Cheap Date with Hub Part 1 – Fuel City Tacos

You know how it is when you don’t want to spend a bunch of money, but you just can’t stand staying around the house?  Hubbard is a great guy to have around on days like that.  I’ve been resisting going to Fuel City for tacos because, well, I just don’t like the idea of going to eat at a gas station.  Hub assured me we would not be eating at the actual truck stop.  So, I decided to let him introduce me to what he thinks are sublime tacos.

He ordered the Barbacoa, Beef Fajita, Pastor and Picadillo, two of each.  Then we drove to a spot just into Oak Cliff that has been set up to view the progress of the building of the new Calatrava bridge.  I couldn’t actually see any progress.  That’s an old bridge in the picture.  But, it did give us a place to sit down and eat our tacos.

We had two trays of tacos.  Honestly, I’m not sure that I could tell one from the other.  The flavor was very rich in all four varieties.  Maybe I tasted a little cinnamon in the Barbacoa – if that was the Barbacoa that I was eating.  Anyway, they were all good.  You can choose corn or flour tortillas.  We had the corn for all of them.  The tortillas were nice and tender, while being substantial enough to hold up to the grease that comes with these suckers.  Some were greasiers than others, if I could have only been able to to tell which was which.  Again, all good.  All similiar.  Maybe we should have gotten something with chicken just to mix it up a little.  I think I liked the Barbacoa the best.  I think.

We did get the corn.  The cup of corn is liken to elotes, not on the cob, but layered with crema, butter, hot sauce, cheese, etc.  This stuff was good and now I’m dying to recreate it at home (with real butter, not the squirt kind).  In fact, I bought a few ears of corn today.

Will I be going back to Fuel City?  I’m sure I will.  Maybe not once or twice a week, like Hubbard does.  But, when the urge for tacos hits me this might be the place to go.  Especially if I want to save a dime.   The eight tacos and the cup of corn only cost us about $13.  What a deal.  I was stuffed when we finished.

Next up… Jack’s Backyard.

Desperados for Lunch

After seeing the Dallas Morning News Best Tex-Mex article in the Guide, Hubbard realized there was only one restaurant on the list in Dallas that he had not visited.  Our lunch choice was clear.  Desperados has been in the same spot on Greenville Avenue for over 30 years.  We have lived within a 15 minute drive of Desperados for the last 20 years.  Don’t ask me why we never ate there.  Maybe it’s the hokey name.  Let’s just say we were remiss for skipping it.

They have a cute little patio with a shaded area and a view of the parking lot.  We sat inside.  As you walk in the door, on the right, there’s a narrow room with three booths.  We called it the “grown-up” room.  The ceiling is high in this area and it’s nicely decorated.  Doesn’t really lend itself to highchairs.  Perfect for us.  In general, the restaurant is very kid friendly. 

We were barely seated before the chips and salsa arrived.  Always a good sign.  We started with a couple of “La Margaritas”.  I’ve never had a margarita in a parfait glass before.  But, it sure beat a rootbeer float.  Hubbard mentioned that the color of the drink was a good indication that it actually contained some tequila.  Very tasty.  In fact, it’s one of those margaritas that you shouldn’t drink if you’re particularly thirsty or it will be gone in a heartbeat.  We munched on some Queso Bandito while we waited for our meal.  The queso itself was a little bland, almost needing salt.  Thankfully, the taco meat and pico de gallo on top made it into something interesting.  I don’t think I’d order the queso without the “Bandito”. 

I chose the chile relleno.  I’ve done this for years.  The first time I visit a Mexican restaurant I’m very likely to try the relleno.  I never order beef because it’s almost always ground beef.  Desperados only offers a beef relleno.  Theirs is shredded beef.  Big difference.  The relleno consist of the shredded brisket, raisins and toasted almond slivers, topped with ranchero sauce and melted jack cheese.  Very good. 

Hub had their signature Desperado Tacos.  The menu claims this is the most ordered dish on the menu since 1976.  They fry flour tortillas into taco shells and stuff them with, in this case, beef fajita meat, pico and a slice of avocado on top of the filling.  Hubbard loved them.  He said, “If this is what you were craving, Desperados would be the only place to come”.  The unusual fried flour tortilla taco shell held together perfectly, unlike a lot of corn tortilla shells.  The meat was tender and flavorful. 

Desperados also serves breakfast on the weekend from 11:00 to 3:00.  I bet we’ll be going back for that soon.  Overall, I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the food.  The service was efficient and friendly.  Funny how a little gem can be right there in front of you for twenty years before you go and check it out.  Thanks for the heads up, DMNews!