Cuellars At It Again

Dallas’ most famous Tex-Mex family plans latest restaurant in Plano

The Cuellar family, which owns El Corazon Vintage Tex-Mex in Oak Cliff, is opening Fajita Ranch in Plano in June.

Photo by Teresa Gubbins

The citizens of Plano will soon get to enjoy the time-tested Tex-Mex cuisine of the legendary Cuellar family, with the opening of Cuellar's Fajita Ranch. The new restaurant is set to debut at US 75 and Parker Road in June.

The restaurant will be an offshoot of El Corazon Vintage Tex-Mex, the family's restaurant in Oak Cliff, but with a little extra this and that, says John Cuellar, who is opening Fajita Ranch with his cousin, Gilbert.

"The menu is going to be a lot of the best-sellers from El Corazon, plus some new dishes," Cuellar says. "We want to make sure we have the dishes people want — crispy tacos, chicken enchiladas with sour cream sauce, chocolate flan cake — but also add some items."

The Cuellar family has served vintage Tex-Mex with a Texas accent at the corner of Beckley and Davis since 1955. They also opened the first El Chico on Oak Lawn near Lemmon Avenue, and it went on to become a national chain. They sold the franchise in 1968.

Fajita Ranch will have a full bar with trademark margaritas, and it will initially be open for dinner, then lunch, with prototypical lunch specials. Gilbert is overseeing a renovation of the space, with handsome wood fixtures and a classic Texas theme. The restaurant is going into what was most recently the Hangout. Prior to that, it was a Duke's Roadhouse, as well as a Hoffbrau Steaks.

"The space has had nine lives," Cuellar says. "Gilbert had been searching for good sites. He's a little younger than I am, and his goal has always been to open more locations."

Cuellar says that El Corazon has found its footing, despite the ongoing construction in Oak Cliff right now. "We have construction on three sides of that restaurant," he says. "But people seem to enjoy the obstacle course. You may remember that our family has been in that space for 61 years, first as El Chico, then Tejano.

"Gilbert has fine-tuned El Corazon to where it's doing extremely well. It really kicked in big time for us in 2014. He wants to grow gradually, organically — but with our desire to add more menu items, we thought it was best to give Fajita Ranch a different name. It'll be the best of Oak Cliff and more."

openings

Hummus News

Revered family-owned Mediterranean restaurant debuts in North Dallas

Samantha Marie Photography

Zon Zon food spread

An upscale Mediterranean restaurant is coming to North Dallas from a trusted name: Called Zon Zon, it'll open at 5455 Belt Line Rd. #130, in the Work/Shop center, and it's from hospitality group Yela Concepts, led by Yaser Khalaf (Darna, Baboush), together with his son Mak Khalef in their first collaboration.

According to a release, it'll open on December 22.

Named for Mak's sister Zaina (“Zon Zon”), the restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner with a refined take on Mediterranean dining, rooted in tradition but with modern influences.

"We tried to merge what embodies Mediterranean cuisine with dishes that people in Dallas love," Mak says. "A lot of the dishes we have on menu are Mediterranean but have American and Texan influences."

Mezze favorites include hummus topped with green shatta and extra-virgin olive oil; baba ghanoush with charred eggplant, tahini, dukka, and pomegranate; crispy cauliflower with saffron labneh; tuna neya with tahini, mixed pickles, and Aleppo pepper; and kibbeh with ground lamb, onions, pine nuts, and dill labneh.

Salads include seared tuna salad with freekeh and golden beets; Tahini Caesar with tahini–Caesar dressing and za’atar croutons; and roasted beets with burrata, oranges, and pistachios.

Entrées include roasted chicken with garlic-batata and pomegranate jus; chicken shish kebab over saffron rice with almonds and raisins; hanger steak shawarma frites — a clever twist on steak frites with hand-cut fries; ZZ’s Wagyu cheeseburger with smoked provolone and house pickles; Prime ribeye with za’atar chimichurri and heirloom carrots; and apricot lamb couscous.

The beverage program complements the menu with a Mediterranean-focused wine list and creative cocktails such as the coffee-kissed Midnight Istanbul and ZZ’s Margarita, with burnt pineapple and ras el hanout.

Designed in collaboration with Dallas-based Coeval Studios, the restaurant features a 2,130-square-foot interior with an expansive 735-square-foot patio that seats 76, for a total occupancy near 100.

The restaurant boasts an open kitchen, while decorative finishes include modern woodwork, rich textures, and Middle Eastern-inspired details — stylish yet inviting, with a setting that feels like home.

“The inspiration behind Zon Zon came from wanting to create the kind of place we’ve always wished existed — a neighborhood Mediterranean spot that feels both familiar and exciting," says Yaser in a statement. "We wanted to create a comfortable space where guests can meet up with friends or neighbors on a regular basis."

Mak went to college to study biomedical engineering, but says he couldn't resist the lure of the restaurant world in which he grew up.

"Zon Zon is a reflection of everything we love about food," Mak says. "What makes this especially meaningful is building it with my dad — bringing our family’s story and passion to the table."

openings