Habanero's Fresh Mex Cantina ~ Fort Worth, Texas

Last visit: Mar 2013

First visit: Apr 2009

Long time readers of the RJG may recall we covered Habanero's long ago. There have been so many changes to the restaurant since we last visited 4 years ago that the former review has been rendered useless. I'll be removing its contents in favor of this review (but leaving the post up as there are 6 comments attached to it). Urbanspoon offers a feature for us bloggers that allows us to update former entries, so this will be my first opportunity to try that.

First off, Habanero's is now a full service restaurant rather than an order-up counter service place. In this way, Habanero's is similar to the Don Taco restaurant in Roanoke that we recently covered. Despite all the changes, one thing about Habanero's has remained the same: That the overall experience is mixed. Some great, some not so great. Let's cover the pros and cons:

Pros: 1) Habanero salsa. It's probably the mildest habanero I've ever had, but it still retains the excellent flavor. For those of you who always wanted to try a habanero sauce but were afraid of the heat, then here's your chance. 2) Chicken fajita tacos. Fantastic flavor and very tender. 3) Corn tortillas. Mrs. RJG opted for these rather than the default flour ones, and she said they were very flavorful.

Neutral: 1) The margaritas. I was initially pleased with mine - it certainly had the right kick, and it definitely had a nice flavor. But it ended up being a bit too watery by the end. 2) Beef fajita taco. Again, the flavor was excellent, but the meat was a bit tough. 3) The flour tortillas were nothing special, but certainly good enough.

Cons: 1) The chips are dull similar to the store bought packaged variety. 2) The cilantro lime rice was terrible! It tasted like lime and a bushel of cilantro, with a little bit of rice in there somewhere. Made me pine for Chipotle's version. 3) The charro beans were too salty, and there was no bacon flavor. It was just a plain bean soup - with sodium. 4) The "taco sauce" they provide is a very watered down "verde" with no flavor whatsoever.

So will we be going back? Yes. We're more enthusiastic about Habanero's now than prior (which is why it's been 4 years since our last visit). I think the margarita and beef tenderness is something that could change from visit to visit. I'll need to avoid the rice and charro beans - unless those were truly an abnormal occurrence (which I doubt). So if you haven't been in a long time, like us, then give them another chance!

4/3/09 (new entry); 3/31/13

Duff's Famous Wings ~ regional chain : Southlake, Texas

First visit: Mar 2013 (Southlake, TX)

The other day we wrote about Rusty Taco, and how they had taken a Texan chain and then chose Minneapolis as their first step outside our borders. Duff's did the reverse: Took a western New York / Ontario chain and brought them here to Texas. So Southlake was chosen as the first step in what would appear to be a large expansion strategy. If omens are to be the barometer, Duff's has an uphill climb. This same location has already claimed 3 victims, all national, or wannabee national, chains: Cheeburger Cheeburger, San Francisco Oven, and Qdoba. Personally I miss the last one, though they are still here in DFW - just a lot further.

Tangent: One of the RJG's life goals was to visit every city that has an NFL franchise. I achieved that milestone by visiting Buffalo in the summer of 2008 (and was covered in these very pages). Not surprisingly, I also wanted to visit each MLB and NBA city, and I accomplished that precisely one day later with a visit to Toronto. So these two cities are not only geographically close, but they share a somewhat similar outlook regarding food heritage. Though no doubt Buffalo appeals more towards the blue collar verse the ostensibly white collar Toronto. As an aside, my final "sports" venture is the NHL, for which I had three cities left after that trip (with Buffalo and Toronto taking me from 5). I wiped out Raleigh, North Carolina in 2011, and I hope to finish the entire quest this summer with a trip to Alberta, with Edmonton and Calgary capping the adventure.

Where were we? Ah yes, Duff's Famous Wings. Duff's is one of the legendary places that popularized the Buffalo Wing craze in the 1980s and beyond. The Anchor Bar is generally credited with its invention, going back to 1964. Saaay - wings are the same age as the RJG! And Duff's claims their heritage back to '69, so they are definitely one of the early adopters.

We haven't covered wings in the RJG to date. Mrs. RJG considers it a snack food, not a meal, so it's hard to generate excitement on the local front. But given the heritage of Duff's, I dragged her along kicking and screaming, as I really wanted to see what the fuss is all about. And it's a full service restaurant, with a nice selection of beer on tap (basic, but wide), and not just a To-Go only place as many wings' restaurants tend to be.

