On The Very Greasy Border by Enrique Carlos

I'm just kidding. It's not really by Enrique Carlos (the Mexican version of Eric Carle that I came up with in my head.) 

The Very Greasy Taco by Enrique Carlos 

I stopped by On the Border for lunch while on a recent visit to north Arlington. It was not busy and I sat in the bar. I was less than impressed by the service.

I ordered the steak fajita street style mini tacos with charro beans and rice. You get three mini corn tortillas served open faced with seasoned fajita steak, grilled onion and, Jack cheese served with fresh  avocado, pico de gallo and ,red chili tomatillo salsa. Sounds great...until you see it.

For the $12.99 they charge for this, the food was laughable. Let's begin with the poor, single, corn tortilla that had unrealistic expectations thrust literally onto it. The grilled steak and onions were swimming in grease, the cheese was greasy...it was one big hot mess and, I don't mean that in a good way. The tortilla inevitably broke under the sogginess.

I don't know why some of these chain restaurants are having a hard time nailing down a pretty simple dish. These tacos could have been improved if they laid off the oil a lot and maybe changed up the toppings. I would suggest adding some cilantro and lime wedges. The acidic lime would have been nice to cut the greasiness of the beef.

None of it was spectacular. Most of it was mediocre at best. Avoid these tacos on your next visit. 

Riscky's BBQ:Your Taco Doesn't Get More Texas Than This

My latest taco tasting was at

Riscky's Barbeque

6701 Camp Bowie Blvd

on the West Side

Fort Worth, Texas 76116

This location can be a little tricky to get into because of its location at the split of Camp Bowie and Camp Bowie West (Hwy 80). From Lackland Road and Hwy 80 you can cut through the Fallahs parking lot. I can't remember if Big Lots is still there or not. Once to the other side, take a left on Camp Bowie and Risky's will be on your right.

I ordered the Chopped Brisket Tacos; chopped prime lean brisket, served on a handmade tortilla with no preservatives, grilled onions, lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, with a side of beans and salsa. I was also given pickled jalapeño slices without having to ask. 

I had to pick up my to go order at the bar. The bartender was very friendly and had my food ready to go quickly. He even threw in those jalapeños I told you about.  It was $6.99 plus tax.

Once I got home, I flung open the styrofoam container and was overcome by the smokey brisket smell and the sight of bold fresh colors popping on my plate. I was supposed to take a pretty picture of the two tacos but animal instinct kicked in and I went in for the kill like a lion on a wildebeest.

I had devoured an entire taco before realizing I still needed a photo. Oops. 

These tacos are big. The meat is superb. It was moist but did not leave a messy puddle or soak through my flour tortilla. The brisket totally works in this taco. The medley of fresh toppings complimented each other and the brisket perfectly. The salsa tasted very fresh and homemade. I want to add that the cheddar cheese was not listed on the menu but, I'm glad they added it. The jalapeños are a must. They gave this taco just the right amount of spicey. On my next visit, I intend to try it with some bbq sauce instead of salsa.

Damn. I'm getting hungry and wanting more just thinking and writing about them. If you are a bbq lover and a taco lover, combine the two and try the chopped brisket tacos at Riscky's asap. They will make you yell out, "Yee hawww!"

Chilis-Why Have You Forsaken Me?

I went on a dinner date with my best friend the other day. I had been given a gift card to Chilis for Christmas. I traveled across the county to Roanoke near my friends home. Chilis has always been a tried and true favorite. They have always served good quality food. Their hamburgers are amazeballs as are the southwest egg rolls. So, I was super psyched to see their new menu with a Top Shelf Tacos section. We started the meal off right with some Blueberry Pineapple Margaritas. Yummy!

I chose the Prime Rib Tacos, a specialty item. Tender pieces of prime rib served over Jack cheese & topped with chimichurri sauce, house made pico de gallo, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, and queso fresco. There was way too much Jack cheese melted into my meat. It was a big pile of goo at the bottom of my taco. The prime rib was terrible. I would compare it to the fake steak you get at fast food places like Taco Cabana. All I could taste were toppings. This taco left a ton of grease at the bottom and the poorly designed taco holders let the runny drippings flow off my plate and onto the table. I only ate half of my meal which is highly unusual for me.

My friend did me a solid and ordered the fish tacos. I'm not a seafood lover but wanted an opinion on more than one taco. It was grilled chili lime tilapia topped with house made cilantro slaw, pico de gallo, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, and queso fresco.

She was not impressed with her taco either. She explained that the fish had an overbearing thick sauce on it that completely masked the fresh fish taste. She also complained that she could really only taste the toppings.

Moral of this story? Stick to the tried and true dishes from Chilis and go elsewhere for tacos.

