A new family-owned restaurant called My Dream Latin Cuisine is now open in Dallas' Lakewood neighborhood.

Located at 7260 Gaston Ave., it's in the space that most recently belonged to Las Favela, and before that, Andrea’s Italian for over a decade.

The new concept is from Salvador Gamón, who hails from Zacatecas, Mexico, and has lived in Dallas since 1992. Gamón has an extensive hospitality background that spans three decades. He started his career as a dishwasher and later worked as server and kitchen manager in various local restaurants, including Matt’s Rancho Martinez, Mattito’s, Truluck’s, and Hugo’s Invitados.

As the name of this new spot suggests, it was his dream to open his own restaurant, so he partnered with his brother Hugo and niece Ivette Ipina to make it a reality.

Gamón designed a Latin American menu that reflects his cumulative experience at kitchens around the city, and the influence of his family cooking together in Mexico. The result is a diverse food offering with a focus on fresh ingredients. “Quality is first for us,” Gamón says.

Highlights of their menu include chimichurri rib eye, creamy poblano and shrimp spaghetti, chile relleno, and fire-grilled salmon. Entrees range from $16 to $26.

They also serve a variety of dishes Dallas loves, such as tacos, fajitas, quesadillas, empanadas, enchiladas, and soups and salads. They make their corn tortillas in house.

Their homemade desserts include tres leches cake, flan, churros, and cheesecake, for $9 each.

For lunch, they offer a combo special featuring crispy tacos, enchiladas, and tostadas, for $12 for two items and $14 for three items, served with Mexican rice and beans.

In terms of space, the team essentially repurposed the space that Las Favela left behind, with design elements honoring their Mexican heritage in the tables and walls, and a warm and welcoming vibe that makes diners feel right at home.

They have a bar with a soon-to-be issued alcohol license, and plenty of parking space outside. Hours are 10 am-9 pm daily (closed on Tuesday).

While they are still building their clientele, they have earned early positive reviews.

“So far, we have had only happy customers,” Gamón says. “We host a lot of families; we have something for everybody”.