We decided on 5 wings "medium" heat, a cheeseburger, and a Greek salad. Now Duff's makes quite a production that their "medium" is hot, their "medium hot" is very hot, and their "hot" is very, very hot. And it appears they have a "super hot", and even a "death" sauce if you want to keep going with this. Now you know the RJG and his heat tolerance: It's very high. But wings are different... mainly because I've built tolerance on my tongue. With wings, it's your lips that will feel the impact. So with that in mind, and that I was sharing with the lovely Mrs. RJG, we stuck with Medium. It definitely had a kick, so I could see why they provide the disclaimers. Perhaps they overdo the warnings just a tad, but we have to keep in mind the chain is based in Buffalo where tastebuds are generally milder than ours.

For anyone that is crazy about wings, you already know that most places offer all sorts of flavors beyond "Buffalo". Duff's does not. It's all various heat levels on a similar recipe. For what they do, it's very good. I'm not sure there's much else they can offer here, beyond their basic formula. To me, I didn't notice anything radically different than other Buffalo wings I've had in the past. I suppose I could up the ante on the heat, and I just might when I go alone. Mrs. RJG would just roll her eyes at me, knowing I'm just trying to be a he-man, with all that unnecessary verbal jabbing that every married man understands.

Given the above circumstances, I knew it would be best to just sample the wings and then go for some traditional lunch items. Mrs. RJG went for the Greek salad, which was pretty good, with a nice tasting dressing. She felt they should have used a fresher lettuce like romaine rather than iceberg. And they have romaine for their Caesar salads, so it would be easy to substitute. I had the cheeseburger, which comes with two 4 oz patties. I thought it was excellent, well cooked and seasoned, with a nicely toasted bun. It's probably a bit too much meat for the bun size, but for those of you out there where the term "too much meat" cannot possibly exist, then you'll be happy. I also had a Fireman's #4 ale to wash it down with.

I'd like to see Duff's make it, unlike the fate that befell its three predecessors. It's unique to have a place like this here in Texas. Apparently folks from Buffalo, who now live anywhere in Texas, are making a beeline here - since it's a heck of a lot closer than Western New York! They also have a few interesting items on the menu, most notably a fried bologna sandwich, that I most certainly will try someday.

They just opened two weeks ago. Give them a try at least once!

3/27/13 (new entry)

Tres Casas Mexican Grill ~ Keller, Texas ***CLOSED***

It appears that Tres Casas closed in 2021. That's too bad, it was a nice hideaway restaurant.

Last visit: Mar 2013

First visit: 2009 (later in the year)

In a small white house, nestled away in old town Keller, you can find the flavors of Old Mexico. About 3 years ago, Tres Casas took over the old Enriques place, spiffed it up just a little bit, and brought some recipes back from home. Tres Casas is not another Tex-Mex joint, but rather the cuisine of central and western Mexico, as you might find in Sonora or Jalisco. Mrs. RJG, who is from Sonora herself, noticed the similarities with the rice, beans, and shredded beef flautas - all highly recommended from her. For me, Tres Casas has the best al Pastor tacos I've had since my last visit to Puerto Vallarta (interesting to note that Al Pastor itself was brought to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants). And it would appear the restaurant knows they have something special here as they named the dish Tres Casas. Now I'll admit that I didn't see the spit (though it may be in the back), but however they make it, it's a very good facsimile.

We've been a few times, but only for lunch, and the plates are relatively small - which is fine by us. The chips are clearly homemade, and excellent tasting on their own. The salsa they bring out is of a chunky tomato variety, and is decent - but not great. Ask for the hotter one and out comes a delicious thick orange habanero sauce. The only other place I've had a salsa like this is at Fresco's in Watauga.

Despite the awesome hole-in-the-wall setting, Enriques was always disappointing to us, and I wasn't surprised to see them go. Tres Casas, on the other hand, is well worth the stop. It's one of the better homespun Mexican cafe's in NE Tarrant. And it's BYOB if you're so inclined.

You'll find Tres Casas on Hwy 377, just north of 1709 (Keller Parkway), on the east side of the road.

