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Aug 20, 20154 min read

Best Street Tacos in Addison - Taqueria La Ventana


If there is one thing that Dallasites feel very strongly about, it's good street tacos. It seems like everyone has their favorite taqueria and is willing to defend it to their last breath, myself included. Unlike most taquerias, this one is not only in Addison smack dab in the middle of Belt Line, but also features a casual, family-friendly atmosphere, a great patio, and a full bar. The original La Ventana first opened behind Meso Maya in downtown, and the arrival of a tried and tested taqueria in Addison was welcomed with open arms. In addition to a large variety of tacos served on their daily made corn tortillas, they offer salads, bowls, and burritos. Once you sit down, it's hard to believe you're in the middle of Addison and not somewhere more exotic.

Salsa and Queso Blanco

Salsa and queso is a fairly common starter in any Mexican restaurant, but what stood out to me in this was the addition of small pineapple chunks in the queso. Plus, if you're really a breaker of rules and a heathen, such as myself, you can add the above to any item on the menu at your table. The only downside is how quick the queso cools off, as you can see in the image above. It's still fantastic and I highly recommend starting off with these items.

Chicken Bowl

Imagine a more authentic, fresher version of the bowls from Chipotle and you've got the right idea. I got to go behind the scenes to see how the chicken is made; cooked whole in their secret sauce, then torn apart by hand and served in tacos, bowls, and burritos. This was a lovely bowl, served with rice, beans, cilantro, onion, lettuce, cheese, chicken, and tomatoes. I love everything spicy, so I doused my bowl in many sauces and queso: the cheesier the better. The tomatoes were a nice way to break up the other flavors, and although I would recommend getting the tacos before you get the bowl, this is a good choice when you're in the mood.

Salad

As healthy as you can get when you visit a taqueria, the salad is made up of fresh vegetables and features lettuce, avocado, candied peanuts, tomatoes, charred cilantro vinaigrette, and your choice of protein.

Fresh corn tortillas

Elotes

The fresh corn tortillas are made daily in-house, something La Ventana prides themselves on highly.

The elotes, or corn with Mexican crema, was great but not the best I've ever had, that honor goes to Fuel City. Served with a special sauce for you to modify for your own personal tastes, it's a nice way to personalize this dish. The actual corn is very fresh and steaming hot, great to enjoy by itself or on top of other dishes.

Fish, Camaron (shrimp), and Pastor (pork) Tacos

Steak, Machata (egg and steak), and Carnitas (shredded pork)

Now we are finally getting to the stuff that really matters: the tacos. All were served with cilantro and onions in the tortilla, with heavenly onions, a pepper, and generous helpings of lime on the tray. As any other taqueria, they also offer you the verde and regular salsas to spice up the tacos. The fish taco was good, with fried fish that tasted like it was freshly made, best with a touch of lime and the verde. The Camaron, or shrimp, taco was delicious, a must-have if you're here. After tasting it as-is, I loaded it up with lime and verde sauce as well; their combination enhanced the flavors of the shrimp. The pastor, or pork, tacos are best with extra onion, lime, verde, and regular salsas. One of the best tacos was definitely the steak, cooked to perfection and expertly seasoned. I enjoyed them with onion, lime, verde, and a touch of queso. The machata taco didn't stand out to me as the others did; I suggest getting a few more shrimp or steak tacos in place of this. The carnitas tacos, or shredded pork, was a lovely explosion of flavor and best with lime, onions, and verde.

Churro con cajeta

My weakness and sweet tooth is back again, and satisfied with the extremely hot churro con cajeta. Sweet but not overwhelming, this dessert is perfect to finish off a lunch or casual dinner. The cajeta, a type of sweet spread similar to dulce de leche, is put into each churro per order, so it always fresh. If you're not a fan of the churro, they also have a bread pudding to order as a dessert, although I didn't try it.

Regular and Mango Chile Margaritas

Fairly good margaritas, and exactly what you would expect at a taqueria, the regular margarita isn't anything phenomenal. Although their other type, always changing and seasonal, was a wonderful Mango Chile margarita, and if you have the chance to order one, do it! The chile on the rim is a spicy sweet accompaniment to the sweetness and fruitiness of the drink itself.In addition to the margaritas and full bar, they have a variety of beer and Mexican soft drink selections.

Overall, this was a fantastic experience and a very welcome addition to the restaurant circuit in Addison. Not only that, but it's next to impossible to find a family-friendly taqueria in North Dallas with a nice patio and full bar. If you're in the Addison area, or even downtown near Meso Maya, I recommend a quick stop here for some great street tacos.

