1418 Game Is On--Week 5

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September 9th, 2011 El Norte, Plano, TX
the "unchained" tex-mex alternative

It was with great anticipation that I went to El Norte with my husband and son. It had won an award in D magazine and as a family-owned business, its website claimed that the menu was so traditional as to be radical. They supposedly buy their meat locally.

I realized half-way to the restaurant that I forgot my camera! Everyone in the car was starving and thus refused to turn around. Perhaps this was the first prophetic sign.

The decor was shabby-hip, peeling paint with some faded murals. The food was an adventure in mediocrity. Who needs pictures, when the food looked better than it tasted? The super-nice server was the best part of the evening.

Guac--passable
Bean & Cheese Burrito--lackluster. described as grande--but too small. pinto beans lacked flavor
Texas Brisket Tacos--a signature dish. hubby described it as prepared well with low quality meat. difficult to chew.
Chicken Mole Enchiladas--mole lacked depth. not enough chocolate or chilies.

Give me chain any day--especially when it's predictable. :(

1418 Game is On--Week 4 #2

September 3rd, 2011--Mattitos, Frisco, TX


view of stadium from Mattitos. Pro-soccer & HS football

Family-owned, although there are now several locations throughout the area (and sadly Mattito is no longer among the living). I immediately liked the place, because the manager told me I could take as many pictures as I wanted of whatever I wanted. He shared that recently someone had won first place in a photo contest with a "Mattitos at night" shot. Located across the street from the soccer stadium, it may become our new hang-out for pre or post soccer games.

The second reason I immediately liked the place is that not only did they have MOLE on the menu, but they agreed to make my favorite dish which was not the menu--spinach enchiladas with mole sauce.



Fun atmosphere--check out the cool bottle wall and funky lights.


Sadly my teenaged bean and cheese burrito connoisseur was unable to attend, due to a pressing engagement at Walgreens with his new friends. That is a topic for my other blog.


My husband and I split our dinners. Mine--spinach enchiladas with mole sauce. His--snapper with a black bean sauce. The mole was good--nicely balanced with multiple kinds of chilis. I tend to like my mole with a little bit more spice and chocolate undertones. The snapper was delicous. The guac was more "onionly" than some, but had a nice kick to it. Here's the real treat--a michelada. I have never seen this on any menu, except when I was in Mexico. It is a distinctively different and refreshing beverage (I've been told it's the best hangover cure in the WORLD). It's made with beer, clamato juice (clam & tomato), lime and spices. They made ours with bohemia beer.

1418 Game Is On--Week 4

August 29th, 2011 Chitos Mexican Restaurant, Plano, TX

I've passed by this "hole in the wall" every day since starting my new job. I might not have braved it, if I didn't get a recommendation from a friend. I mean, who REALLY wants to eat at a restaurant in a gas station.

Technically, it's not IN the gas station, but adjacent to it. Unlike the gas station, the restaurant was clean. I heard it was authentic. I have to break my rule and go back.
1. I ate there without my son, who is now upset, since he considers himself to be the bean and cheese burrito foodcriticguru.
2. Also it was mid-day and I couldn't eat a whole meal.
3. MOLE!!!! First restaurant to have mole on their menu. Good news--MOLE. Bad news--they won't put it on enchiladas. I have to eat it on chicken.


I had a lunch special with a cheese enchilada and tamale. I broke all my food karma rules and ate pork!! BABE PLEASE FORGIVE ME. The pork tamale is one of their award-winning dishes. It kind of tasted like chicken. Not sure if it was the best, since I don't eat pork, but it was tasty, despite my guilt. Guac--had a bit of kick! Cheese ench--ok, nothing out of this world. Looking forward to mole!!!!

1418--GAME IS ON: week 3

Week 3--August 27, Abuelos, Plano, Texas



More upscale than your average tex-mex. The interior was beautiful with hand-painted murals. The central courtyard with a fountain was enclosed, but in James Turrell fashion, emulated an open sky.

Guac--heavenly--creamy with bits of tomato. Homemade chips were light, not greasy. Served 3 types of salsa--regular, roasted and habanero.

Tortilla Soup--not overly cheesy or soggy with tortillas. Lightly spiced chicken, broth had complex flavor.

Bean & Cheese burrito--the son pronounces that it is not as good as Chuy's, but a close second. They didn't have it on the menu, so bonus points for making it special for him.

Pescado--Mahi-Mahi topped with shrimp, scallops, spinach, red-peppers & white wine sauce.
AMAZING. The cilantro-infused rice was delicious. The fish was perfectly cooked--not dry. Service--very attentive




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1418--GAME IS ON: week 2

Week 2--August 19, Chuy's, Plano, TX

Fun, Fun atmosphere. The night my son and I were there, they were hosting a green chili-festival and had decorated the place with superhero banners, streamers and servers were wearing capes. The place was jamming by 5:30pm with a short wait for dinner.

GUAC--perfectly ripe avocados and seasoning.

Bean & Cheese Burrito--my son's only menu item. he's consistent. said it was the best he's had. he's on board for the burrito--eating challenge. if you eat 2, you get the 3rd free. these are mongo-sized burritos. i told him that he needed to train properly for the event. i didn't want any food comas or spewing in my car.

Veggie Enchiladas w/Ranchero Sauce--delish! I was so hungry, that I forgot to take a pic until I was full. Ench #2 for tomorrow's lunch.

Bonus--very creepy t-shirt for PapPap--NAKED TEX MEX

1418--GAME IS ON: week 1

1418--THAT'S HOW MANY MEXICAN RESTAURANTS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS. That doesn't count the surrounding towns of Plano, Richardson, Addison, Garland, etc...

My goal is to eat at all of them. Ok--maybe that's unreasonable, since I have roughly a year, perhaps two at the most and don't want to eat Mexican EVERY single day of the week. Revisionist goal--1 new Mexican restaurant each week--documented on this blog.

Week 1--August 11, Holy Frijoles, Plano, TX

I ate the tortilla soup. It was all cheese and tortilla strips. Not enough broth. Guac was bland. Restaurant was dirty. My son's bean and cheese burrito was sub-par. How hard is it to screw up a burrito? NOT RECOMMENDED.