I went to Fiesta Mexican restaurant recently in case you were interested. It's a large Mexican restaurant south of downtown that serves what appears to be very basic tex mex without all the flash, pomp and circumstance of those snazzier places like Yucatan. But Fiesta is no typical Mexican place because of a unique recognition - best tortillas in North America (excluding Mexico). Or some ridiculous award given by Texas Monthly (who knew they left Austin and Dallas?).
FortWorthHoleInTheWall Senior and I went recently for lunch after the Armed Forces Bowl. It was cold and rainy and the one thing I wanted was carne guisada. Most places only serve this on saturdays but places worthy of my great reviews serve it on week days. In case you don't know, carne guisada looks like dog food but tastes like a mouthful of awesome.
Fiesta does not serve carne guisada on a week day. Apparently they serve guisada res. Which is a lie of a meal. Every time I've asked for carne guisada at a Mexican restaurant and they don't have it, they always say, "we have guisada res" (Tenemos crap). So of course I was suspicious when they said they didn't have carne guisada but that their guisada res was the same thing. It wasn't.
I didn't like it. The meat was tough and the sauce was green. It wasn't carne guisada. It was nuclear dog food. Oh well... "Greatest Tortillas in The World".
I really don't remember what my dad had but he didn't seem to enjoy it as much as he enjoyed having me as a son so this place wont see me again.
By the way, the tortillas were awesome. My atomic dog food came with a bunch of them and they were terrific. I got corn tortillas and they were thick, warm, tender and delicious.
I'm sure many of you consider this your favorite place and I have probably irrevocably upset you. Please let me know why I'm wrong and make me want to go back for some awesomeness.
If you want to give them a shot go to 3233 Hemphill Street.
18 comments:
My personal top 3 mexican places in town:
Taqueria San Antonio
El Pollo Palenque
Esperanza's
But I'm always looking for more. There's a good one in Grand Prairie - Nina's Cafe. For the longest time they were the only place I knew of in the metroplex that had desebrada flautas. Fortunately for my car, El Fenix now has it as well. Great Mexican food? No. But are the flautas a reason to go? YES.
Seriously, though, I think someone (hint hint) could review 1 FW Mexican joint a week, and never stop. Between growth and turnover, I don't think you could run out. Heck, I've got 4 taco trucks on my list to eat at.
Well I really love seeing the term dog food in a restaurant review. You should have written that a few times more.
Tell your daddy his son is a jackass. I won't be reading this blog anymore and I'm deleting it from my bookmarks.
I've never eaten at this place, but my personal favorites are Mercado Juarez and La Familia! And I agree with Michael, you could definitely review at least one a week!
I love this blog because you call it as you see it and keep us from wasting our time when an eatery doesn't warrant a visit.
If you ever start reviewing outside of the immediate FW area, drop by Cassandra's in Keller.
Great carne guisada and a green sauce (cilantro/jalapenos/yummy stuff) to die for.
Glad you are back to blogging...
Agree with the idea that we need a new place to try out every week.
I always try out your recommendations at the places you review and you are always spot on.
Keep up the good work and the great sense of humor.
Wait, is Anonymous One my dad?
To be fair, I've used the term dog food in previous reviews. Along with cat diarrhea. I also did a review based mainly on the toilet paper at a restaurant.
Also, the specific term "dog food" was only used in a positive context. "Atomic dog food" should have been what bothered you. Would you like me to edit out the words Dog Food and replace them with Purina, Puppy Chow, Kibbles 'n Bits, etc?
Michael and Tina, it feels like I review one mexican place a week which is why I try to switch it up every once in awhile. I love two of your top three but I haven't been to Pollo Palenque. Where is it? Tina, I Mercado Juarez is one of those places I never think to go to, until I've just eaten a big plate of food. I'll have to go soon though.
Anonymous 2, I may have been to Cassandras but I'm not sure. If its the place I'm thinking of, it was great.
Riley and everybody else, thanks for reading.
Maybe I'll put a little work into adding a new mexican joint more often (interspersed amongst other reviews).
Also really good (best, hottest salsa I've had) is El Asadero on N Main.
Ps, I appreciate this review. The ones I've read have been generally positive, so it was good to see you don't just love everything, like some supposed critics.
Just BJ, to be fair I normally give places the benefit of the doubt and try to focus on the good stuff. However, I've decided to provide a little more cynicism and actual critique this year. Everybody loves negative stuff.
El Asadero is my favorite mexican place in town and I'm not afraid to admit it right here for everybody to read. Their hot sauce is fantastic and as I've said before, the green enchiladas cure AIDS (or whatever disease I mentioned).
Thanks for reading.
Wow. I'm glad I read this. I was feeling bad for my most recent review but I guess we all get a crappy meal out once in a while (although, to be fair, I actually got a good meal; my companions didn't though).
Doohickie, I guess thats one of hte charms of hole in the walls. Just so you know, that link is to a website for Momma Mia and not the review on your blog.
Thanks for reading.
I have not been to this place, but you are correct---Hemphill/Seminary is a mexican food lover's dream.
Now for my shameless plug. ;-) Check out my blog which (will become) the official guide to the Fort Worth taco scene. http://www.fortworthtacohunt.blogspot.com
I have quite a few reviews in backlog I will post this week. Many cover this area.
I actually love that restaurant but only because it is one of the few places you can order a plate of plain sliced avocados for less than $5.
Never been to Fiesta, but I've heard good things from co-workers. Usually if I want Mexican food, I'll head to La Familia, Fuzzy's, El Rancho Grande, Benitos, or I'll go to Spiral and have their Brutal Tacos (or their blue plate quesadillas).
Dog food...genius. Don't worry if you lost "anonymous" as a reader. Your response added me as one. I guess a food "critic" should say everything is great. Keep it up.
Brad thanks for reading. Sorry Anonymous 1, I am no longer lamenting your departmure.
This is the most awesome blog ever. I never laughed so hard in my life haha. I love your reviews.
So far from the places I've tried based on your reviews, you have been spot on!
I've eaten at Fiesta several times. Great tortillas, fair to middlin' everything else. Stick with the "normal" Tex-Mex and it is Ok for a quick lunch with your cube mates. Outside of that, you passed 5 better places to get to it, no matter what direction you came from.
I'm totally down for this! I'm done with the mexican restaurants of Tucson, AZ. They're good, but I just gotta get out there, gotta travel and see more. This is great.
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