Tacusa ~ Fort Worth, Texas

Our original location in far north Fort Worth is still open along with one in Arlington. The Keller locale is closed.

Latest visit: Dec 2017 (Keller - closed)

First visit: Sep 2015 (Fort Worth)

We're always on the lookout for high quality street tacos at the RJG, and the Mrs. is a fan of the Salvadoran favorite papusas, so Tacusa came across our radar for a try. This was in 2015, and we were surprised they've recently opened another location closer by. With our local Tacos y Mas now closed up, we thought we'd give Tacusa one more try.

While the front of the menu clearly portrays a Mexican taqueria, it becomes obvious quickly this is truly an El Salvadoran eatery. All the same, I stuck with street tacos and tried their carne asada, pollo, and al pastor. Priced attractively at $1.25 and listening to a sizzling kitchen, I felt I could do no wrong. Tacusa features a salsa bar with 4 different sauces, an onion/cilantro mix, lettuce, and other items. Right away I was disturbed with the lack of a covering at the salsa bar. That seems like a health code violation to me. Since we came early, not long after opening, it was still fresh looking, but I wouldn't want come in the late afternoon. We gathered up a sample of each, sat down, and a few minutes later out came my tacos. Well these are kind of dinky, aren't they? Explains the cost. Double corn tortillas, but extremely small, and filled with the meat of my choice. From there you add the onions, etc... The carne asada was the highlight on this visit, and the only one packed with a good portion meat. It was also very hot and delicious. The al pastor had a very nice marinate, but was the smallest, with literally 5 tiny chunks and tough at that. And the chicken had some delicious spices, but again I think they could have offered a bit more meat. On this visit I went for taco plate special, which comes with rice and beans and a canned soda. The rice is somewhat non distinctive, but hearty and good enough to pass muster. The beans just blow. They're runny, and kind of nasty really. One bite is all I could manage. The salsas were somewhat disappointing. Both the molcajete and the verde were thin - and lacked spice. The spicy chile de arbol was by far the best, but even at that, it was a bit mild for the style, and lacked flavor. Mrs. RJG had two papusas, one with pork and the other shredded chicken. She didn't enjoy the pork much, but said the chicken was very good. She did like the cheese quite a bit, and the corn tortilla was cooked right.

On the visit to the Fort Worth location (and I presume Keller will be similar), Mrs. RJG had the horchata, which was creamy, rich, with a nice cinnamon flavor. I sampled a couple of sips. Not something I would drink a lot of, but certainly can appreciate the beverage. They also have homemade lemonade, otherwise it's bottled drinks.

You'll find Tacusa north of Keller Parkway near Bourland Rd, in the same shopping center as Funky Baja's, I Fratelli Pizza, and Baja Cantina - they are on the east end in the newer section. The digs are pleasant, minus the open salsa bar. They also wear their beliefs on their sleeve, and you get Christian pop music blaring over your meal, with lots of testimonials. To me it all sounds like the exact same song with different lyrics...

I fear to say that Tacusa is not our kind of place. We've now tried both their Fort Worth location and Keller, and I remain unenthused. I don't suspect we will be returning anytime soon.

9/21/15 (new entry); 12/30/17

RJG 2017 recap

Alrighty then... From the time I dropped the Howdy note until now, I've updated all the places we visited in 2017.

I've created a new feature for each year - see the page above for the RJG's 2017 recommendations. This will my way of tracking all restaurants, and ensuring pages don't go unread.

There were a few places we went for the first time in 2017 that we thoroughly enjoyed, but I didn't put a page up yet. I need to revisit the following:

Roscoe's Smokehouse (Keller)
Lucy's Lot (Grapevine)
Slim Chickens (Keller)
El Pollo Loco (Keller) - well we'd been here plenty of times before, but not in DFW!

Planet Sub - I was excited to tell you about this sandwich place. I had been a frequent visitor to their location in Denver many years ago (which has now closed), and was excited to see them here in DFW. So I went to the one in Irving earlier this year and it was great! And now it's closed too. Argh. They are still open in Fort Worth though.

