Puerto Cocina Brings Baja Seafood to the Dallas Design District

Seafood is the heartbeat of Puerto Cocina, a restaurant that looks west to the Pacific coast of Mexico rather than north to the familiar Tex-Mex traditions that dominate Dallas. The cooking takes its cues from Baja California, where citrus, chiles, and impeccably fresh seafood define the table. It’s a style that feels breezy and coastal—lighter, brighter, and a little unexpected for the Design District.

The restaurant comes from restaurateurs Mauricio Gallegos and Gerardo Barrera, the team behind Xaman Café and Ayahuasca Cantina. For Puerto Cocina they teamed up with consulting chef Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman, whose approach blends deep Mexican roots with contemporary technique. The result is a menu built around seafood, crudos, and sharp coastal flavors that wake up the palate.

Many meals begin at the raw bar. Oysters arrive chilled with cocktail sauce and a punchy habanero-shallot mignonette, while chocolate clams—named for their deep brown shells—make seasonal appearances dressed simply with citrus and chile to highlight their natural sweetness.

Fresh Seafood in Dallas

From there the kitchen moves into crudos. One of the most striking plates is the Tiradito de Hiramasa. Thin slices of yellowtail are dressed with basil oil and aji amarillo, then finished with candied kumquats, pomegranate, and smoked salmon roe. It’s colorful and layered—sweetness, acidity, and a little heat—without losing the clean flavor of the fish.

Another favorite is the Tuna Tart, where ahi tuna rests on a crisp masa-chive shell spread with tonnato and crowned with caviar. The masa brings a faint corn sweetness while the tonnato adds a savory richness that ties it together.

Some dishes arrive as compact bites built around bold sauces. The Crab Cake, paired with anchovy aioli and salsa pelirroja, keeps the crab front and center. Nearby, the Snapper Ceviche Taquito tucks citrus-cured snapper into a crisp shell with olive-serrano tapenade and black garlic aioli.

Two dishes show the kitchen’s knack for balancing richness with acidity. A Butter-Braised Scallop arrives with mignonette butter, cilantro, pasilla oil, and smoked trout roe—delicate but deeply flavorful. The Fried Oyster, crusted in masa and topped with pistachio salsa macha and lime, offers the opposite experience: crisp, spicy, and bracing.

The Panela Cheese Salad provides a break from the sea. Warm slabs of panela are layered with Castlevetrano olives, marinated grapes, avocado, and purslane, creating a plate that is equal parts creamy, salty, and bright.

Larger plates keep seafood at the center of the conversation. Campanelle pasta with lump crab is coated in a chiltépin cream with epazote and cherry tomatoes. Scallops Tataki comes dressed in green pipián with spinach, pickled cauliflower, and toasted pistachios. There are a few options from land—lamb chops, duck breast, and Wagyu bavette—but the pull of the ocean is unmistakable.

The dining room echoes that coastal sensibility. Tall curtains soften the light, woven pendant lamps hover above long communal tables, and desert plants in sculptural planters hint at Baja’s landscape. A bright bar anchors the room, stocked with Mexican spirits and a thoughtful list of wines from Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico’s fast-rising wine region.

Puerto Cocina ultimately feels like a small slice of Baja dropped into the Design District. The food leans bright and ocean-driven, the room feels relaxed, and the best way to approach the menu is with friends: a table full of small plates, a scattering of shellfish, and a cold bottle from the Baja coast.

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