Prego Pasta House ~ Dallas, Texas

Latest visit: Jul 2015

First visit: 1984

The RJG goes from our favorite Denver Italian restaurant, to our second favorite Dallas area Italian restaurant. As many of you all know, Pietro's is our favorite Italian in DFW, and remains the RJG's all-time favorite restaurant. But for close to 30 years, Prego has been right there behind them, providing hearty competition. And like Pietro's, we're infrequent visitors to Dallas anymore, so it's a rare treat indeed when we do dine here. We may have been only a couple of times since I started this blog, so this week's visit gave us the opportunity to finally blog about it. One major difference between Pietro's and Prego, is that the latter is open for lunch. And it's just that opening that allows me to choose Prego when in the area at that time. Mrs. RJG and I were in Dallas for an emergency weekday errand, and we had a bit of downtime right around lunch. Of course we first had to visit Northpark (guess who was behind that decision?) - and then I took control of lunch. 5 minutes later we're at Prego.

According to Prego's website, the restaurant has been open since 1982 (with a building owned by the family since 1951). And that's roughly two years before we started frequenting. I was in college at Texas Tech then, which tells me that we must've first dine there while home for the summer. If truth be told, both my parents liked Prego probably more than any restaurant - including my beloved Pietro's. For a number of years, they had a new location up in Far North Dallas (Tollway and Trinity Mills) that just happened to be pretty close to where I had an office in 2003 and 2004. They had great lunch specials, and I tried to go at least once a month, if not more. Unfortunately that location closed a few years ago. But the original is where most of my dining memories of Prego occurred. It's a single room restaurant, that can get very loud when crowded (which it often is - particularly for dinner). It's hard to imagine today, but Prego, like every restaurant of the time, allowed smoking. And my Old Man made sure everyone got cigarette smoke with their dinner. Not every law the government passes is a turkey. They got that one right! As an aside, valet parking is compulsory (it's free - but with tip of course). I noticed on this visit, they tore down the building next door. Maybe they can finally get their own parking spaces?

So what's so great about Prego? Old school Italian. Done perfectly - every time. If you like a thick and smooth red sauce, with the perfect blend of seasonings, then you'll love Prego. They make their own Italian sausage. Their salad is basic but delicious (a vinaigrette with garlic and onion tops, an olive and hot pepper). Pasta is always al dente. Meat sauce is made from their homemade meatballs. Their pizza will remind you of Campisi's. I'm not a heavy cream sauce guy, but I'll bet their Alfredo is delicious. Italian food doesn't have to be fancy to be good. It's amazing to me how very few really good Italian restaurants there are. Most of the simple restaurants use too much sauce, or can't even cook pasta right. The elaborate ones are so focused on decoration and off-the-wall recipes, they can't get even put together a decent salad. Prego reminds me of everything I like about old school Italian. It's a can't miss proposition. Prego, as mention earlier, is usually very crowded for dinner. And who eats there? Lots of squeaky clean, good looking families from nearby University Park. Regular folks, but regular folks who have way more money to blow than the rest of us. And know a good value when they experience it. As for the RJG - I've been going for 30 years now, and I still look forward to dining here. If any of the above sounds appealing, then Prego is a must.

12/23/94; 4/11/95; 8/12/95; 7/14/12; 7/13/13 (new entry); 7/25/15

Cantina Laredo ~ national chain : Addison, Texas

Mar 31, 2022 update: Cantina Laredo currently is in 8 states with 19 restaurants. There are still 7 locations in Texas including 2 in the DFW airport. The Addison location remains. None in Colorado unfortunately.

Last visit: Jul 2015 (Grapevine, TX - closed)

First visit: May 1988 (Addison, TX)

Earlier in the week, we once again had a new project kicking off in Plano, so we had employees all over the country fly in for the start. Sounds like a team event to me! As noted last month, we recently went to Pappasito's, and this time we selected a very similar place with Cantina Laredo. Old time DFW citizens know Cantina Laredo well, as it was one of the first "upscale Tex-Mex" places in the area. I can remember going to the one in Addison as far back as the 1980s.