And, of course, we would be remiss if we didn't discuss former RJG entries that closed in 2017 (or 2016). The following are no longer with us:

Del Taco - Left NE Tarrant a couple years back, but has exited DFW altogether now
Jimboy's Tacos (Irving) Like Del Taco, the chain exists, but they are no longer in DFW.
Bellisimo (Colleyville) The RJG's very first restaurant post!
Gold-In Chinese (Keller)
El Paseo (Keller)
Pietro's (Dallas) A dagger to the heart
Burrito Jimmy (Irving) There is a location near Love Field that we can still try.
Agave Azul (Carrollton)
Tacos y Mas (Keller) Still open in Dallas and Richardson (5 locations)
Las Pinatas (Fort Worth) We didn't care for this one actually, but it's closed now.
Bangkok Cuisine (Haltom City) Under new ownership, and it is different. We will start a new post for them if warranted.
TPR Burger (Watauga)

Drunken Donkey ~

The Keller location is closed, leaving only the one in The Colony, which we haven't been to.

Looks like they went back to their original name of Drunken Donkey.

Last visit: Dec 2017 (Keller - closed)

First visit: June 2016 (Keller - closed)

Apparently the name "Drunken" didn't appeal to the good clean folks in Keller or Colleyville (as opposed to the dirty folks in Lewisville?), so Dallas Craft was born... Nothing else changed that I can see, except for my final note below. We still recommend it!

On the last updated post from Funky Baja's, we spoke about how Keller is all grown up. The kid is now in college, and with that... we now have Drunken Donkey. We have longed wished for a Flying Saucer type place in Northeast Tarrant. When Ginger Man arrived in Southlake, it seemed our dreams had come true. Except it didn't. Ginger Man's mentality exists from a time when getting German drafts was still a big deal. We want local, and want the beers to rotate often, not just tokenism ("Have you heard of Rahr's?" Really?). And besides, food at the Ginger Man are appetizers. So the reality is, Ginger Man is not what we were looking for. BTW, for the record, I use Ginger Man as an "extended office" and have met many of my partners/vendors/suppliers there. It definitely serves its purpose, but they can do better in my estimation. Back to Drunken Donkey... it may not be perfect, and maybe not quite as "obscure beer" focused (like Jack Mac's) as we'd like, but we're getting that much closer!

They call themselves Craft Bar and Scratch Kitchen (now they call themselves Craft Kitchen and Community Tap Room - did they pay consultants for this? Hope not very much). And they do that because food is not an afterthought to the drink, and honestly that's what makes it so alluring. So far, I've only been to lunch with a couple of business partners, and had the salad and sandwich combo each time. The sandwiches are huge, and really quite good (I've tried the chicken fried chicken, and what they call the Big A$$ Club). I just noticed they have a sandwich that has a cheese sauce made with Old Chub. Oooh - I have to try that. But you know what I'm starting to crave? Perhaps an all-time first for the RJG, at least for the blog: Their champagne vinaigrette dressing on the salad. Oh my goodness. I've always loved a clean tasting, but heavily spiced, Italian dressing, and this fits that definition perfectly. Cold crisp lettuce as well. We've got a long way to go in exploring this menu, but I have every intention of doing just that. Actually, while I'm here, I really enjoy their chicken fried chicken!

They are a full bar, but craft beer is definitely their specialty. And they have an enormous selection. It's very similar to Flying Saucer and Ginger Man, in that they have more well known imports, and specialty Belgians. Their beer menu, at least in my 2 visits spread across two months, seemed a bit too "permanent", with maybe 2 to 3 deviations. I think if you specialize in it, they should have more "rare taps" and draft-only beer from some of the local brewers, rather than beers one can typically find at a well stocked Goody Goody. Just my opinion of course, and my "collecting nature". But for the other 95% of you, the beer selection is likely to be overwhelming on first visit. Might be worth visiting the website ahead of time, and making a small list before heading over.

Dallas Craft Co. is a nice open, sunny, and spacious standalone building, with outside seating and a bar area. This was the former TGI Fridays (good riddance...). You'll find the restaurant on the east side of US 377 between Kroger Dr and North Tarrant. I'm reading that this place is wildly popular on weekend nights, so plan ahead.

Dallas Craft Co is a local chain that started in Lewisville in 2014 (with the filthy Drunken Donkey moniker...), with other locations already in Colleyville and The Colony.