Mi Cocina- Fire and Ice

I had a dinner date at the swanky Mi Cocina on Hulen at I-30 in Fort Worth. It's located in a shopping center and faces the highway access road. 

We started our evening off with Mambo Taxis. A Mambo Taxi is Sauza Silver tequila, lime juice, housemade Sangria with Pinot Noir, Brandy, and fruit juices. It was really delicious...not too strong but had enough booze to feel it.

My date ordered the Tacos de Brisket, three corn tortillas filled with shredded brisket, oven roasted overnight, and Jack cheese, arroz and sliced avocado ensalada. She thoroughly enjoyed her meal. The brisket was ultra moist and dripped onto her plate as she bit into her taco.

I ordered the Tacos Mi Tierra, “street style” tacos served on three soft corn tortillas topped with grilled fajita beef, Serranos and onions served with guacamole y pico de gallo. I was warned by the waitress that they would be spicy. I nodded in acknowledgement, not yet knowing what I had just agreed to.

The first issue I encountered had to do with the layout of this plate. The meat was just dumped on top of three overlapping tortillas in a haphazard manner. It made a mess and spread a lot of grease all over the tortillas. My fingers and hands were filthy with grease and juices. 

The second issue I encountered had to do with the level of heat...spicy heat.  I have to admit that the fajita meat was fantastic. It had a succulent grilled flavor and was moist and tender. However, there were so many chopped Serano peppers on it, my mouth was set aflame. Each bite was painfully hot and it took away from my enjoyment of the other flavors. It was just too much. I love the Serano flavor but, the amount should be a quarter what they currently put on their tacos.

Issue number three...brain freeze. The tacos were so spicy hot, each blazing bite was followed by a huge sip of Mambo Taxi leading to the inevitable brain freeze. It was a back and forth see saw of snot dripping spicy heat and brain freezing cold liquor. 

I would absolutely recommend these tacos but would suggest asking them to lay off the overload of Serranos. Don't forget to stop by the World Market after your meal.

Chipotle- The Yuppy's Taco, Making Mexican Mainstream

Don't get me wrong. I like Chipotle. They're ingredients are fresh and tasty. They believe in responsible farming and I admire them for that. The service is always fast if not always friendly. I try to keep in mind that Chipotle is often cited as one of the worst companies to work for. 

Chipotle caters to the clientele that would like to claim they eat taqueria tacos but are too afraid to go to one of the actual authentic taquerias in town. Getting good tacos often requires going to the less affluent neighborhoods and I don't think the traditional Chipotle customer is down with that. Chipotle has a certain demographic. I saw lots of Cadillacs, Lexus and BMWs followed by yoga pants, Dooney bags and Ugh boots. You get my drift.

On this particular day, I visited the location at Hulen and Bellaire. It is always thick with TCU students at lunch as was the case today. I ordered tacos on flour tortillas. The tortillas were nothing extraordinary. I chose the steak and the barbacoa. The meat is always good here, juicy and full of flavor. The steak can handle a salsa, but honestly the barbacoa has enough kick on its own. 

Chipotle has a choose your own toppings policy. I chose the corn relish, so I wouldn't overpower the meat flavors. I also added cheese, lettuce, and sour cream with a side of guacamole. They could offer more topping choices but I think that might slow down the line. These people all have somewhere to be and need those tacos fast. 

The toppings are all very fresh and the guacamole is some of the best around. Always order some guacamole and chips with your tacos. You won't regret it. The soda bar is standard. You won't find Mexican Coke here.  

So, if you are afraid of going to the "real" taquerias because of their less than desirable locations or because you may need to order in Spanish and you took French, stop into your local Chipotle. Don't expect it to give you any street cred though.

Salsa Limon, The Jewel of the Museum District

I first tried Salsa Limon at the food truck park behind the Montgomery Plaza Super Target. I was so impressed, I chose to return for my birthday meal with my family shortly after. It was a big hit with everyone.

I had an opportunity to return and stopped into the University drive Salsa Limon Museo location at brunch the other day. It was unusually packed for that time thanks to a rained out Colonial golf tournament. 

I ordered a Chicken Taco. It was served on double corn tortillas that never broke. It was topped with pickled cabbage, onion, cilantro, and served with a wedge of lime. It was delicious. The pickled cabbage balances the heavier flavors. The creamy avocado tomatillo green sauce also was outstanding. The perfect heat and full of flavor.

I also ordered the steak El Capitan that came on a buttery toasted flour tortilla. It was topped with melted Oaxaca-Jack cheese, pickled cabbage, onion, cilantro, and a wedge of lime. Another very satisfying choice. My only complaint was the greasiness of the buttery tortilla. It was a bit much. A normal cooked flour tortilla would have been perfect, known as "Norte" style at Salsa Limon.

