THE BIG 40

this is a google image. my IPhone refused to take
a pic of the internally illuminated sign at night

Pepe & Mitos
2911 Elm Street
Dallas, TX
214-741-1901

Woohoo, I made it to #40. I'm off my game, but haven't gotten a refried bean lard-ass yet. 

Located in two storefronts on Elm (one being an old garage), this restaurant embraces the seedy funk that is characteristic of Deep Ellum. We sat outdoors on the patio, replete with black iron fencing, which I guess is just as much for protection as it is for décor. 

My friend ordered us top shelf margaritas. Although some might argue that top shelf just equates to big bucks, I find that high-end tequila is smoother and does not result in a pounding headache the next am. Sadly this margarita was disappointing. Instead of fresh-squeezed lime juice, it was made with sweet and sour mix and bottled lime. No evidence of Cointreau or Grand Marnier.

Our table disagreed about the salsa. One friend thought it was really fresh with tomatoes and cilantro. My other friend and I disagreed; we thought it was too bland and wished for a roasted or smoky flavor.

Queso was your typical processed cheese dip, but that didn’t stop us from devouring it. Guac was fresh—nothing fancy, but made with perfectly ripened avocados. If I had to live on one food, it would definitely be guac.

For entrees, our table split chicken and cheese mole enchiladas and beef/chicken fajitas. The tortillas were exceptional. I typically don’t like flour tortillas, but these did not have the “floury” taste. The steak and chicken were tender and well seasoned.

The meal’s highlight (besides my company of course) was the mole. Mole is tricky. It is complicated and time consuming to make. Many restaurants don’t offer it on their menu. Pepe & Mitos’s mole was spicy with a pronounced chocolate flavor. I’m picky about my mole and don’t like it if it’s too chocolatey or too tomatoey or relies too much on spice, rather than letting the complexity of the flavors merge and slowly unfold on my tongue.

This mole was well balanced and rich, without overpowering the palette.  

Pepe & Mitos website is missing some crucial info like their hours of operation. On their “About Us” page, it says that they have been open for ?? years since 19??  Either the webmaster imbibed in too many bad margaritas or accidentally ate the worm. To ensure they are open, call ahead. 

#39 Lalos on Preston

January 10, 2012

Lalos Fine Mexican Cuisine (not to be confused with Lalos not-so fine Mexican in Illinois) is hidden in a strip mall on the border of Plano/Richardson. Easy to miss on a drive by. The exterior is unassuming,  but the interior is lovely--comfortable, but not pretentious or trying too hard to be trendy. I enjoyed the sounds of Spanish classical guitar music, which added to the ambiance. One of our friends who has traveled extensively in Mexico said that he recognized all of the artists and songs.

Besides the traditional chips and salsa, Lalos served a complimentary warm black bean dip, which was delicious. The salsa had a nice spicy kick to it and the guac was fresh. Sadly no tableside guac--I know, I'm spoiled.

I ordered the fish tacos. The chef was happy to grill the tilapia instead of the standard fried fare. The red & green cabbage with carrots and cilantro slaw was a healthy, flavorful accompaniment. The creamy lime and cilantro sauce spiced with chilis made the dish a stand-out winner.

My mother (a native Texan who has lived in Pittsburgh for the past 40 years) is always up for eating Mexican food. Pittsburgh is not known for its Mexican cuisine.  She ordered a combination meal which included tortilla soup, a guac tostada and a chicken enchilada with queso. I'm usually wary of queso, since it tends to be made with fake processed cheese. However the queso sauce was made with REAL cheese. It was way too cheesy and heavy for my tastes, but my one bite was decadent. Kind of like cheese fondue over chicken.


The tortilla soup was flavorful. I really should have ordered my own, because I wasn't able to eat enough of it to discern what made it special. The chef didn't overpower it with cheese or tortilla strips, so the broth's flavor came through.

Our friends had meat tacos and said they were excellent as well.

The dining room was close to empty at 1pm on a Thursday. The food and service are great. I hope their business increases.

#38 Mexi-GO-GO

my composition was really crappy, so i cropped out the building

January 5, 2013
Mexi-Go Bar & Grill
Allen, TX

I really shouldn't eat/review when I'm famished, because everything tastes so darn good. I'm not sure that I'm the most objective reviewer under those circumstances.

Looking over the past year, I haven't broken any Mexican food eating records. I took the entire summer off and now I'm woefully behind my quota of eating at all 1418  restaurants in the Dallas area. In fact, I only ate at 23 NEW restaurants in 2012. At this rate, it will take me SIXTY-ONE YEARS to finish my epic feat. I'll be dead way before that. In fact a friend just asked me today if my health was suffering from eating at all those lard-infested places. Think of the Super-Size Me guy whose liver and kidneys shut down after eating too much Mickey D's. I'm happy to report that I haven't gained any weight and I'm in as good health as can be expected for someone of my indeterminate age.