The ladies who work here are a bit on the "hot" side, in the Hooters tradition. Which is fine for a traditional male like myself, but thought I'd mention it in case it's not ideal for the company you're with (update - and with the name change, they seemed to toned down the heat here with the ladies as well).

6/18/16 (new entry); 12/28/17

Hoffbrau Steak & Grillhouse ~ Haltom City, Texas

May 13, 2022 update: Currently Hoffbrau has 3 locations in the Fort Worth area (Haltom City, Granbury, Benbrook) + 1 in far away Amarillo.

Latest visit: Dec 2017 (Haltom City)

First visit: 1985 (Dallas)

Did I never write about Hoffbrau? Guess not. How funny. Well, not that one needs an underground guide for this legendary institution. It's likely to be found in your hotel hard cover guide to Dallas/Fort Worth (you know, the one on the Formica coffee table...). I did, however, mention the restaurant in our writeup for Bangkok Cuisine, only in that I stated everyone goes to Hoffbrau instead of the Thai concern.

In any case, Hoffbrau is a relic of the past - the mid priced steakhouse. The cheapy Golden Corral places still exist, and of course the high end, high margin/markup steakhouses proliferate on the strength of the modern business expense account. Hoffbrau comes from the era of the everyman traveling salesman, when places like Steak and Ale and Stuart Anderson's ruled the landscape. Today, fewer of these places exist. But the ones who have, seem to do a land office business. And Haltom City's Hoffbrau is packed on a regular basis. We know this because, as mentioned above, we might be the only people in Bangkok Cuisine, but can't find a parking spot as the hordes crash down upon Hoffbrau.

We rarely go ourselves, but the official mom of the RJG enjoys a good steak for her birthday, and her favorite - and ours - is Hoffbrau. A flood of memories come back each time I eat here. Not so much Hoffbrau or this location, but the countless hours I spent with my parents growing up in places just like this. Who was that everyman traveling salesman in the 1970s and 80s? My pop.

We all really enjoy their smoked sirloin. It's their specialty and it's easy to understand why. Just like it says on the tin, this is slow cooked smoked sirloin. The flavors are very strong for a steak, and the meat is so very tender. You could pay triple at one of those highfalutin steakhouses, and not getting anything close to this good or tender. Comes with an old fashioned dinner salad with vinaigrette, just the way we like it. Baked bread of course is de riguer, and excellent as well. Oh, and the baked macaroni and cheese is delicious. Mrs. RJG goes for their baked potato, which is also excellent as to be expected. I'm sure their desserts are yummy too, but who has the room? Not I, because of course I must drain a couple of beers while there (nothing too craft, but they do have Rahr's - always a good choice (says Sam Adams anyway)). The Mrs. and the Mom shared a good bottle of red, and the price wasn't too bad either!

The Haltom City location sits on the west side US 377, just south of 820. My own history with Hoffbrau goes back to the middle 80s and their Knox/Henderson location (almost hard to imagine these days). I went with my old neighborhood pal in Dallas and we were both home from college for the winter break. I do recall standing in a very long line. I always hated that and my neighbor seemed to always like it. Ah well, we were young then. Later on, the chain tried their hand at the brewpub concept in Addison (at least that's the only one I remember), but they gave that up and that location is long gone. And when we first moved back to the area in 2003 or so, we went to their location in Bedford (I think it was Bedford - off of 183) which is also been closed for many a year. Today, they remain a small humble chain with locations also in Fort Worth, Granbury, and Amarillo. Perfect locations for a steakhouse such as this. We'll be back probably next year, same time. Or for Mother's Day.

4/1/07; 12/18/12; 5/7/15; 12/28/17 (new entry)

Malai Kitchen ~ Southlake, Texas

Malai Kitchen maintains 3 locations: Southlake, Dallas, and Fort Worth.

Latest visit: Dec 2017 (Southlake)

First visit: Feb 2017 (Southlake)

If Taverna Rossa represents the perfect mix of craft beer and artisan pizza, then how about a Thai brewpub? I mean seriously, are these restaurants tapping into the RJG psyche or what? Strange as it may seem, Thai brewpubs are not unique in the United States. I know of at least two others, one in Denver, and one in Alpine, Wyoming(?!). I'm sure there are more.