To follow more of my adventures, check out my Instagram @czarina_ekaterina

Aug 15, 20154 min read

MESO MAYA: Traditional Mexican & Aztec Cuisine in the Heart of Dallas


Dallas is a strange place when it comes to finding a great traditionally Mexican restaurant downtown, but Meso Maya satisfies that craving and more. It has now expanded to two locations; one next door to the Perot museum, and one other in North Dallas off of Preston. The building itself used to be a tortilla factory and restaurant starting in 1924, hosting one of the oldest Mexican restaurant patios in Dallas. Chef Nico Sanchez created a menu inspired by true Mexican cuisine with several dishes inspired by the cuisine of the Aztecs. Boasting an impressive drink menu full of unique margaritas, a plethora of mezcal, and even a house tequila, Meso Maya will leave you feeling full and a little tipsy. This article will cover the cuisine, from fresh ceviche to the richest flan you'll ever have.

I always have high expectations for ceviche; ever since I had the best ceviche of all time in a family restaurant in Miami, no others have been able to compare. It's not their fault; every restaurant has their own recipe for ceviche, and I personally prefer Cuban-style. The ceviche here is served with mazatlan white shrimp, striped sea bass ceviche, fresh lime juice, jicama, tomatoes, serrano, cilantro, and fresh avocado. The fish is marinated the night before to get the best flavor, and assembled right prior to being served. I was a good ratio of ingredients, but the shrimp was a little too chewy. Overall, I suggest ordering it if you enjoy seafood with lime and want a light appetizer.

The other option for an appetizer that I really enjoyed is the duo of mini guacamole and queso. It's hard to mess these dishes up, but also hard to make them exceptional, which Meso Maya did. Served with warm chips, the queso is thicker than usual, topped with cilantro and tomatoes. The guacamole is made fresh, without too many tomatoes, as per usual in other places.

If you've ever had anything remotely close to Mexican or Tex-Mex, you've had an enchilada or ten, but these honestly blew my mind. I had the Del Mar and the Poblano enchiladas. I prefered the Del Mar, the creamy tomatillo sauce complemented the lump crab meat and adobo shrimp beautifully. Add fresh avocado, chihuahua and asadero cheese to that inside a white corn tortilla, also made on site, and you've got a great entrée.

The side dishes include the charred brussel sprouts, the elote con crema, and the sweet plantains, and they were simply marvelous. I highly suggest trying these sides as additions to any of the main dishes or tacos. This might be offensive to some die hard taco lovers, but I am one of those people that puts a bit of elote con crema on my tacos, and loves it. Even without the elote, the tacos here were fantastic, as was the elote by itself. I'm used to getting it at a small cart near Fuel City tacos, so this was definitely a lot fresher and lighter on the sour cream than what I'm used to, which is a good thing. The charred brussel sprouts were simply fantastic; the hints of crushed red piquin and smokiness paired perfectly with the crispy yet soft texture. The sweet plantains came out smoking hot and topped with melted goat cheese, a unique pairing in which neither flavor overwhelmed the other.

Dallas hosts some of the best tacos in the US, and these are some of the best quality tacos in this city based on the meat alone. The tortillas are made daily in house, tracing back to the roots of the building in the early 1900's. The Carne includes wood-grilled marinated skirt steak, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, avocado tomatillo sauce, pickled red onions, queso fresco, and cilantro. Carnitas features pork carnitas, pickled red onions, chile de arbol salsa, queso fresco, and cilantro. Both options hit the spot if you're in the mood for some great tacos with quality meat but the Carne have some of the most delicious steak I've ever had in a taco. Served with white rice and black beans.

Now on to one of my favourite dishes of the night, the Budin Azteca Cameron. If you've never had this, the easiest way to describe it would be as a Mexican lasagna of sorts; tortillas layered with generous helpings of various cheeses, including melted chihuahua cheese, monterrey jack, and queso asadero. The Camaron includes sautéed mazatlan shrimp, serrano, cilantro, black beans, arugula, queso fresco, with a creamy tomatillo sauce. The combination of the creamy tomatillo sauce and the budin is an incredible dish in itself, with the ideal balance of creamy to tangy with hints of lime. The shrimp are fresh and expertly sautéed; this dish was definitely my favorite overall, and I would go back to Meso Maya for this dish alone.

The atmosphere on the patio isn't something you would expect to find in the middle of downtown; it's a quiet escape from the big city to a land of delicious food and even more delicious drinks. Following posts will include my review of the deserts and extensive collection of drinks at Meso Maya. If you haven't experienced their massive menu of margaritas, top-shelf tequilas, and mezcal, you're missing out. Stay tuned, and in the meantime visit their website to view their menus and make a reservation at one of the two locations.