I've always found Cantina Laredo to be reliably good. On this visit I tried the Tacos Cascabel which they describe as "Sautéed chicken with cascabel sauce on soft corn tortillas with cilantro, marinated onions and queso fresco." I wasn't sure what a cascabel sauce was, but once I heard the words "chipotle" I was in. Whatever they're called, I thought the seasoning and the chicken were great. As for the opening, the chips were restaurant-chain styled light and crispy and comes with two sauces, one heated and one room temperature. They're both chipotle/garlic laced, but I preferred the caliente one. Unfortunately nothing spicy for the RJG. Thumbs up for the frozen margaritas too. I had 4 of them, so yea, I guess I did like them!

A little research shows that Cantina Laredo is part of the Dallas based Consolidated Restaurant Operations chain, the same outfit behind Cool River, Good Eats, Lucky's Cafe, III Forks, Silver Fox... and... and... and... El Chico (euwww, icks!) You don't need a Mensa test to know which restaurant doesn't fit in that group. Oh well. For Cantina Laredo, you will find their restaurants in multiple states as well as foreign locations in the UK and UAE.

This was my first visit to the Dallas Parkway location (near Briargrove). As befits the area, this location was a bit more formal than others around town. It does feature a nice bar / television area to relax in.

5/8/88; 11/15/04; 12/3/11 (new entry); 12/20/12; 7/20/15 

Taco Mayo ~ regional chain : McAlester, Oklahoma

Apr 1, 2022 update: Taco Mayo remains an Oklahoma standby. They have 40 total locations, with 37 in Oklahoma, 2 in Kansas and 1 in Arkansas. They've since completely exited Texas even their long time Bridgeport locale. Bummer. Our old favorite stop in Durant would once again be the closest had we stayed in NE Tarrant.

Latest visit: Jul 2015 (McAlester, Oklahoma)

First visit: sometime in the late 1970s or early 80s (Oklahoma City)

The Justin location mentioned below was closed in 2015. 

It was roughly 5 years ago that I first wrote about Taco Casa, and our trips up to Durant, Oklahoma. I mentioned that one day I would write about Taco Mayo. And here we are.

Since my Dad was a traveling salesman (he sold industrial uniforms to large laundries), I spent many a time in the car with him - especially in the summers before I was old enough to get an off-school job. Oklahoma was one of his prime states, and we'd probably travel to Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Enid, or Clinton at least 3 times a summer. According to their website, Taco Mayo started in 1978, and that's within one or two years of when I recall first going here. Dad was a big breakfast eater, and felt lunch was optional. I held the exact opposite view, so on those days he didn't have a client to entertain for lunch, I could usually arm twist him into taking me to the local taco establishment (he hated tacos - as long as he was allowed to smoke, he was fine - and you could do that in those days!). And the local option in Oklahoma was usually Taco Mayo. Since we didn't have them at home, I wanted to take advantage of the situation (and some 35+ years later, I haven't changed one bit).

Slowly, but surely, they are starting to penetrate the DFW market. A few years ago, they opened one up in Bridgeport, which makes for a nice getaway drive, but is entirely too far to grab fast food. And now, starting last summer, they've entered Justin. While not exactly around the corner, for those of us in Northeast Tarrant, a pleasant 25 minute drive up 114 (and further north on 156) awaits you if you're so inclined. And on this past Sunday, with the NFL Championship games starting at 2:00, Mrs. RJG and I were looking for a light lunch as well as a bit of a country drive to pass the time. Taco Mayo was the perfect solution.