I've only been to Malai Kitchen twice to date, and had Mrs. RJG in tow on the last visit. Though the restaurant claims Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, it is definitely the former that defines this fine establishment. Usually it's the other way around. While you can certainly get a nice bowl of pho here, I wouldn't waste the visit, when there's so much great Thai food to be had. As always, I dug right into their variation of basil chicken. On my first visit they allowed for me the minced chicken (used for their lettuce wraps), but on the last it was only chicken breast on offer. Not a big deal, but a bit less authentic. The basil is very fresh and pungent, and I ordered it Thai hot, and they don't kid around here with that. I also asked for a fried egg on top (another Thai tradition), and they flash fried it just right. Really a fantastic recipe with fantastic flavors, and comes in a nice bowl that you can dump the white rice in (or brown if you prefer). Mrs. RJG had the red curry chicken, with chunks of potato and tomatoes. She simply stated it was delicious, and is eager to return. She's a tough customer, so high praise indeed.

On my first visit, I plopped myself at the bar, and enjoyed a couple of their finely crafted beers (a ginger IPA, and a pilsener). Very comfortable, though not a lot of bar stools, so come early if you want a seat. And that would be good advice for the restaurant itself. While lunch was only half full, dinner had a line starting to form as I was finishing up. On our last visit, I once again had the pilsener, but this time tried their "rotation" beer which was a more traditional IPA. I think they do a fine job with the beers myself, considering that is only one part of their operation.

There's a lot of money behind Malai Kitchen, and you will only find them in the more posh areas of DFW. In addition to Southlake, you can find them in Dallas (Uptown - where they started) and Fort Worth (Clearfork naturally). Malai Kitchen in Southlake is practically next door to Taverna Rossa, so the only challenge for the RJG is which one to go to!

2/18/17; 12/28/17 (new entry)

Tupinamba Café ~ Dallas, Texas

First visit: Dec 2017

Speaking of two-fer-99 cent tacos, how about Tupinamba Cafe? I didn't realize the fried taco had survived the modern restaurant industry. Anyone who has been to Kansas City and eaten at In-A-Tub knows the glories of a greasy fried taco. Sure there's Jack In the Box, but let's be honest here, that's just frozen food dropped in a vat of grease. I want fresh food dropped in a vat of grease!

Tupinamba Cafe has been around since 1947, and I remember them vividly (well not since 1947... but since the 70's I think?). Except I never ate there before! No time like the present, eh? We were with our long time friends The B's making a journey over to Dallas to grab some Italian sausage at Jimmy's (see Mr. Music's review from 5 years ago), still the best in DFW (along with Kuby's). Anyway Mr. B tells Mrs. RJG and I about these amazing fried tacos. And since Mr. B is a former resident of Kansas City, I'm paying attention!

And we all got a fried taco plate! Imaginative aren't we? It's just tacos and 'fixins - no rice or beans. But dang they were good! A bit pricey for what you get, but I'll pay it for the rare time we'll ever eat there. We were pretty buzzed by the time the tacos arrived, as the frozen margaritas packed a nice punch! Yes, they were excellent as well. Going backwards in time, the chips were divine. By themselves they tasted very good, but I loved the hot sauce! Reminded me some of Ojeda's/Esparza's, but even better! A nice kick too that did not compel me to ask for a hotter one. This was spicy enough thank you.

So we went once and who knows if we'll go back (we're very rarely in Dallas). But it was a heck of a lot of fun. And if you're craving fried tacos, by all means, come to Tupinamba Cafe for a Tupy Taco!

Apparently they've had 6 distinct locations since first opening in Oak Cliff. Their 3rd locale (from 1968 until 1985) was on Northwest Highway, and I suspect that's where I first saw them. Later they moved to LBJ and Midway and further on they took over the old Crystal's Pizza on Inwood in 1996 (oh my goodness, Crystal's was our old hangout in high school "after the football game" - we're going back to the early 80s here. Hadn't thought of that place in years). And now they're in a strip mall tucked away along Central Expressway, just southwest of Walnut Hill. It looks newish. Nice digs honestly. Jeez, all these locations is like a journey through my Dallas past.

12/27/17 (new entry)