An inventive new fusion restaurant has debuted in Arlington: It’s the first Texas location of Tikka Bowls and Tacos, a Florida concept that does a fresh fusion of Indian and Mexican cuisines in a fast-casual setting.

The restaurant opened in mid-February in the former Halal Guys space at 4144 S. Cooper St., off I-20 and across from The Parks Mall.

The company was founded in Florida in 2022 by brothers Krupal and Bhavin Patel, and has two locations, in Jacksonville and Saint Johns. The Arlington restaurant is owned by their cousin Neel Patel, who wanted to bring the family-operated franchise to Dallas-Fort Worth.

Patel feels excited to bring the concept to a centralized part of Dallas-Fort Worth, and is also optimistic it will appeal to students at nearby UT-Arlington, which has one of the most diverse student populations in the country, including 32 percent Hispanic and 12 percent Asian students - an audience tailor-made for what Tikka Bowls and Tacos is doing. (UT-Arlington students will get a 10% discount on their orders, he says.)

“There’s so much diversity here, with more ethnicities and more tastebuds,” he says. “We wanted to go ahead and give it a shot here.”

The concept is similar to Chipotle and Cava, featuring customizable bowls and tacos made to order, cafeteria style.

You start with a base of cilantro lime rice or brown rice, then top it with choice of protein (chicken, beef steak, goat, paneer, or plant-based chicken). Both the goat and chicken options are halal, meaning they’re permissible or kosher to Muslim diners.

Toppings include both Mexican and Indian influences: Indian curry, black beans, jalapenos, lettuce, fajita peppers, cheese, pico de gallo, mango salsa, jalapeno, cabbage, lettuce, and sour cream. Pineapple guacamole is available for extra.

Tacos are the same deal, but with choice of naan bread or flour tortilla for the shell. Other build-your-own options include burritos and salads.

The menu also has biryani, a mixed rice dish, plus Indian snack foods like samosa chaat, savory fried pastries filled with potatoes and peas and topped with Mexican or Indian flavors; pizza made with naan bread on the kids menu; and a halal version of chicken wings.

Desserts include the Indian specialty gulab jamun, a sweet, deep-fried pastry dropped in sugar syrup, and a fun fusion twist on churros made with naan bread. Beverages include beer, masala, and cardamom chai tea.

“Indian food and Mexican food have really similar tastes,” Patel says. “They both have a lot of flavors, so why not mix them together?”