Sit down at just about any Tex-Mex place in Dallas and a basket of warm chips hits the table before the server asks about drinks. There’s a bowl of salsa next to it. Nobody ordered either one, and nobody is going to put them on the check. Empty the basket and another one comes.
We take it for granted around here. The free basket hasn’t always been part of the deal, though, and the way it got here has more to do with the snack aisle than with tradition.
Continue readingFiled under Steven Doyle
The word enchilada is the past participle of the Spanish verb enchilar — to season with chili, literally “the chili’d thing.” The dish is older than the country it became famous in, older than most of the languages spoken around it, older by centuries than the state of Texas. The Mayans were among the first to dip corn tortillas in chili sauce and eat them as a complete meal.
When Spanish conquistadors walked into Tenochtitlán in 1519, they found the Aztec court already eating elaborate versions of the same idea — tortilla as vehicle, chile as the point. Bernal Díaz del Castillo wrote about it. The Spanish adopted it, modified it, and carried it through three centuries of colonization. By the time Mexico declared independence from Spain in 1821, the enchilada had already been evolving longer than most nations had existed.
Continue readingFiled under Steven Doyle
In Dallas, Tex-Mex isn’t just food—it’s tradition, family, and memory rolled into one. And no restaurant has shaped that story more than El Fenix. Mention the name to anyone who grew up here and you’ll likely get a smile, a story, and probably a craving. The original McKinney Avenue location has been around since 1918, and the city even honored its founder by renaming the cross-street Miguel Martinez Way. For over a century, El Fenix has been more than a restaurant—it’s been a gathering place.
Continue readingFiled under Steven Doyle
In Texas, it’s not the holidays without tamales! The long-standing tradition of gathering to make the delicious masa treat filled with variations of veggies, meats and cheeses is a quintessential celebration. If you’re running short on time this year, let the culinary team at El Fenix bring a fiesta of flavor to your table!
Continue readingFiled under Steven Doyle
What does it take to become iconic in the restaurant world? In politics it might only take a few years, and just as many outrageous acts to achieve this status. In sports it might only take one great score. But in a great national park it would take eons where it may take a restaurant 50-100 years to become enchanting beyond reasonable doubt to a hungry and sentimental public.
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by Steven Doyle
Generations have celebrated certain restaurants in Dallas, enjoying the cuisine that made Dallas strong and certainly has given it character. Today we pay homage to a select handful of these Dallas classics and hope you will continue to enjoy them as time honors them with continued success.
I recall some old favorites including Zeider Zee, The Beefeater, Prince of Burgers and Southern Kitchen. Perhaps you have some memories of restaurants that come to mind.
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Filed under Crave, Steven Doyle
El Fenix is celebrating its 97th anniversary by giving back to its guests and to a global charity.
The highlight of the North Texas institution’s month-long celebration occurs on Tuesday, Sept. 15, when the flagship El Fenix location in downtown Dallas serves up 97-cent Cheese Enchilada Plates – two cheese enchiladas topped with chili con carne and served with rice and beans – all day long. Don’t be surprised if you see guests lined up around the block in anticipation of this extraordinary deal. (Dine-in 9/15 only. Limit one per guest at this price. No substitutions. Offer valid at El Fenix Downtown Dallas only.) Continue reading
Filed under Steven Doyle
by Steven Doyle
Have that special holiday party to check out and need to bring a sweet bite to share? We have a fine line up of freshly made treats from places that you may not have thought of. There are some lovely bakeries in the Dallas area, like Village Baking Company, Tart Bakery on Lovers Lane, Rush Patisserie in Oak Cliff, and the beloved Swiss Pastry Shop in Fort Worth all come quickly to mind. But how about a few alternative spots where you won’t necessarily be busted for bringing something purchased that won’t be recognized, or even duplicated.
Here is our fun list that will keep your poor baking skills on the down low, and make you the type of guest that will be invited back really soon. Notice all of these restaurants require at least a 24-hour notice unless otherwise noted. Continue reading
Filed under Steven Doyle