11/12/11 (new entry); 3/21/13

Twisted Root Burger Company ~ regional chain :

Apr 7, 2022 update: Looks like Twisted Root has both expanded and contracted. The Roanoke location closed last year. They currently have 14 locations, including 8 in the DFW area. Bedford would now be the NE Tarrant's most convenient location (or Coppell). They also have locations in Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida.

Latest visit: Mar 2013 (Roanoke, TX)

First visit: Jan 2010 (Roanoke, TX)

According to my database, Mrs. RJG and I first went to Twisted Root in January of 2010, not longer after they opened their Roanoke locale. Three years later, I triumphantly return. Mrs. RJG didn't think much of the place on the first visit, and passed on this opportunity.

Twisted Root is a festive place, with a cavernous dining area, and fun little gimmicks like assigning you a name for your order like "Popeye" or "Donald Duck". There are games outside for everyone to enjoy as well. You order at the counter, and at first there appears to be a dizzying array of choices, all handwritten on a chalkboard that isn't particularly easy to read. But they're all variations on the hamburger/fries theme. I stuck with the basics on this visit, going for a cheeseburger and a vanilla milkshake. The milkshake was my personal trade off against the fries.

When I arrived there was no wait, and a few folks sitting down. So I was quite surprised that I waited exactly 20 minutes to get my order. That's seems excessive doesn't it? I mean no one hates it more than me when my order shows up 2 minutes after ordering. But 10 minutes seems about right for a handmade burger. But 20? Obviously there were some screwups in the kitchen on this day. Especially when you consider my shake wasn't ready either. So I stood there, and waited another 5 minutes for that. OK, actually I sat down, ate my hamburger, and then got my shake. Really? The presentation of the hamburger was sad. It just sat there - open faced with lettuce, onion, and tomato sitting by its side in a cardboard box. It reminded me of those cafeteria burgers we'd get in the college dorm. Though they claim their burgers are medium-well, mine came out well-done. Actually I prefer it that way, but if I desired medium well, that would've been a disaster, especially given my long wait. And the shake was curiously flavorless. I don't get that. How do you get a shake without much flavor? Weird.

Alright, enough of the grumps. What about the positives? The burger is very good. Thick with a nice blending of seasonings. The bun is well toasted, just short of crispy. Perhaps best of all is the choice of condiments for the burger. They have a chipotle BBQ, a horseradish Dijon, and a spicy ketchup. I would put a different one on each bite, and enjoyed each one. So that's a major plus in the win column. But it wasn't enough overall to sway my opinion. Twisted Root usually finds itself in those Top 10 of DFW lists for hamburgers. And there's no way I would agree with that. It's barely above average, especially considering all the great options we have here. And it's very expensive for what you get. Yes, of course, I voted "likes it" on Urbanspoon, because I did enjoy it. But will I be back? I can't see why, unless I'm with a big group of out-of-towners that has to go there (and I can't even imagine who that would be actually). Twisted Root seems immensely popular, as not long after I began my 20 minutes of wandering through the desert, a line began to develop and tables were becoming scarce. I don't get it really - but the RJG isn't always one to fall in line with the norm.

1/1/10; 3/20/13 (new entry)

Cristina's Fine Mexican ~ North Richland Hills, Texas

Cristina's continues to operate 13 restaurants in the DFW area including all the ones mentioned below.

Latest visit: Mar 2013 (North Richland Hills)

First visit: 2003 (Trophy Club)

Back on home soil again, let's cover off on the newest Cristina's location. We've already written about Cristina's before, primarily their Southlake and Trophy Club locations. As such, please follow the link above to read more about the chain, and their other locations.

The newest Cristina's has already hit the Top 10 of hottest restaurants in DFW according to Urbanspoon (Talk of the Town). And given that this is the chain's 12th location, that says something about the power of the Cristina's brand.

Cristina's did the smart thing here, and took over a fully loaded former Mexican restaurant, that had been recently redesigned. Therefore that limited the amount of decor overhaul that is normally required to reopen a restaurant. The former tenant, Anejo's House of Tequila, was an elegant place, with a superior bar that suits the moniker "house of tequila". We went once a couple of years ago, and while the drinks were solid, the food was lackluster. Still, the place seemed reasonably popular, so I was a bit surprised to see it closed. But not disappointed. When Cristina's stepped in, it looked to be a stroke of genius. And I think it is, given its early popularity. Though I have to wonder if they aren't starting to eat their young. Southlake isn't that far, and most certainly former patrons of that location will just head over to the NRH store for convenience.

