlands.

After placing our order at the front counter (something else Yucatan shares with Fuzzy’s), my companion and I sat at a window booth, watching as employees from the nearby hospital gorged on large nacho platters, loaded, edible Popocatepetls similar to the dish at Fuzzy’s. Continue reading →

3 Comments

Filed under DFW, Fort Worth, Reviews, Texas

Tagged as ,

by | July 19, 2012 · 4:57 pm

Cesar’s Tacos y Gorditas

There are some taquerías I decide to leave unreviewed, even if I frequent them. It’s not because I’d prefer to keep them a secret. Rather, it’s because I frequent them out of convenience, I don’t think I have much to add to the discussion, I’m saving them for a list/some other project or they’re so terrible I can’t stomach typing such vitriol.

Case in point: Cesar’s Tacos. It’s not that the Davis Street restaurant is bad. I patronize the joint regularly, especially when my in-laws visit. As a local chain, Cesar’s Tacos would be an ideal subject of a larger story. There comes a moment, though, when your original plan is scuttled and things head south. Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under Chains, Dallas, DFW, Oak Cliff, Reviews, Texas

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | July 17, 2012 · 12:18 pm

So-Cal Tacos

Operating out of Tarrant County, Scott Wooley’s So-Cal Tacos is a red rig affixed with a surfboard. Like its Dallas counterpart, Rock and Roll Tacos, it’s hard to miss. So-Cal Tacos is also the truck that initiated my quest for primo fish tacos, leading to notable selections across Dallas-Fort Worth and San Diego (more on that in the future).

The San Diego Classic, the signature dish, resembles a Gorton’s fish fillet of childhood but offers bright, acidic licks and a pleasant crunch imparted by panko breading and zippy garnishes of slaw and aioli. The breading is a departure from the standard fish taco enclosed in beer-batter. However, it works. And in three words: I dig it. Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under Dallas, DFW, food truck, Fort Worth, Reviews

Tagged as ,

by | July 15, 2012 · 3:15 pm

Taco Party, Dallas’ Newest Food Truck

Last weekend’s Taste of Dallas is more than a food expo. It’s a testing ground for nascent culinary ventures, like Taco Party, the city’s newest food truck. Taco Party is so new, the rig doesn’t yet have a branded wrap. Instead, posters covered parts of the truck, formerly of Dos Paisano’s Salvadoran-Mexican operation, during what was Taco Party’s public service debut.

Part of the annual event’s Taste Curbside, a new component featuring Dallas’ hottest edible trend, Taco Party is owned and operated by cousins Rafael Rico and Eduardo Ramirez. It’s Dallas’ first Mexico City-style gourmet taco truck.

While Rico and Ramirez, Mexico City natives, were busy dishing out Taco Party’s fare, Lourdes Palomares, Rico’s wife, took some time to answer my questions regarding the lonchero (taco truck). Continue reading →

2 Comments

Filed under Dallas, DFW, News

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | July 12, 2012 · 9:54 pm

Doña Lencha Restaurant and Taquería #1

On my way to the airport for a San Diego-bound flight—and unsure about what gastronomic pitfalls or crescendos awaited me in SoCal—I stopped for tacos at one of two Doña Lencha restaurants in Irving.

The Story Road location anchors one corner of a strip mall with a large dining room, but I wasn’t there for a sit-down meal. So, I got tacos needed to gird me through my ride on Spirit Airlines as a to-go order.

To that end, I selected four gratifying tacos. So gratifying that the bizarre ending to my time there won’t deter me from returning. Inconspicuously. Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under DFW, Irving, one of the freaking best, Reviews

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | July 5, 2012 · 8:00 am

Five Restaurants That Should Serve Tacos on a Regular Basis

I sustain myself on more than tacos. However, when dining at a non-taquería, I occasionally desire to see a taco option. Below are six establishments I wish would serve tacos.

Cane Rosso
My favorite Dallas pizzeria put tacos on the menu once. Jay, wouldn’t you’d rather eat tacos from your own kitchen than from Taco Joint? Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under Bishop Arts District, Deep Ellum, DFW, Knox-Henderson, Oak Cliff

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | July 3, 2012 · 8:00 am

Chile Pepper Grill & Tacos El Barrio

A friend and I took off for a day of tacos in Fort Worth last month. By the end of the taco tour, we had visited three restaurants, one truck and one trailer. The trailer in question was Chile Pepper Grill in the Cowtown Chow Down food truck park.

What I noticed first about Chili Pepper Grill was the impressive menu. There was asada and tripe but also an alambre taco, meat with all the fixings. Choriqueso, a gooey hybrid of a taco, was another option. Huaraches, tortas, gorditas, quesadillas and burritos, each for six dollars, rounded out the available items.

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under DFW, food truck, Fort Worth, Reviews

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | June 28, 2012 · 11:02 am

Choco Tacos

If you’ve been holed up in your house without a thermometer, a television set or an Internet connection, there’s a good chance you don’t know it’s hot outside. Yep, summer has come to roost in Texas.

In the spirit of the season, I picked up two boxes of Choco Tacos dessert tacos from Klondike* The store was out of the Peanut Butter option. So, I went with the Original and Chocolate flavors, each containing four tacos in a box. Continue reading →

4 Comments

Filed under DFW

Tagged as , ,

by | June 26, 2012 · 12:49 pm

Zombie’s Food Truck

I’ve eaten tacos made in a laundromat, tacos on the property of an automechanic’s garage and now I’ve eaten tacos from Zombie’s Food Truck, a Fort Worth-based mobile kitchen specializing in vegan foods. At the invitation of Dallas Vegan’s Jamey Scott, I hopped on the bus for a Dallas Vegan Drinks meetup during a Deep Ellum Brewing Company Thursday night tour, with food from the aforementioned operation.

Named after Texas Rangers starting pitcher (and native Dominican) Neftali Feliz—currently on the disabled list—Zombie’s Neftacos Feliz are small corn tortillas filled with partially shredded meat substitute seitan (wheat gluten) and topped with stringy onion, chopped avocados then given a sprinkle of cilantro. The pair are a solid meal with a few disappointments. Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under DFW, food truck

Tagged as , ,