The name and location Mexi-Go (like Los Cucos) deceived me. It seemed like a dumb name and was in a generic strip mall, so I kept driving right on by. The sign said restaurant and club. In my kinky mind, I envisioned Go-Go girls with knee-high patent-leather boots, short-shorts, and sombreros pole dancing while rolling their tongues and making purring noises. While that sounds quite entertaining, it would be too distracting for my teenaged son. Thankfully the Go-Go girls must have had the night off.

Those who have been reading for awhile know that I am a guac slut. Any restaurant that offers tableside guac has me hooked in a matter of minutes. Mexi-Go's tableside guac is no exception. No secret ingredients--just perfectly ripened avocado, salt, pepper, fresh lime juice and a bit of diced onion, cilantro and tomatoes. I think if I could only eat one food for the rest of my life, it would be tableside guac.

The chips were light and salty. The salsa was thick, but a bit too bland for my taste. My son ordered the ribeye fajitas. They were a bit fatty, but flavorful. The chef coated the meat and veggies with a sweet glaze. I couldn't tell what the ingredients were; the waiter just told me it was the fajita sauce. The combination of the slightly sweet sauce with the smoky grill flavor was a winning combination. Usually fajitas just come with onions and peppers. Mexi-Go serves a variety of vegetables including squash, zucchini and broccoli. There were a few huge chunks of an orange veggie that my son refused to believe was a carrot. Because he hates carrots and he thought the thing on his plate was delicious. I must get some of that sauce and prepare all of his veggies that way.

I ordered the enchiladas yucatanes which were stuffed with shredded chicken and topped with a chipotle sauce. Normally I don't like sour cream sauce, but the spiciness of the peppers complemented the sour cream. Thankfully, the sauce wasn't too heavy.

We splurged on dessert since the flan was homemade. It was a bit too custardy and sweet, but that didn't deter us from inhaling it in about 3 bites.

#37 Mexican Food--The New Christmas Tradition?

December 25, 2012
El Asadero
Ft. Worth, TX

When my cousin suggested we meet at a Mexican Restaurant for Christmas dinner, my family protested. "Mexican food for CHRISTMAS?" I reassured them I would cook all their favorites on Christmas Eve. (One of my specialities is Thai-Indian Dumplings which has become a yearly tradition on Christmas Eve, so why not Mexican on Christmas Day?)

Christmas morning started with a serious rain and hailstorm. One cannot grumble out loud about rain, since this area has been in drought-mode since I moved here. By the time we began our drive to Ft. Worth, the rain had turned into snow and ice. Texas drivers are not well-equipped to handle these conditions, so the highway quickly became littered with accidents and slow-moving traffic.

We arrived 40 minutes late and a bit stressed to El Asadero, a family-owned restaurant located near the Stockyards. Much to my surprise, the restaurant was full. Clearly we were not the only folks who decided to eat Mexican on Christmas Day.

The decor is funky-eclectic, made more so by the Christmas tinsel and decorations. The menu is authentic Northern Mexican focusing on meat and seafood dishes. I ordered the enchiladas mole poblanos. The dark mole sauce was rich with chilis and a pronounced chocolate flavor paired with tender shredded chicken. The best mole so far has been in Ft. Worth; I haven't found really good mole in Plano.

My sick husband ordered the Caldo Mixto sopa--a spicy fish and shrimp soup. Served in a gargantuan-sized bowl (enough for three sick husbands), the delicious broth was a blend of tomatoes, chilis, onions, cilantro with more than a hint of lime. Sick hubby said that there were a few fish spines in the bowl, but this did not deter his enjoyment. I could have inhaled a quart of the broth.

My cousin's husband ate one of the carne especialidad dishes. He didn't say much, but began to sweat  from the spiciness. His clean plate was the best testament.

Guac was fresh with not much spice. The salsa had a nice kick. Chips were yellow corn and heavy--not my favorite.

Cowboy hats are regular attire in Ft. Worth

A few things detracted from my enjoyment of the sumptuous feast.
*door opening every few minutes with gusts of freezing wind ensured that we never got warm and cozy.
*the bathroom was flooded with a few inches of water on the floor, soaking my already wet shoes.
*a woman was violently puking in the stall, which made me wonder...Is she sick from drinking too many margaritas at 2:30pm? Is she pregnant? The worst thought--is she sick from the food? Maybe all of the above? No one really likes to hear retching sounds while trying to eat.

Despite those detractions, I would go back to this family-owned restaurant that has served the Ft. Worth community since 1982. But... on a day that wasn't blustery cold.

#36 Austin Tex Mex OR Is the Blue Goose Cooked?