So for this lunch visit, the RJG started appropriately enough with a frozen margarita. I'm on a roll here, as this was yet another excellent concoction, with a great flavor and the right smoothness. I went with the 10 ounce (instead of 20), and I was still pretty knocked out. Hooray. Mrs. RJG abstained from the sinful liquids, and started digging right into the chips. Their chips continue to be boring, and their table salsa (tomatoes, cilantro, and onions) is quite frankly dull as ditchwater. But they still have the heated habanero sauce if you ask for it, and it's absolutely delicious! It's not that spicy, and the flavor is miles better than their normal offering, so definitely ask for it. I went with the puffed tacos, which were just OK. The ground beef needed more seasoning, and while I appreciate the homemade crispy fried shells, the fact remains they aren't strong enough to hold the ingredients - and it collapses on the plate for a taco salad. As I read my former review of the rice and beans, it appears they aren't as special as they once were. The rice was slightly mushy. The beans were good, but nothing extraordinary. Mrs. RJG had a ground beef taco, that they placed in the beans, so that the shell would disintegrate quickly. Her verde chicken enchilada was cold and lifeless.

So there you have it. Final conclusion: Better than Anejo's, about par for Cristina's. Which is to say they are good, not great, middle of the road Mexican. Exactly, I think, what they are striving for. Appeal to the masses - which is good business honestly. Mrs. RJG has pretty much written off Cristina's, which means I'm resigned to going there if I'm craving a frozen margarita and a taco or two (they have upscale tacos that look pretty good actually). That translates into very few, if any, further visits. Oh well.

The current rating as I write this on Urbanspoon is 45%. But that's only based on 11 votes so far. This number will almost assuredly go up. Despite the rather harsh review, I continue to give them a thumbs up. But it's not exactly a ringing endorsement.

--- original review

Cristina's, a DFW area chain, is part of the second wave of Mexican restaurants: A determined focus on taste, but with an eye for high style. And while their primary audience is the "gringo", those from the old country won't be disappointed either. In that way, Cristina's is similar to other Mexican restaurants in NE Tarrant like Mi Pueblo, Anamia's, and El Paseo.

This is not Cristina's first venture to NE Tarrant, as they first successfully opened in Trophy Club a few years ago, and that's where the RJG first sampled the restaurant. But we wanted to try the Southlake location, if for no other reason to see how they converted the former Baja Fresh (later Buster's) fast food outlet. Unrecognizable. Whoever did the renovation, did a remarkable job with the space. It feels considerably larger, and about the only extra space they added was the enclosure of the former porch. Very nice. Cristina's has 10 locations in the DFW area overall.

The components:

Frozen Margarita: Strong and sweet. Went with the 10 oz. and felt it. Probably the 20 oz is too much. But, hey, I'm willing to sacrifice for the blog!

Chips: Traditional corn chips. Light and crispy. Large chain style. Nothing special and needs salsa, or otherwise too bland.

Hot Sauce: A variation of the tomato, onion, peppers and cilantro sauce. Not like the Colorado styled salsa we had at Kassandra's , but still good.

"The hotter one, please": Ah yes, a habanero salsa! I love the tangy taste and the slo-burn. Beautiful! We could eat this all day.

Entree hits: Carne Asada (yum... hickory grilled meat), beef enchiladas (nicely spiced ground beef).

Entree misses: Cheese enchilada (already hardened - not hot enough); Chicken Soft Taco (naturally not separated from the platter (c'mon - you can afford it!), so the whole thing collapsed into a pile of mush. Didn't care for the seasoning, and would prefer more white meat).

Refried Beans: HUGE PLUS! Both the Mrs. and I agreed, best refried beans we've had. Super smooth and with a taste that reminded the Mrs. of the state of Sonora. Personally, I tend to never finish my beans, but I was looking for more this time!

Rice: Again delicious. Perfectly cooked, fluffy, with a slight buttery taste. Wonderful!

