Taco Heads: Best New Addition to the Near West Side

I had eaten at Tacoheads once at their small trailer off of West 7th. It was late and my partner and I had stumbled out of Lola's Saloon after too many beers. I don't remember it at all. So, I was really excited when I first saw that they would be occupying a vacant location near my office on Montgomery St.

           The trailer at 7th and Carroll Photo:Tacoheads Facebook

As I drove by everyday, I watched the transformation of an uninspiring property into a modern taco beacon. There are two separate buildings with a patio area in between. One side, still under renovation, will become the bar. The other side is the kitchen and restaurant. It's a pretty small building, so the patio is essential.

  Artist rendition of the property completed. Photo from Tacoheads Facebook

I was fearful of the parking but it wasn't bad. Parking is behind the building. Enter the one-way parking lot from the side street and exit out the driveway on the north side of the building. They are adding more parking next door directly behind the old Hale House that is now the Fixi Shop.

I went with a friend the other evening. I had been patiently waiting. I never like to review a place the first couple of weeks it opens. It takes awhile to get a smooth running ship. Of course, I was dying to hear how it was from others. A coworker had been during the first week and confessed that his meat filling seemed inadequate for the price tag. I wasn't going to let his opinion sway mine until I had tried them myself.

Upon first entering, we were a little confused on what to do. My first instinct was to look up above a small counter area just inside the door for a menu. There was none to be found. We were quickly greeted and told it was open seating and to choose any table. My friend and I looked at each other confused and she asked, "Where do we order?". That's when we found out that we would have a server.

This totally threw me off. I was used to ordering and paying for tacos at a counter or window and also paying there.  I'll be honest, my first thoughts were How long is THIS going to take and How much more is THIS going to cost me. We had been working all day, were tired, and just wanted to eat some good food and get home as soon as possible. One of the appeals of taco based eateries is that you can stop in quick and get in and out on your lunch break with little hassle. Also, we are paid peanuts and really must appreciate where each dollar is spent. Tipping significantly adds to the final bill. I accepted the arrangement.

We chose a small table. It was cozy, very modern and clean. I liked the decor. 

The menus were very nice. Not quite what I was expecting from a taco place.

There was a breakfast menu on the back and a dessert menu that was coming soon.

There was also an extensive drink menu.

With beer on the back.

I decided to go with the Roasted Chipotle Brisket Taco with green cabbage, onion, cilantro, and queso fresco. I also ordered the Mama Castillo's Chicken Taco with pico de gallo and queso fresco.

They looked great and were served with a wedge of lime. They could have been slightly larger for the price however, I understand that having a nice place to eat comes with overhead. I tried the Brisket first. Fanfuckingtastic! Their meat tastes simmered. It's very tender and juicy. Even with lots of juice, the corn tortillas stayed together. The tortillas tasted grilled with some oil or butter to give them strength and flexibility. The cabbage and veggies were a perfect combo of toppings. 

I was surprised when I bit into my chicken taco. I hadn't noticed on the menu that it had different toppings than the brisket. It had lots of pico and some queso fresco but was lacking the crunchiness of fresh onion or cabbage. I'm not a huge tomato fan and I usually prefer my pico with more onion and pepper but, this was really very tasty. I ate every single bite and was wishing I had two more when I was done.

And therin lies my only real issue. The friend I was with also stated she was still hungry after eating her two tacos. We decided that on an average day we could probably go with three, but on a night when we had to work late and were really hungry, we could have put back four each. That would have cost us $14.00 plus tax. Add on an extra $1.75 for a soda and at least $3 for a tip. Quick math added up to $19.85. That's a lot of money for one person to eat dinner. I can hit up my local taco trailer on the far west side and get four tacos for $6 total.

I quickly decided that the exceptional service made the hit to my wallet more palatable. The staff went above and beyond to make sure we were happy. When we inquired about the red and green salsas, our server returned with a gentleman,who I believe was cooking that evening, to explain the salsas to us. Both salsas were great. The green jalapeño tomatillo salsa was spicey and made our noses run. The milder red sauce, my favorite, had an awesome roasted pepper flavor and was delicious. 

Tip: Ask for a fork to scoop up your drippings!

These are fabulous tacos and I will most definitely be visiting again, I'll just have to start saving a little ahead of time.

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.