Mex News

Bold new Mexican restaurant-bar from San Diego enters Texas market

That is one fully loaded fajita spread.

Photo courtesy of El Chingon

A bawdy new Mexican concept from San Diego is making its Texas debut: El Chingon, a restaurant, bar, and nightlife hot spot will open in Fort Worth's sorta buzzy West Seventh District. It'll take over a space vacated by Trophy Ranch Bar space, at 2800 Bledsoe St. and will open December 18.

El Chingon made its debut in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter in 2017 with a combination of Mexican food, margaritas, and nightlife in a high-energy atmosphere. A release describes the cuisine as "Bad Ass Mexican," designed to capture the spirit of Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa and his pistoleros.

The concept was first introduced in 2017 by GBOD Hospitality Group in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter. This will be the second location.

Food
Menu highlights include:

elote a la línea, fire roasted corn on the cob wheels coated with cotija cheese, mayo, and Tajín
molcajete bowl filled with grilled skirt steak, grilled chicken breast, grilled shrimp, Chingon guacamole, grilled queso fresco, and Chingon elote
parrillada chingona, a sizzling platter of carnitas, grilled skirt steak, grilled chicken breast, shrimp, pepper and onion fajita mix, with queso fundido and guacamole
chicken, steak ,and shrimp “Bad Ass” fajitas flambéed tableside with tequila, served with rice, beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, chiles toredos, and tortillas
tacos, including birria, al pastor and Jorge’s taco de pescado, battered white fish taco served with shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, Mexican citrus, and chipotle cream.

Cocktails
GBOD's beverage director, Ryan Andrews, has created a menu of handcrafted signature cocktails that include:

Madero with Azuñia Blanco Tequila, house-made watermelon cordial, lime and Tajín rim
Pancho Villa with Olmeca Altos plata, fresh lime, salt, and a choice of Jarritos
TJ 1920 with Olmeca Altos Reposado, Mexican Coca-Cola reduction, R&D cherry apple bitters, and sarsaparilla bitters.

If that's not enough, cocktails can be made "Bad Ass" style, served in a goblet with a Tajín rim, Dulces Tipicos Jabalina Xtreme candy straw, and paleta.

If that's still not enough, there's an oversized shareable cocktail called The Super Bad Ass Madero, made with a bottle of Azuñia Blanco Tequila, house-made watermelon cordial and lime, served in a halved-watermelon with a Tajín, Dulces Tipicos Jabalina Xtreme candy straws, and paletas.

Atmosphere
The 6,065-square-foot space will accommodate approximately 400 guests and combines décor from Mexico, art inspired by Mexican culture, murals commissioned by local artists, and dynamic sound and lighting.

"Instagramable" visuals include:

a pair of 10-foot-high hand-carved Calavera sugar skull doors
Airstream trailer hand-painted by local artist, UNO
graffiti-painted garage doors by local artist, Juan Velazquez.

Custom lighting, state-of-the-art audio, three 100-inch LED walls, and seven 55-inch TVs complete the space, with sound and visuals for late-night entertainment and sports viewing.

Party
The release vows that El Chingon will be a prime party destination, from daytime into the early morning with entertainment offerings, "bad ass" drink packages, and guest DJs.

The lineup includes SUNDIAS, a series of day parties with brunch offerings and cocktails, drink packages, and guest DJs; Forty-Tuesdays, which includes taco and tequila flights, bottle service, and guest DJs. Bottle service! How divine.

GBOD Hospitality Group was founded in 2012 by brothers Raymond and Patrick Davoudi in San Diego with the opening of Mezé Greek Fusion in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter.

Their portfolio of San Diego spots includes Prohibition, an underground speakeasy, and Havana 1920. Fort Worth is their first expansion to a new market.

tex-mex 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