Tex-Mex News

Family restaurant gives East Dallas sweet twist on Tex-Mex

Fajitas are now being served in East Dallas.

Photo courtesy of El Cantante

A sweet family-run restaurant with roots in Terrell has opened in East Dallas with Tex-Mex and a little something extra. El Cantante Cocina Mexicana is open at 4314 Live Oak St. with fajitas, combo plates, and an amazing cake business on the side.

The restaurant is in the location previously occupied by Muddy Waters, the dive bar that closed in 2015. Their clean bright re-do, with a pale gray exterior and no-nonsense interior, has managed to erase any trace.

Juan Gonzales and his family previously had a restaurant of the same name in Terrell before they decamped for Dallas. They started out doing steaks and pastas, before reverting to a good, basic Tex Mex lineup with fajitas, burritos, enchiladas, and a beautiful chicken mole.

"Our most popular dish is probably the La Condesa plate, with beef and chicken enchiladas, a crispy taco, a tamale, rice, and beans," says Alicia Gonzales, Juan's daughter. "We're more like a family restaurant that happens to serve Tex-Mex. We have good prices."

Their chile relleno is thoughtfully done, enrobed in its fluffy, eggy coat and topped with green tomatillo sauce. One dish is named after Alicia's mother: The Maria's Wrap has a tortilla enclosing chicken, ranch dressing, and chopped lettuce. "It's like a salad inside a tortilla," Alicia says.

They're open for lunch and dinner, with a BYOB policy for now; they hope to acquire a liquor license in early fall.

One thing about El Cantante that's not like the other Tex-Mex places in town is their amazing cakes, which they do for catering and other events. These are showpiece creations with multiple layers and the kind of elaborate iced designs you see on cooking competition TV shows.

"My mom's cousin Carlos Leon used to work at a bakery," Alicia says. "They're just starting the cake business. So for now, every time someone comes and wants to host a party of 14 guests or more, we include a free cake. We hope people will see it and want to come back for the cakes."

Quonset Hut News

Familiar names take over Quonset hut for new Far-Out Dallas bar

Yelp

Wriggly Tin is now Far-Out Dallas

There's a new Dallas restaurant and bar coming to everyone's favorite Quonset hut: Called Far-Out, it'll take over the space at 1906 E. Haskell Ave. in East Dallas that was previously home to Wriggly Tin, with a grand opening slated for 2025.

Founders Caroline and James Lee are calling it Far-Out & La Hermana Cerveceria and promise that a culinary adventure awaits.

"After months of creative brainstorming and a bit of furniture rearranging, we are thrilled to announce an exciting new pioneering concept that will open its doors in 2025," the duo says. "Introducing Far-Out & La Hermana Cerveceria, a dynamic new restaurant and brewery born from the collaboration of industry veterans."

The team includes some beloved East Dallas names:

Marc Cassel of The Green Room and 20 Feet Seafood Joint
Christopher Jeffers of Bolsa and Smoke
Stephanie Houston, the trailblazing first Latina Production distillery owner in America

Also joining the team is Bar Director Adam Mercado, whose resume includes stints at Billy Can Can and Brass Ram.

Marcado will crafting a unique beverage program, with support from mixologist Brian McCullough. Together, they will create what the founders call "unforgettable drink experiences to complement our delicious culinary offerings."

Wriggly Tin opened in November 2023 as an ultra-hip pizza and craft beer spot inside a renovated Quonset hut near Dallas' Fair Park — a former Cajun fried turkey place which they gave doting makeover with custom plaster walls and art objects from around the world. They replaced one whole side of the hut with glass for sunsets and created a spacious outdoor patio in front.

They earned two nomination in CultureMap's 2024 Tastemaker Awards, one for Best Bar and another for Best Patio.

Alas, the original founders, who'd previously owned Small Brewpub in Oak Cliff, parted ways shortly after it opened. And the bar closed down in September 2024, for what they called "internal changes."

Now the hut is back: The new Far-Out bar is already up and running a few days a week. In the coming days, they will offer updates and sneak peeks as they gear up for the opening of their kitchen.

openings