November 17, 2012
Banditos
Plano, TX


I purposely have been avoiding places with the words-- TEX MEX. I realize this presents a bit of a conundrum since I live in Texas and am writing about Mexican food. However, since my foray into Mexican food eating and writing 15 months ago, I have eaten more than my fair share of BAD Tex Mex. Lard, lard and more lard.

Some friends recommended Banditos, which opened last summer across from the Blue Goose Cantina. I haven't visited the Blue Goose yet, but the empty parking lot doesn't bode well for its future. Banditos seems to be enjoying a thriving business.

Banditos' niche is Austin Tex-Mex, which according to their mission hasn't been seen in these parts since the 1970's. I'm not enough of a Tex-Mex historical expert to know what distinguishes vintage Austin Tex-Mex from contemporary Dallas Tex-Mex, but clearly they are doing something right.

The atmosphere is casual and relaxed. My friend ordered the aged ribeye tacos. At $17.95, this was one of the pricier items. I broke my no meat rule and tasted it. The steak was tender and juicy. It didn't melt in your mouth like filet, but had a slight smoky flavor. A serious cut above the typical fajita meat. Definitely worth the price.

I had the Lavaca enchiladas--two spinach enchiladas with poblano sauce and jack cheese. Sauce for spinach enchiladas can be tricky. Ranchero doesn't complement spinach. Mole can sometimes overpower the taste and sour cream sauce is just plain gross. I'm not sure exactly what was in the poblano sauce besides the roasted poblano chilis, tomatillos, onions, and cilantro, but it was delicious and a perfect balance to the spinach.

Guacamole was fresh--nothing memorable. We didn't have the margaritas, which Banditos is known for. I would definitely go back and try more dishes and chill out listening to some good Austin music.

#35 Another Taco Joint

Rusty Taco

Plano, TX

Rusty’s opened a couple of months ago near my house. Do we really need another taco joint in the neighborhood? According to the daily swarms, the answer is YES!

I have to admit that I was reluctant to visit. When I think of rusty, I think of tetanus shot. Who wants to think about tetanus in conjunction with their gastronomical experiences?

To be fair to Torchy’s, I also visited Rusty’s on three separate occasions. My son thinks Torchy’s is better, but that’s only because of their special soda machine. Given the large surrounding residential population and abundance of retail stores, as well as their 5 mile proximity, I don’t think they are in direct competition with one another. Their menu offerings are also different.

Torchy’s has an edge in terms of marketing (catchy names like The Republican or The Democrat, as well as a Devil icon as a logo), but Rusty’s is cheaper and has friendlier service.

On my three visits, I sampled the chipotle black bean taco, the fish taco, the fajita chicken taco and a breakfast taco with eggs, cheese and chorizo. All were good and priced at $2. Hands down the best is the black bean taco sprinkled with cojita cheese and pico de gallo salsa. The chipotle flavor was pronounced, but not overpowering. My egg taco had cheap cheddar cheese—not the best choice to balance the dominant chorizo flavor.

There’s a margarita machine that boasts $5 margs made with cheap tequila. I haven’t been brave enough to try one. Cheap tequila today produces powerful headache tomorrow. Guac is nothing to write home about, but it was edible.

Best part—kitchen is open and you can see the folks make your food. This ensures that no one is spitting in your food or putting rust granules in your tortillas. Thus tetanus is avoided.

#33 So NOT a chain

Paco & John Mexican Diner
Ft. Worth, TX

It's becoming more and more difficult to find a non-chain Mexican restaurant. Even the family-owned restaurants open multiple locations. As a friend reminded me, there's a reason for that. Usually it is because the restaurant has a good business model (good food, service, atmosphere, etc). My friend who introduced me to the Revolver Taco Lounge suggested Paco & John's. A casual breakfast and lunch place started by two friends, the menu offered some different options like roasted chicken torta and red snapper tacos.

The special soup of the day was carrot and anise. That sounded too interesting to pass up. It was the most brilliant buttercup yellow. No way plain 'ol orange carrots made that color. I didn't taste anise as in the fennel bulb, licorice-flavor. The taste was much more subtle. I asked the server who revealed that the hidden secret was STAR ANISE. Star fruit. What an unusual and delightful combination.

I then ordered one veggie taco and one snapper taco. The corn tortillas were fresh and didn't fall apart like the store-bought brands. I'm usually disappointed with veggie tacos, which sometimes feature the fajita left-overs (onions, peppers and an anemic looking squash parts). These veggie tacos included the requisite zucc & squash of the non-anemic variety, corn, mushrooms and spinach. Light on seasoning--heavy on freshness. Spicy green tomatillo sauce and guacamole added the perfect finish. The snapper was light, delicate, fresh and flaky. Snapper can be tricky. If it's old or overcooked, it's tasteless. I'm  tired of tilapia tacos and refuse to eat catfish (which eat toxic river sludge), so yea! to snapper. Hope it doesn't make its way into the overfished category anytime soon.

Friendly service and reasonable prices.