I also tried the weird orange salsa pictured. Steal clear of it. I have no idea the ingredients, but it smelled and tasted like the powdered cheese out of a Kraft Mac n Cheese box mixed with milk and served cold. Other than that...

I highly recommend this place. If your in the museum district, put this on your list of must visit places.

I Want That Velvet Taco...Mmmmm maybe not so much

Some friends and I are going to try this place in a couple of weeks. The conversation about it has already been humorous. One coworker immediately thought about the sexual connotation of the name while another coworker, much younger and more innocent, associated the name with red velvet cake. Either way, they both get eaten.

The following is taken directly from the website for the Velvet Taco at www.velvettaco.com

PS - Cool things about the world inside Velvet Taco:
we make our own tortillas, slow roast our own
chicken and corn, and make everything from
scratch which makes our food taste really
awesome. We use fresh fruit and sorbets in
our margaritas and sangrias... also awesome.
Oh and we recycle. Come in and see us.

Honestly, I'm really excited about their menu and can't wait to try the elote.

The reviews are in!

This place is located in a really trendy part of town on West 7th. You will run into the typical yuppy type here and the late night bar crowd. The place is a good hang out spot and has windows all the way around that open. The decor was...uninspiring. The ceiling was downright weird. There were clapboard style wooden ceiling beams exposed, which was fine. However, there was a metal grid system hanging off of it, meant to hold white square ceiling tiles, a la business office. But there were no tiles, just the framework. Mmmmm kay.

I ordered the #2 Rotisserie Chicken taco. It comes with white queso, roast corn pico,  cilantro, and smoked poblano salsa on a corn tortilla. (For the record, I don't recall white queso actually being on this taco) It was served on metal taco holders that were shaped like the letter W. No plate. A little bit of an issue if you have drippings. This was a common complaint between all three of us eating. My friend Lynn S. constructed a makeshift "plate" out of paper towels that were on our table. I was not overly impressed with the chicken. The rotisserie chicken from Walmart is more flavorful. My tortilla seemed packaged, sprouted a hole and began falling apart. The best part about this taco was the corn salsa. While my friends tried the habanero salsa, I went for a more vinegar based sauce that reminded me of Fuzzy's Butt Burnin' Sauce. I loved the flavor.

I also ordered the #3 Crisp Tikka Chicken Taco. It was served with spicy pepper sauce, buttered cilantro basmati rice, mint-coriander yogurt, basil, and a flour tortilla. This one was worse. Although the tortilla held together nicely, the chicken was swimming in a thick sauce that reminded me of buffalo chicken sauce. It was overpowering. The rice was a nice touch, but too bland to counter the overwhelming sauce on the chicken. The yogurt was good, but honestly, throwing a piece of basil on it is a joke. This taco needs more toppings to balance out the pepper sauce. Maybe some cabbage would be good. For the money, I felt a little jipped. 

My friend Dee thought it was "a cool, chill place. A good hangout spot."

She ordered the #3 Crisp Tikka Chicken taco as well. She thought the appearance was good,but the tortilla did not seem well cooked. She did give high marks for their habanero hot sauce.

Dee also ordered the #3.5 Picnic Chicken. This taco is served with avocado crema, warm honey-Dijon potato salad, crispy chicken skin and cilantro on a flour tortilla. Dee said, "it seemed dry." She explained that although the chicken was flavorful, "there was too much going on. A lot of different flavors." On a scale of 1-10, she rated this taco a 5. 

My other guest reviewer, Lynn S. ordered the #3.5 Picnic Chicken as well. She was definitely unimpressed with this taco. On a scale of 1-10 she rated it a -10. She kept referring to a funky fish taste we could never quite figure out and at one point mentioned having to "choke it down." Not a good sign. 

Lynn S. Did have better luck with the #1 Buffalo Chicken taco. This was a flour tortilla, served with crisp tenders, house Buffalo sauce, crumbled blue cheese, ranch crema, carrots, and celery leaves. She thought the meat was flavorful and gave it an all around score of a 7. This was the highest rated taco between the three of us. Despite the Buffalo Chicken's higher score, Lynn confessed she would only return to the Velvet Taco if she could try different tacos than what she had ordered.

For me, the redeeming factor for the whole experience was the side of Rotisserie Corn cooked 'elote style', with queso fresco, asadero, Valentina, crema and lime. It was fantastico! It's hard to find elote anywhere. Historically, only found in traditional taquerias, it is starting to become a mainstream item with its appearance increasing, particularly in the last year or so.

Full menu: