Mijo's Fusion

Mexican-Asian Fusion? 

Chopsticks and Taco Trucks?  Salsa and soy sauce? 

Egg rolls and burritos...spicy peppers...rice....

Yes, it all makes sense but why did this take so long?  If you haven't been to Mijo's Fusion yet, you should make it a new year's resolution.

Here are the secrets you need to make your trip a success.  First, go at lunch.  They have a more casual (read: affordable) menu at lunch.  The dinner menu is much more adventurous with a little higher prices - though not out of sorts with the food (note: this may have all changed since my last trip as the menu has gone through a few rewrites).

I've made a number of trips and tried many items on the menu and have only found one thing I wouldn't order again.  The only reason being that there are ten other things I liked more. 

The restaurant has undergone a complete transformation since it was the Junsuree Thai House.  The rows of plastic wrap covered tables and linoleum tile floors have been replaced with wood (laminate) floors, a large bar and a unique dividing "wall" between the bar and main seating area.  It's very nice inside but having two entrances seems to add some confusion when arriving.  I think the hostess stand is in the rear but if you come in the front door a waiter will direct you.

Before ordering, you need to make up your mind - do you want to stick with the Mexican side or do you want to try the fused items?  If you're going to stick with Mexican style food, get the burrito bowl with carne guisada.  The meat is very tender and flavorful.  They combine that with epazote, which doesn't show up much in most of our restaurants. The combination of the guisada and epazote is amazing.  It is a different flavor but I have yet to find a person who doesn't love the combination.  In other words, if you don't like it, you are not a person.

If you're looking to step out a bit more and try some of the fusion dishes then you're in luck.  Whether you're just stepping out into some new flavors, looking for a bold shot of something you've only heard of or you're a vegetarian and hate food, this place has it all.

The Ginger Serrano Bowl has a great serrano pepper spice with lots of depth both physically and flavor-wise.  If the Bahn Mi style sandwich is still available, its a great choice and comes as a pretty substantial meal.   It's a torta, bahn mi!  There is a delicious quinoa tortilla soup that is hearty and filling but sometimes missing from the menu (though always present in the kitchen from my experience).  They even have a vegetarian sandwich that is very delicious and contains more flavor and texture than the menu conveys.  There are unique and flavorful tacos, nachos, and a queso dish that appears to have no asian flair but is delicious.

A pork torta from fellow Fort Worth Blogger, Doohickie

I would provide more details on the flavors of these dishes but it would just be an endless refrain of "delicious", "unique", "bold" etc.  When you start to look at many of the dishes, its easy to see how the fusion idea works.  Although its unfair to say something is "Asian" since that gives you pretty wide latitude to focus on rice, noodles, soup, sandwich, etc.  Its like saying you have a breakfast-lunch fusion place.  But, this also gives Mijo's room to work and show how many of the different flavors of Asia (whichever part) coincide with many flavors found in more traditional Mexican dishes.

This has become one of my favorite places to eat for lunch and may become a favorite dinner place if I can go a few more times and try some of the options.  I've only been once so far for dinner and had a great experience.  Mrs. FWHITW had the short rib stuffed pepper which was delicious though a tad dry.  I had a pasta dish which seemed odd at first but was fantastic.  So I guess that was Italian-Mexican-Asian fusion. 

If you're near Mijo's in the evening and don't want to stop in for a full dinner but are hungry, I've seen them selling tacos from a small stand at the edge of their patio - near the street.  They look delicious and are pretty cheap from what I remember. 

Check them out and let me know what you think.

Mijo's is located at 1109 West Magnolia Avenue.