by Danielle Leahy
Avila’s has been a Maple Avenue tradition in Dallas since 1985. Using family recipes handed down over generations from the Avila and Martinez families their food had been featured on many television programs, local and national news, as well as rated one of the 50 best Mexican Restaurants in the State by Texas Monthly. Most famous for their chicken mole and the brisket tacos, the rest of Avila’s menu is just as good as their more well known counterparts.
Hosting a special taco-only menu just for the Tacobots as well as their regular $4 Margarita Thursday special the Bots were more than ready to tuck into some tacos and see what Avila’s was all about.
With 5 different regular taco and 3 more fried tacos to choose from Avila’s is a taco-lovers paradise. Of the regular tacos brisket, shrimp, chicken mole, fish, and pork guisado were available. Fried tacos or “Taquitos Don Tavo” are available in chicken, beef, or potato. Already knowing the brisket tacos are some of the best in Dallas the Tacobot’s were quick to check out the others while saving the best for last.
The recent addition to the line up Shrimp came out of the gate winning with a delicious tangy marinade and tons of fresh avocado. Wrapped in your choice of corn of flour tortillas these tacos were light, refreshing, and delicious. The next favorite was the pork guisado, smothered in a traditional red sauce these tacos were full of smokey flavor and large chunks of moist pork.
The chicken mole and the fish tacos rounded out the experience and gave some nice alternatives to those wishing to venture off the more traditional taco path.
Finally, the brisket tacos had the most oohs and ahhs of the night. Avila’s brisket taco have long been famous ever since scoring a feature on the Food Network Tv Show Diners, Drive-ins, and Dive’s. The recipe for these famous tacos can even be found online at the FoodTV Website. For those who like meat, meat, and more meat in their tacos this is one you don’t want to miss. Flour tortillas are recommended in order to hold in all the juicy weight of the brisket and keep your taco from splitting open.
Another sure-to-mention at Avila’s is the house salsa. This stuff packs a punch. Delightfully spicy with the occasional “hot-spot bite” this stuff was flying off the table and being poured, scooped, and dunked into everything possible.
So if you haven’t ventured down to the little “house” on Maple be sure and swing by, grab a Margarita to cool off the hot salsa, while you sit back and wait on some of the best brisket tacos in Dallas.
Want to join Tacobots or have a great idea for our next Meetup? Check out our group on Facebook or email me at tacobotsdfw@gmail.com
