Tapas On Tap

New Dallas restaurant brings Spanish tapas back to Trinity Groves

Spanish tortilla with romanesco sauce.

Photo courtesy of Tapas Castile

There's a new concept that just opened at Trinity Groves, the West Dallas restaurant incubator: Called Tapas Castile, it's a Spanish tapas bar going into the space vacated by former tapas bar Casa Rubia.

According to a release, the name Tapas Castile is a nod to the Castilian region, considered the birthplace of modern Spain. The restaurant will offer a modern take on the traditional Spanish tapas bar.

Offering rustic renditions of iconic favorites, the menu has meats, cheeses, and boards with meat and cheese. There are meatballs, ham croquettes, cheese croquettes, mussels, fried eggplant, olives, and almonds.

Three entree-style dishes include whole fish and a paella that feeds four.

Owner-partners are Jessica Kate-Martinez and Kendra Valentine, who both worked at Design District restaurant FT33. Kate-Martinez will manage the front of the house; Valentine will serve as executive chef.

Kate-Martinez' mother's family hails from Spain, and she has been traveling their regularly since she was a teenager. She's also a certified sommelier who has also worked harvests at a number of Spanish wineries over the years. The restaurant's wine list is extensive and exclusively Spanish wine, with something for everyone.

"I often hear people say that tapas is just small plates of expensive food," Kate-Martinez says. "But if you've ever been to Spain, you know that couldn’t be further from the truth. In cities and villages across the country, tapas is truly the food of the people. Each region has a unique approach to these simple yet crave-worthy dishes, but what they all have in common is that they use the freshest, artisanal ingredients available."

Valentine traeled to Spain with Kate-Martinez and found it to be a life-changing experience. The restaurant's farm-to-table menu reflects what she saw as she ate her way through Spanish kitchens, including a focus on fresh seafood, seasonal produce, and pork.

Valentine has a passion for butchery, so customers can expect to see the whole animal show up in her dishes from house-cured Lomo (pork loin) and Fuet (pork sausage with a spicy black pepper kick) to albondigas (pork meatballs in sofrito) and chuleta de cerdo (double-cut pork chop with romesco and pear butter).

Trinity Groves co-founder Phil Romano says that the biggest hurdle with any ethnic cuisine is making it approachable. "With Tapas Castile, they’ve created the perfect blend of authentic Spanish fare with a modern Texas twist that is both delicious and user-friendly," he says.

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Fried Chicken News

Dallas restaurant chain re-emerges as Mr. Wong's Chicken & Rice

Mr. Wong's

Mr. Wong's Chicken & Rice

A Dallas restaurant chain known for hand-battered chicken fingers and wings has officially re-emerged with a new lease on life: Now called Mr. Wong’s Chicken & Rice, it's a family-owned concept with six locations across DFW, including one at 2415 W. Illinois Ave., which just reopened following a two-week renovation.

Oak Cliff was the final stroke in a company-wide refresh and rebranding, with floor-to-ceiling upgrades, new furniture, and updated dining rooms.

Founded by Nick Wong — dubbed "Mr. Wong" by customers — the chain debuted in 1989 at 2878 W. Northwest Hwy., just above Dallas Love Field.

They became known for their menu of fried chicken with an Asian-Polynesian theme including "Hawaiian" wings in sweet & sour sauce, stir-fried dishes, and fried rice, available plain or with choice of beef, chicken, or shrimp.

The food is a bargain: A chicken tender meal starts at $7 for four fingers, or $9 for Hawaiian wings. A family meal with 15 chicken fingers starts at $17. It's also made to order, so you're advised to order ahead or else expect to wait 15 minutes before it's done.

Fried chicken Mr. Wong's Mr. Wong's chicken tenders, fried rice, egg roll.Mr. Wong's

Their chicken tenders are unique in that the batter is almost like a tempura batter. It results in a golden crust that's lighter, crunchier, "shaggier" than the usual fried chicken crust. According to Mr. Wong's marketing officer Jon Rice, they still use the same family recipe they've used since they were founded in 1989.

Back then, they were known as "The Original Chicken-N-Rice," and they went on to open locations in Pleasant Grove, North Dallas, and Irving.

Namesake Mister Wong died in 2021 but the business is now run by his daughter, Alisha, who has helped steer the company through a rebrand that began in 2020. Their new name celebrates the man who founded the company — while injecting some personality that sets them apart from the competition.

“We did an entire rebrand, from 'The Original CNR' to Mr. Wong’s Chicken & Rice,” Rice says.

At the same time, they began upgrades that included toning down the red-and-yellow color scheme seen in their decor and marketing materials for a more modern palette, with wide bench seating and a black tiled ceiling in their dining rooms, differentiating them in color and design from the many similar-appearing chicken-and-rice restaurant chains.

They've overhauled all of their locations. Some involved updates to the dining room and cashier area; others were relocated and underwent full construction.

Oak Cliff is the last Mr.Wong's to get an update. They’re still waiting for artwork, featuring two framed pictures of food and a two-wall mural illustrating the history of Mr. Wong's, starting with Wong's immigration to the U.S. following college graduation in 1971.

Not every location is the same — and that means that curious customers who want a glimpse of the "Who is Mr. Wong?" wall which features a portrait and bio of the trailblazing founder, will need to drive to the location in Pleasant Grove. Fortunately, the wings and tenders are the same.

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