To view more of my experiences, follow me on Instagram @czarina_ekaterina

Jul 20, 20153 min read

Brunch Like a Parisian at Mercat Bistro - A Saturday Soirée


mercat_bistro

Croque Madame

Tis the season to see all your friends posting their travel photos, while you're currently stuck in the sweltering heat of the Big D. Worry not, for brunch at Mercat Bistro is a little piece of France in the middle of the Harwood District of Dallas. Being an avid bruncher myself, my expectations are always set high for Mimosas and Eggs Benedict. In addition to executing these brunch essentials beautifully, Mercat boasts an impressive brunch menu of no-nonsense French dishes, carefully crafted coffees, and drink specials. I hosted a reunion brunch of 20 people during one of their Saturday Soirées, which happens once a month and includes a DJ. We had almost the entire outside lounge area near the DJ booth, and for the amount of people, service was good. But what we really care about is the food, which is simple and straight-to-the-point.

The Croque Madame is probably one of the most filling items on the menu, and I was very thankful it came with a side salad, but pommes frites would also make a delicious substitute. The Croque Madame features two slices of their fresh bread, made in-house, lucini ham, Emmental cheese, Mornay sauce, and a fried egg. The fresh bread soaks up the sauce and egg yolk beautifully, and it's rich but not heavy. The side salad, the usual pairing with any main brunch dish, is topped with a tangy sauce which is a lovely, light break from the savoury sandwich. It's easy to Americanize this dish, and hard to find around town done well. Mercat makes this one of the best dishes to order to complement a hangover or just soak up all those fresh-squeezed orange juice Mimosas.

Eggs Benedict

Next is a brunch staple, and the way I judge most brunch spots, the irreplaceable Eggs Benedict. It's almost unusual in this town to have it done the traditional way, with lucini ham, fresh baked bread, and hollandaise sauce, and Mercat delivered. The poached eggs were perfect, with a completely cooked white and a huge, runny yolk. Unlike some places I've visited, they weren't watery and had a great consistency, served hot. All the eggs used at Mercat are pasture-raised and organic, from Texas. The side salad, once again, provided the dish with a pleasant freshness and tanginess, and made you feel a lot better about the usual high-caloric brunch intake. It left you feeling satisfied and not too full, saving room for one of their house-made pastries or a dessert crepe.

Egg white Omelet

French Omelet

The French Omelet comes with sautéed spinach and melted baby belletoile cheese, made both with the whole egg or using egg whites only. The melted cheese is an unexpected touch, complementing the flavour and fluffyness of the egg without being overbearing. The spinach and potatoes are well made and lightly seasoned.

Quiche Spinach and Mushrooms

A French classic finally done right in Dallas, this is the perfect light brunch dish. The quiche is fluffy, with spinach mixed throughout and mushrooms on the bottom. The crust is flaky without being overcooked nor flavorless. It's seasoned well, not too salty, with a good ratio of spinach to mushrooms. When you visit Mercat, this is a must-try!

French Toast

Hard to imagine a French bistro without French Toast, is it not? Unlike American French Toast, this holds more flavor and less sugar perfect as a main dish or dessert paired with coffee or espresso. If you love Nutella, you'll love this; it has chocolate-hazelnut ganache, maple syrup, and whipped cream. The ganache isn't overly sugary, with a creamy texture that contrasts the crispiness of the toast itself.

Strawberry & Chantilly Crêpe

I'm not exaggerating when I say this is one of the best crêpes I've had in a long time, maybe even since Paris itself! The house strawberry jam is unusually paired with a tangy chantilly sauce, reminiscent of a crêpe you would have at a château on the Loire. The crêpe itself is thin with a lovely neutral taste in the dough, the jam and chantilly being the stars of the show.

Red Sangria

Among their numerous drink specials, I enjoyed the Red Sangria, Mimosa, and Violet Fizz. The raspberries in the Sangria were a nice, fruity finish, and the fresh squeezed orange juice made for a memorable mimosa. The Violet Fizz was an interesting choice for brunch if you enjoy hints of flowers and violet, paired with sparkling wine.

Overall, Mercat Bistro has an eccentric atmosphere with a spacious outside patio, perfect for Francophiles, great service, and very French food. Their Saturday Soirées are a great way to break up the monotony of a regular brunch, with DJ Steffi Burns spinning an impressive set straight out of Europe.

To follow updates from Mercat or myself, check out @mercatbistro and @czarina_ekaterina on Instagram.

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