Taco Mayo is from the old school of fast food crunchy styled taco stands. They have the usual menu that also includes soft tacos, burritos, nachos, and quesadillas. For places such as these, it really gets down to two things: How is the taste of the ground beef and how good are their hot sauces? Everything else is a variation on that theme. And it's on this front that Taco Mayo makes it worth the journey. Their meat has great flavor, with cumin standing out as a seasoning. Lettuce and shredded cheese are piled on top. The shell is appropriately crunchy. Like many of the taco chains, they provide the salsa bar that includes everything from a verde to a hot taco sauce. I'm quite fond of their hot - not so much for the heat level but the overall taste. I think the overall taste of the tacos are great. They're light and delicious. And for drinks, they have one of those newfangled Coke machines that allows you to mix and match different flavors for some 125 plus combinations.

If you're looking for a traditional taqueria or one of those fancier margarita fueled taco joints, then this isn't it. If you want a better alternative to Taco Bell - then give Taco Mayo a shot wherever you see them. If Justin isn't in the cards, there are at least half a dozen locations up and down I-35, right off the freeway, throughout Oklahoma. A perfect road food.

1/21/13 (new entry); 7/18/15

El Gabacho ~ Arlington, Texas

Latest visit: Jul 2015

First visit: Aug 2013

Mrs. RJG and I had a free Saturday, with absolutely no obligations for lunch, dinner, or anything else for that matter. So on days like this, the RJG likes to travel outside of our usual cow pasture here in Northeast Tarrant, and try something new. We've been pretty negligent with Arlington, and so I decided to point our cattle car straight south and see what happens. We both had a hankering for some Mexican food with a beer or margarita, and so with my handy dandy Urbanspoon App at my disposal, we went digging. After a couple of minutes of research, El Gabacho looked like the perfect place to try. And it was.

The first thing you'll notice upon arrival is that it takes a couple of minutes to get your bearings. Even though the restaurant is visible from the street, and there is outdoor patio seating, the actual entrance is inside a nice mini-mall called the Brownstone Village. Once inside the restaurant, you'll be immersed in the world of the Old West - at least according to Hollywood. According to Mrs. RJG, El Gabacho means "gringo", but apparently it is also a nickname for John Wayne, who's mug adorns the restaurant in just about every nook and cranny.

To get started, I had a frozen margarita which was perfect. It's amazing to me how few restaurants can get the balance of slushy ice, tequila, and other ingredients to work. And pack a buzz while at it. Mrs. RJG had a Boulevard (Kansas City) on tap. I tasted it, and it was one of their lighter offerings, but I wasn't able to ascertain which variety they had, and our waiter wasn't sure. Hey, when you order a Bud, it's Budweiser, and when you order a craft beer like Boulevard, it could be dozens of different varieties.

The chips and salsa were also a hit. The chips were better than average homemade corn. The red salsa comes out heated (I always like that) and has a nice garlic like flavor. A bit different from any other salsa I've tried. I would call the heat level medium hot. We asked for a hotter salsa, and they said they don't always have one, but they did on this day. Out came this thick blended green and red chile sauce. Ah, it was delicious and definitely packed more heat. It's of the add-up variety, so it took awhile to kick in.

Two items leaped off the menu for us: Enchiladas Verdes and the Tex Mex Tacos. Each with rice and refried beans. Mrs. RJG got the former, which of course I tried as well. Right away, I could tell it was going to be delicious, given that the chicken looked heavily seasoned with red chile before it was even rolled into the tortilla. The chicken, cheese, and spicy/sweet green tomatillo sauce was excellent. We both agreed it was just a tad dry, so we probably will opt for more sauce on the next visit. By deduction, I of course tried the Tex Mex Tacos, which are not exactly what you might think with a moniker such as that. These are not ground beef crunchy tacos, but rather charbroiled white meat chicken stuffed into homemade fried corn shells - and loaded with cheese, lettuce and tomato slices. The chicken by itself was delicious enough, but with the fried corn shell it ended up being sublime. Add some of that spicy salsa on top for the perfect symphony. We both agreed that the rice was excellent and flavorful, as were the creamy refried beans. Perfect texture, excellent taste.

Obviously we were quite impressed with our one visit to El Gabacho. For certain we will try for an annual visit... or more, if we can get to Arlington often enough. Moo.

8/18/13 (new entry); 7/3/15