Today's Guy Fieri News
Dallas vegan Mexican restaurant to appear on Diners, Drive-ins & Dives
El Palote
One of Dallas' most innovative restaurants is getting the Guy Fieri bump: El Palote Panaderia, the first completely vegan Mexican in Dallas, at 2537 S. Buckner Blvd., will appear on Food Network in May in an episode of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, the series starring charismatic host Guy Fieri.
The new season began on February 7, but the episode featuring El Palote will air on May 2. It's called “Specialty Spots," and the description is as follows:
"This trip, Guy Fieri's grabbin' unique eats across the South! A Haitian-born uncle-nephew duo is changing the game in Gainesville, Fla., plating finger-lickin’ chicken birria egg rolls with consommé, plus a gangster garlic-parm fried chicken sandwich. In Dallas, there's Mexican gone vegan, knockin' it out of the park with meatless gorditas and tamales with a twist. Then, it's killer comfort in Baton Rouge, La., puttin' their stamp on pot pie, mouthwatering meat pies, and lights-out lemon-blueberry."
Food Network does not divulge the identities of the restaurants that appear on most of its shows in advance; and restaurants that are featured on their shows are not allowed to reveal their participation without approval from Food Network. A representative from El Palote was unavailable for comment.
However, El Palote was one of up to seven Dallas-area restaurants that Fieri and his DD&D crew visited in early December, when they taped segments for future episodes such as this.
El Palote opened in 2016 and has gained national fame for doing vegan versions of recipes that have been in their family for generations. Husband-and-wife Aurelio and Lily Arais switched to a vegan diet when Aurelio began suffering problems with his heart and cholesterol levels, and were joined by their two sons, Aurelio Jr. and Aaron, who help run the restaurant.
El Palote has not not only influenced North Texas' dining scene but was a leader in a national trend of Mexican vegan restaurants.
Their gorditas are made to order, with a masa pocket enclosing refried pinto beans, tofu cheese, lettuce, diced tomato, guacamole sauce, and sour cream; you can add soy if you like. As for their tamales, El Palote makes them by hand, and they currently carry two flavors: Picadillo featuring seasoned vegan meat with diced potatoes, or beans with vegan chorizo.
They do guaraches, sopes, and tacos filled with "chicharrones" made from soy marinated in a dark red chile sauce — caramelized, a little chewy, hard to believe it's not real. You can buy their "meats" by the pound, just like a BBQ place, with options such as fajita meat or chorizo, $16.50 per pound.
El Palote is now the third Dallas-area restaurant with a DDD episode locked in: East Dallas Asian restaurant Hello Dumpling was featured in a show that aired on February 21, and fine-dining restaurant Rye was featured in a show that aired on March 7.
“Triple-D” has been airing on The Food Network since 2006 and has spotlighted at least 1,000 kitchens in all 50 states.
“Specialty Spots” premieres on Friday, May 2 at 8 pm.
