Tex-Mex News

Chef-driven Tex Mex favorite to open in downtown Dallas' East Quarter

Tex-Mex done Muchacho style.

Courtesy photo

Downtown Dallas gets a new restaurant featuring a chef's take on Tex-Mex: Muchacho, the Mexican concept from local chef Omar Flores, will open in East Quarter, the downtown development from Todd Interests.

According to a release, Muchacho will open at 2110 Jackson St. at the corner of Cesar Chavez Boulevard in the 300 Pearl building in early 2023.

Flores, who's been nominated twice for a James Beard Award and who won a CultureMap Dallas Tastemaker Award for Best Chef, founded Muchacho in 2019.

"Growing up in El Paso exposed me to great, authentic Mexican food," he said at the time. "While there isn't a shortage of Tex-Mex restaurants in Dallas, we are striving to bring a unique restaurant that is better than the rest."

He opened the first location in Preston Center in 2019, then followed that up in 2021 with a location in Southlake, where he also has a branch of his fried chicken concept Whistle Britches.

Muchacho in East Quarter will be the third DFW location.

The menu adds a modern flair to both Texan and regional Mexican cuisine. There are enchilada dinners and chef's versions of combo plates such as the Combo # Juan, with a beef picadillo taco, cheeses enchilada, chicken al carbon rolled taco, rice, and refried beans.

Tacos are varied and intriguing, from rolled tacos with redfish or fried shrimp to hard-shell tacos with spiced beef picadillo to a veggie taco with fried cauliflower and pepitas. Flautas come with choice of brisket or pulled chicken.

There's a big assortment of fajitas, including steak, pork belly, shrimp, chicken, or portobello mushrooms, and a whole bunch of fun appetizers such as nachos, brisket sopes, picadillo empanadas, and tuna taquitos.

A separate brunch menu features favorites such as chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, and tacos with chorizo, potato, & egg. Margaritas come in eight varieties with all sorts of exotic ingredients such as Nixta corn liquor, Amaras Verde mezcal, tamarind, and prickly pear puree.

Muchacho will join three other restaurants in the East Quarter, all from chef Nick Badovinus: National Anthem, which is already open, plus two more opening this fall, called Brass Ram and Pop Top.

"With the addition of Muchacho alongside National Anthem, East Quarter has solidified itself as a premier culinary neighborhood in Dallas," says Todd Interests managing partner Patrick Todd in a statement. "Muchacho is a fun and lively eatery that executes at the highest level."

tex-mex

Deli News

Gourmet market Ari's Pantry to open in Dallas' Trinity Groves

Ari's Pantry

undefined

A new gourmet grocery is coming to Trinity Groves: Ari's Pantry, the market launched in Oak Cliff by husband-and-wife Ari and Amy Lowenstein, will open a second location in West Dallas’ Trinity Groves, with a grand opening celebration on Saturday, November 30.

Located at 3011 Gulden Ln. #119 in the space that was once home to Potato Flats who remembers them, the Trinity Groves store will offer: pasta, olive oil, vinegars, preserves, candy, bread, crackers, cheese, meats, pizza dough, fresh pasta, housewares, cocktail ingredients, novelty kitchen gadgets, spices, prepared foods, fresh pesto and Ari’s own tomato sauce.

“We are excited to open our newest location at Trinity Groves joining the great businesses already there and the wave of new ventures opening in the development,” Ari Lowenstein says in a release. “With this location we will reach a new audience in West Dallas and be closer to our customers coming from downtown and the north.”

The couple opened their first location in Winnetka Heights at 1307 ½ W. Davis St. in December 2023 to fulfill Ari's passion for all things Italy. The idea was a small Italian food store with recipe-ready staples, with a hyper-local vibe. It has since blossomed into a general-purpose gourmet stop.

In addition to the food staples for sale found at their Bishop Arts location, Ari’s Trinity Groves location will also include a commercial catering kitchen that will enable them to provide full-service catering, prepared meal pick-up, pasta classes, and private dinners.

“Amy and Ari bring something new and special to this development as our first partner to offer consumer packaged goods made by people and companies outside of Trinity Groves,” said Sam Romano, Partner at West Dallas Investments, parent company of Trinity Groves. “They are part of the vision we have for the future of Trinity Groves that will combine innovative, up and coming chefs and restauranteurs with lifestyle and entertainment options like pickleball, bocce ball, popup events, arcade game play and additional retail partners.”

The Ari's empire doesn't stop here: Their goal is to open multiple locations "in all corners of DFW and beyond," and that includes a location in the Cyprus Waters community in Coppell, slated to open in spring 2025.

downtown openings