by Danielle Leahy
Chuy’s has long been a Knox-Henderson Ave staple. Known as much for it’s quirky interior and awesome happy hour as it’s food we visited this time with a Mission: Tacos.
I have a confession to make readers, I love crunchy tacos. Long lamented as the white-boy bastard of the taco family, crunchy tacos are usually considered kids food or worst (a Taco Bell menu item) by true taco lovers. And while I have accepted my fate in this soft shell world I do relish the opportunity to eat crunchy tacos that have arrived at my table without being handed to me thru a drive-thru window.
This round we tried both the crunchy beef tacos and the Carne Guisada soft tacos. Both plates came with 3 tacos, rice and your choice of beans and since the Guisada are on Special Saturdays they both costs $7.99. While this might run on the high side for most authentic taco lovers I did have enough left over to spilt the meal in two. I found the crunchy tacos to be very good.
The meat was well seasoned and piled high with lettuce, tomatoes, and tons of cheese with extra lettuce and pico to the side. The shells themselves were house-fried and not from a wholesale outfit. The rice well cooked and the Charo beans were some of the best I’ve ever had. Full of smoky, meaty flavor, onion, and just the right amount of cilantro I found myself wanting to order a bowl to-go.
The Guisada arrived simmering in it’s on little bowl with a fresh side of tortillas. The meat was juicy and well spiced, almost brown in color thanks to all the spices it had seeped in. A huge scoop of guacamole, cheese, and pico rounded out the plate.
Another stand out that night was the queso. This stuff is killer and I couldn’t get enough. If you looking for a place to grab a couple of Margaritas after work and snack on some chips, Chuy’s is the place for you. Their salsa was light and refreshing but more similar to fresh pico in taste that the heat-packing sauces we are used to here in Dallas. In fact it is called “Salsa Fresca” and is made fresh every hour in the kitchen, and you can definitely taste it. The chips are light and crispy, with the perfect amount of salt.
Thanks to it’s size we were able to sit down right away despite it being 1pm on a busy Saturday. In fact, it’s size might be it’s only downfall. Unfortunately for us the bar was backed up and the waitress could not keep up with our orders leaving us empty handed while waiting for a server to appear on more than one occasion. If you are going for drinks I might suggest sitting right at the bar. Otherwise order them two at a time and enjoy the Elvis inspired decor while you wait.
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.
