Twisted Tacos

New Richardson taqueria takes a fabulously twisted view of tacos

Tacos are getting twisty in Richardson.

Photo courtesy of Twister Street

A new Mexican restaurant in Richardson called Twister Street Tacos comes with a menu and philosophy that you won't find anywhere else. The restaurant, which is going into a former Mr. Gatti's at 300 N. Coit Rd., has a crazy fusion of cuisines that's a reflection of the owner's heritage.

It'll open in mid-March, and will be for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch — both Saturdays and Sundays, gotta have the brunch — with a full bar and a lounge atmosphere that is intended to evoke the spirit of Puerto Vallarta.

Owner Eric Eichelmann grew up in Mexico and has a passion for tacos al pastor.

"Tacos al pastor are the main reason I’m doing this restaurant," he says. "I love tacos al pastor, and I'm bringing the authentic correct recipe. It'll twist your taste buds. That's in our logo. The yellow is pineapple."

Eichelmann says that Twister Street is a taco joint that's "70 percent street tacos," with the other 30 percent a mix of Tex-Mex and even a rib-eye steak with caramelized onions and tortillas. He'll also do a serious tequila bar with mezcals. He has a connection in Mexico that will get him access to mezcals that others don't have.

"I'm doing the flavors of Mexico as well as my heritage," he says. "My mom is Cuban and my dad is German, but I was born in Mexico. So I have a different perspective."

That includes veggie tacos with poblano chiles and queso panela, a soft white cheese; sirloin gyros; and a taco filled with bratwurst. "That's for my dad," he says. "I'm also doing a taco that's dedicated to my mom, the vaca frita. It's a Cuban dish with shredded brisket that's boiled and then fried, so that it gets this crust. It's irresistible."

"I'm just having fun with a fusion of flavors, I want it to be accessible to customers who are Mexican and American," he says. "But I do know what's important in Mexican food. At the end of the day, how good are your salsas? That's a Mexican thing."

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Where to Eat

Where to eat in Dallas right now: 10 hot new restaurants for November

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Catch Seafood

This month's installment of Where to Eat is bursting at the seams with newcomers and spinoffs. For November, we've got a vast range of cuisines, from Asian to seafood to the beloved Dallas staple, the Irish pub. To find many cuisines in one spot, there's also a new food-hall near downtown Dallas.

Here's where to eat in Dallas this month:

Boxcar
Train-themed restaurant recently rolled into a former laundromat on Greenville Avenue. The concept from owners Jordan Carson and Patrick Gorman features wall screens that simulate the interior of a train. The menu, crafted by chef Eric Freidline, includes a meat & cheese board, Wagyu pastrami French dip sandwich, cheddar corndog with garlic aiolim and butter croissant beignets for dessert. Cocktails have a train theme, and to really elevate the experience, all the meals are served on fine china.

Catch
Upscale seafood restaurant from Catch Hospitality recently opened in Uptown’s Maple Terrace. This is the eighth location in the U.S. From partners Tillman Fertitta, Mark Birnbaum, and Eugene Remm, the concept is known for its simple seafood menu and Wagyu program. Signature dishes include a lobster and caviar roll, mushroom spaghetti, and Cantonese lobster. They also offer sushi straight from Tokyo, Japan, such as hamachi crudo and truffle sashimi.

Dirty Birds
San Diego sports bar chain made its Texas debut in Plano's Lakeside Market shopping center, serving wings, drafts, and burgers. Wings are the standout item, boasting 37 flavors of bone-in and boneless wings, including apple bourbon chipotle, habanero lime, and teriyaki. They also offer bar snacks, such as crispy fried pickles, chicken tenders, and fried okra. As for beer, they have 16 options on tap, like the Dirty Birds IPA.

Donatos
Ohio pizza chain established in 1963 is now open in Frisco with its famous edge-to-edge pizza toppings. Introducing the brand to Texas are Ohio natives and franchisees Dr. Rico Singleton, Casey Dennis, and Cameron Hopkins. The menu features over a dozen pizzas, including hot honey pepperoni, mariachi beef, four cheese, and hot chicken on a choice of cauliflower or thin crusts. Visitors can start as small as a 7- inch pizza or go up to a 14-inch. Additionally, they offer baked wings, subs, and salads.

Empire Baking Co. - West Village
The former Bisous Bisous Patisserie in Dallas' West Village is now home to the Empire Baking Co., whose owners Robert and Meaders Ozarow took over the lease to expand their presence beyond their Lovers Lane and SMU locations. That means not only Empire's award-winning artisan breads, but grab & go sandwiches, salads, pastries, muffins, and weekly specials, too. They’re also ramping up their coffee menu at this location.

Feng Shui
Uptown Pan-Asian concept from hospitality veterans Fawn Zhao and Alan Ho is the realization of Fawn's vision to offer traditional dishes from three distinct cultures — Chinese, Japanese, and Thai — in a warm setting. The menu includes hamachi, a potato stir fry served cold, Thai-style beef jerky in sriracha sauce, and sushi rolls. A full bar includes sake, champagne, Japanese whisky, and specialty cocktails, and there's an especially robust selection of desserts, from green tea cheesecake to mini doughnuts.

Le PasSage and Rose Cafe
The Terminal at Katy Trail just welcomed two sibling restaurants: Le PasSage is an Asian-inspired concept with Cambodian, Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese dishes, such as green prawns with cashew, Peking duck, and winter squash. Rose Cafe is a French-Asian restaurant with quick bites, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including overnight oats, lemongrass shrimp summer rolls, cucumber-dill cream tea sandwiches, and pork shoulder bao buns.

Old Monk
After 25 years on Henderson Avenue, this revered Irish pub just opened a second location on Davis Street in Oak Cliff, in a brick building that was once F45 fitness. It has the same menu as the original location: fish & chips, mini whiskey cheddar bacon burgers, Guinness beef stew, smoked salmon sandwich, cheese boards, and lots of European and craft beers.

Scarlet Lounge & Kitchen
Deep Ellum concept just opened in the former Truth & Alibi speakeasy space where it's serving Spanish and American fare, such as Spanish risotto, flank steak with chimichurri sauce, and portobello steak until 10 pm, then segueing into a nightclub vibe. Though it's a switch from the speakeasy concept, owner Victor Garcia — a former Truth & Alibi bartender who knows the space inside-out — kept some of the original fittings including the glamorous chandeliers.

Victory Social
New food hall in Dallas' Victory Park from Hospitality Alliance recently opened with six eateries. Some of the featured concepts will ring a bell for anyone who visited AT&T's Discovery District which Hospitality Alliance previously managed, includeing Birdie, Rise & Thyme, Park Bistro, Itza Cocina, D'oro Italiano, and Victory Grill. The food ranges from tacos to in-house pasta to steak frites.

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