Mex-Mex News

Seasoned chef debuts Mixtitos Kitchen, new fusion spot in East Dallas

The unusual croque monsier sandwich at Mixtitos Kitchen.

Mixtitos

There's a new restaurant in East Dallas that's full of surprises. Called Mixtitos Kitchen, it's from chef Jose Luis Rodriguez, and it just opened at 2706 Samuell Blvd., previously home to La Acapulqueña, which served authentic Mexican food and margaritas in that space for 33 years before closing in December 2021.

At first sight, Mixtitos appears to be a traditional Mexican restaurant, with tacos, ceviche, fajitas, guacamole, and steamed fish.

But the menu is actually a fusion of cuisines that include American, Mexican, and French. The talker: the "Mix Croque Monsieur," a unique rendition of the classic French grilled cheese sandwich.

In place of the usual thinly-sliced ham, they use discada, a traditional preparation from agricultural Northern Mexico with a combination of meats that can include flank steak, bacon, ham, sausage, and/or chorizo, held together in this sandwich by the melted Swiss cheese.

Other unexpected dishes include:

Shrimp bisque: Cream soup with shrimp bites, garnished with cilantro
Schnitzel sandwich: Thinly-sliced breaded tenderloin topped with mozzarella cheese, beans, lettuce, tomato, and onion on toast, served with truffle fries
Japanese Shepherd's pie: Rice Karē (pork in a curry sauce) topped with white rice, pickled onions, and jalapeños, with Saltines on the side
Filet Mignon: 6-oz filet with blue cheese, and a wedge salad
Japanese tempura vegetables
Buffalo wings

It's a departure from La Acapulqueña and new for a neighborhood that is not-quite-yet gentrified.

But the menu reflects Rodriguez' varied experience, including seven years at Charlie Palmer at the Joule Dallas hotel, as well as Bistro 31, Sloane's Corner, Café Brazil, Enrique Tomás, Jalisco Norte, and most recently Perry's Steakhouse.

In January 2022, he broke out on his own, founding an earlier version of Mixtitos Kitchen as a ghost kitchen, where he refined his dishes and got his feet wet before finding the La Acapulqueña spot. It's an inviting, energy-filled space that seats 84, with a vividly colored mural on the wall for Instagram opportunities, and a stage for live music, which they host Wednesday-Friday.

The restaurant has a full-service bar with made-from-scratch cocktails such as the frozen margarita swirl, featuring house-made sangria and garnished with a slice of dried mango dipped in tajin. Prices are low, with entrees averaging $15.

La Acapulqueña had a loyal following after having been in the neighborhood since 1989, and Rodriguez is honoring their memory by doing a few customer favorites — although with his interpretation — including nachos, enchiladas, and oysters on the half shell (La Acapulqueña specialized in Mexican seafood).

"We want to bring some light to this neighborhood that does not have the reputation it deserves," he says.

openings tex-mex

Sushi News

Frisco sushi restaurant Hinoki does a slimmed-down twist on omakase

Thanin Viriyaki

Hinoki

A new sushi restaurant has debuted in Frisco with a mini version of omakase: Called Hinoki, it's open for lunch and dinner at 8050 Preston Rd. #106, in a space previously occupied by another short-lived Asian restaurant called Imura, and is serving seafood both raw and cooked.

Hinoki is from chef Leo Kekoa, who previously worked for the acclaimed Nobu chain and who also owns the popular Kinzo Sushi in north Frisco, which he opened in 2022 to bring omakase to Frisco.

Omakase is the dining experience in which the chef prepares a multi-course tasting menu of small bites made to order, often at a premium price. While omakase has no set number of dishes, it usually ranges from 10 to 20 courses depending on how excessive the chef/restaurant is.

Hinoki offers a six-course menu they describe as omakase for $75. It's a starter version that rotates but usually includes a sushi course, oyster topped with caviar, soup, galbi, and mochi dessert. The restaurant also has a regular a la carte menu featuring sushi, hot items, and composed bentos boxes for lunch.

Hinoki sushi HinokiThanin Viriyaki

"Kinzo is my fine-dining omakase restaurant," Kekoa says. "Hinoki is designed as its more casual counterpart — still rooted in discipline and detail, but more accessible."

Kekoa created the menu but he says it’s a team effort, with two veteran chefs: Chikau "Harry" Kikuchi, who brings 25-plus years of experience to the sushi counter (he and Kekoa worked together at Nobu); and chef Sachiko Hashimoto presiding over the hot line and overseeing the preparation of Hinoki's home-style and regional Japanese dishes.

No sushi restaurant can ignore basics like the spicy tuna roll, California roll, dragon roll, and shrimp tempura roll, but Hinoki also has a few of distinctive rolls such as the Kumo roll with crab, avocado, and chipotle aioli, wrapped in soy paper, which has a pleasing texture that's a little more toothsome than the standard crisp seaweed wrapper.

There are creative bowls as the Sake Dashi, featuring sushi-grade raw salmon, Asian pear, crushed marcona almonds, yuzu shirodashi, and truffle oil; and hot dishes such as miso black cod, teriyaki salmon, and Kushiyaki skewers with chicken thigh, kurobuta sausage, and shishito pepper. Most items average about $20.

Kekoa calls his lunch offering "honest and efficient."

"We’re bringing back the Japanese bento [referring to the cute boxed lunch with compartments for courses], such as our chirashi bento with fish, sushi rolls, and seaweed salad," he says.

Hinoki also has a full bar with sake, wine, beer, and cocktails.

Kekoa lives in Frisco and is bullish on his hometown.

"With Universal Studios on the way and PGA nearby, I believe this city deserves a neighborhood sushi spot done right," he says. "I want Hinoki to bring fine-dining service at a price more people can enjoy."

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