You know, I don't think I've ever had dessert at a Mexican restaurant! Who has the room? Yet they never fail to ask/demand "Want a sopapilla?!?" Uhhh, no.

As for the NE Tarrant restaurants we've compared Cristina's to, I'd say Anamia's is first, with El Paseo and Cristina's neck and neck for second. And Mi Pueblo trails slightly in 4th. All are very good and recommended!

The Southlake location is on Southlake Blvd, about 1/2 mile west of TX-114, on the south side of the road. Currently, Cristina's has 10 DFW locations, 8 of them on the "other side" of DFW - the Dallas suburbs.

Adding the Trophy Club location as well, since we frequent that one just as often. It's located on TX-114 (exit Trophy Club Dr.). In addition to these two locations we also have been to the Frisco location (off of 121) and the Addison one, which is now closed.

2/4/09 (new entry); 3/15/13

Fogata's Cocina Mexicana ~ Haltom City, Texas ***CLOSED***

First visit: Mar 2013

We first visited Fogata's last summer for a weekend lunch, had a wonderful experience and...... never went back. Yea, I don't know how that happens either. Too many good places, and more convenient (for us) locations I suppose. But that's not a good excuse. Fogata's fell through the cracks, and so we made up for it recently with this dinner visit.

The first positive aspect I'd like to call out about Fogata's is their margarita's. Lately the RJG has been having a hard time finding a good frozen adult slurpee. They're either too sweet, too sour, not enough alcohol, not frozen, not... ad infinitum. But on our two visits here, they've been absolutely delicious. First class margaritas that remind me of Mi Pueblo, Anamia's, or Casa Milagro. Mrs. RJG had one on the rocks and she too was enjoying every second of it. Plus I like that their default is the large size. I'm tired of wimpy margarita's honestly. That's not a problem at Fogata's!

The second kudos goes to their food selection. I consider Fogata's more "interior Mexico" rather than Tex-Mex (though the usual combo plates are an option if you so desire, but I suggest you take advantage of the situation since Tex-Mex is everywhere else). So again, Fogata's compares favorably with Anamia's - and perhaps closest to Oscar's in Haltom City (which is no surprise given they share a common owner). We've written about all these places in the past. Now it's time to add Fogata's to our list of great Mexican restaurants in DFW.

The chips are light, and a little bit generic. The salsa provided has a good flavor, but is mild. On our first visit, the manager took pride in his ability to provide us a spicy alternative. On this trip, we were advised they didn't have anything hotter. So that's a bit of a bummer. That can be a deal breaker for us, but not this time, as everything else came up aces.

We each opted for the creamy chipotle dishes (Cozumel). I went with the chicken, and Mrs. RJG settled on the shrimp. The sauce is absolutely delicious, with a strong spicy kick. I probably would prefer it to be just a tad drier, but it's not a major deal. The shrimp is of the jumbo variety and very flavorful. The rice is excellent, and the refried beans were just the right texture and flavor. The shrimp dish comes with a bowl of black beans instead and she enjoyed them as well.

I don't think I've ever had room in my life for dessert after a Mexican meal, and this night was no different. Which is why I never mention it!

Fogata's is a nice, spacious place. You shouldn't have any trouble getting a seat, and they also have a really nice bar area if you're flying solo or meeting up with friends for a drink.

I was surprised to find out that Fogata's is in Haltom City. I didn't realize the suburb came up this far north, but a quick review of Google Maps shows that Fogata's is at the far northern border.

Highly recommended - and we'll be back more often for certain!

3/15/13 (new entry)

Snooty Pig Cafe ~ Keller, Texas

Latest visit: Feb 2013 (Keller)

First visit: Dec 2003 (Keller)

Apr 7, 2022 update: It appears the Snooty Pig has expanded beyond their flagship Keller location. Though it looks like Grapevine just closed. But they are also in Argyle and Highland Village.

According to my database, the RJG hasn't been to the Snooty Pig since August of 2005, when they were in the location that now houses Tacos y Mas (and you can read more on that post about the history of these locations). The main reason we haven't been in nearly 8 years is, as I've mentioned in a couple of other blog posts, the RJG isn't much of a breakfast eater. Truth be told, from a health perspective, I should be more of one. Not to mention that breakfast is typically easier on the wallet than the other meals of the day.

