Taco News
New taqueria rolls into ex-Velvet Taco space on Dallas' Henderson Ave
Taqueria La Ventana
A Dallas taqueria has opened in a space with taco history: Taqueria La Ventana, the upscale fast-casual taqueria concept, has opened at 3012 N. Henderson Ave., better known as the former location of the original Velvet Taco, at the corner of US 75.
According to spokesperson Chelsie DiPaolo, the restaurant is currently open for to-go and takeout only, with a 50-percent-off pre- opening special for to-go and delivery orders off the website. Full service will come in a few weeks.
Taqueria La Ventana — which translates to "the window" — is a funky, fast-casual taqueria offering everyday, authentic Mexico City street food. It's part of the Local Favorite restaurant group (Meso Maya, El Fenix).
Their menu has more than 10 meat and veggie options to fill tacos: carne asada, lengua, steak, chopped brisket, barbacoa braised beef, shrimp, chicken, marinated pork, shredded pork, and veggies. Tacos run from $2.50 to $3.50, and they serve breakfast tacos — featuring eggs with chorizo, bacon, or potatoes — all day.
They also have quesadillas, burritos, and bowls, and a Mexican salad that runs a cut above basic, with lettuce, mixed greens, avocado, and candied peanuts.
Beverages include beer, margaritas starting at $5.25, and Mexican sodas; plus one dessert of churros with cajeta sauce. They recently won Top Taco in CultureMap's tournament in which 16 Dallas taquerias faced off in a bracket-style competition.
Other locations are in Addison, Cedar Springs, the Dallas Farmers Market, plus the original walk-up location at 1611 McKinney Ave, near the Perot Museum.
"We always like to open in urban, walkable locations that have character and soul," DiPaolo says. (They also like to host popular community events such as a recent Loteria Night with games and prizes.)
The Henderson Avenue location had a number of things going for it, including accessibility from 75 — wherein people can just hop off to grab a taco. And since Velvet Taco was there, people still associate it with tacos. Taqueria La Ventana fit like a glove.
"There's so much development right now in the Knox-Henderson area, we love being part of that, and we feel like it needs to be that last little authentic taqueria hanging out there," she says.