But even if I were to suddenly be all about breakfast, the Snooty Pig is probably not the place that's going to motivate me thus. In fact, as I was ogling over their menu, I realized that I should try their extensive lunch options instead. But on this morning, I wasn't feeling particularly great, and so Mrs. RJG and I decided on a rare breakfast. And so we went about ordering a somewhat typical breakfast. It should be noted that Snooty Pig themselves claim to be famous for their wide variety of low calorie muffins. We didn't partake, but if nut or fruit flavored muffins is your bag, then I would suggest a visit promptly.

We both settled on your basic pancake, scrambled eggs, and protein breakfast. I went with ham and the Mrs. settled on crispy bacon. I also ordered orange juice. That was a mistake. If you're going to focus on breakfast, then I think the juice should be fresh squeezed. C'mon. Instead, it was watered down juice. I should have got water instead (I kind of did anyway, except it wasn't free). We'd already had our one cup of coffee back home, so we didn't try theirs. As for the meal, the pancakes were standard, and they only provide maple syrup. We asked for the eggs to be well done, and they weren't - sort of medium. Fortunately they weren't runny, or Mrs. RJG would have walked out on the spot! The ham was awesome. Whatever brand they buy, is the kind I like. Plus I love that they sear both sides. But it's hardly "homemade". And the bacon wasn't anything special, but at least it was crispy.

Honestly... I prefer IHOP to Snooty Pig for breakfast. So why even bother to write about it here, since I usually save my average to negative reviews for Urbanspoon? I dunno - I have faith that their lunch will be excellent. Also, this location is always mobbed with diners. And it's been that way for the entire time we've lived in NE Tarrant (2003), which is why they moved to this much larger location. And we still had to wait about 5 minutes. So that tells me that your average breakfast eater thinks this place is really good (though the 71% rating on US with lots of votes isn't a compelling story for them). As such, if you're not familiar with it, then why not give them a chance? Just don't get the juice, and try a muffin maybe?

12/23/03; 8/22/05; 3/2/13 (new entry)

Fred's Downtown Philly ~ Grapevine, Texas

Latest visit: Mar 2013 (Grapevine)

First visit: Jul 2012 (Grapevine)

Apr 7, 2022 update: Fred's is still going with 5 locations. None are near NE Tarrant anymore, the closest being in Arlington.

Dec 30, 2017 update: Fred's has 2 Northeast Tarrant locations - 1 in Hurst and 1 in Bedford. A couple of years back, I tried to go to the one in Hurst and they couldn't be bothered to be opened on time. And when they did get there, they were grumpy and rude. Left a bad taste in my mouth about the chain. But sometimes you just can't control your workers. So I should get back there. I will update this entry at that time.

---

Going to the Burger and Philly Shack the other day, and a recent visit to Billadelphia's, reminded me that I never wrote about Fred's Downtown Philly. One of the RJG's favorite beer stores is Grapevine Beer and Wine (craft beer aficionados should make a beeline here if you haven't already). And Fred's is conveniently in the same strip center, so what a perfect excuse to drive on over and have a Philly!

I must really be in the mood for cheesesteaks lately, as my last trip to Billadelphia's was somewhat of an epic experience. And now here too. I went with the 10 inch Po Fred Cheesesteak which is sliced steak, Italian sausage, sauteed onions and cheese. Now there's something you can only eat about once a week - or month! Whew, my body was still shaking hours later. I could have sworn in the past they used Cheez-Wiz, which believe it or not, is authentic. Wiz-Wit is Philly parlance for the famous fake cheese and onions. But now they use white American cheese, which melts wonderfully into the imported Amoroso roll. It came out piping hot, the beef chopped perfectly, and the sausage in mini-bit size chunks. I was munching right through the basket!

Fred's is all about the Philadelphia food experience. So if you're looking for Tastykake's, Hanks beverages, Peanut Chews, and Utz potato chips (as shown on "Mad Men"!), Fred's is your place to load up. Of course you have to endure annoying photos of Terrell Owens in an Eagles uniform making fun of our beloved Cowboys.

I still need to try the Philly from the Burger Shack, and now I'm being told that Chelsea's in Keller has a great cheesesteak - so we have quite a race going here. The RJG considers himself fortunate to live in a food city as interesting as DFW.

7/18/12; 3/1/13 (new entry)