After a full day of visiting the new Perot Museum, I found myself in the mood for some mouth-watering Mexican food with a frozen margarita on the side. So I started plugging some information into my phone, then glanced up, low and behold do my eyes deceive me, I saw.....El Fenix, one of Dallas oldest Tex-Mex restaurants, considered as iconic as the Texas State Fair.
Just looking at the outside of the restaurant and the authentic feel of the interior decor, I knew I was going to get some good Mexican food. I envisioned someones Abuelita in the back making flour tortillas and slow cooking good traditional Mexican food.
Once I seated, I promptly ordered my Margarita, and received the traditional Mexican appetizer of of chips and salsa. The salsa was good, the flavors danced on the tastebuds, I also enjoyed being able to identify each ingredient used; tomatoes, cilantro, bell peppers, onions and a nice hint of lime. It tasted freshly made. The chips on the other hand lackedluster. Don't get me wrong, they had crunch, but they did not taste fresh, in fact they were not even warm. Upon inquiry, I found that the chips were made off site for all the restaurants. One of my favorite things about a good Mexican restaurant is a baskets of warm, fresh, thin, crispy tortilla chips accompanied by a steamy bowl of fresh salsa.
I decided to order one of their current advertised specials, which was tamales done 3 ways, one with pork, one with chicken and one with beef. Before I go any further, I feel the need to tell you I am some what of a tamale connoisseur. A truly good tamale can stand alone. You can eat it right out of the husk and feel an instant sensation of overwhelming joy. There is no need for sauces, cheese or anything else. Honestly speaking, I can eat a dozen good tamales in one sitting. With that said, I must let you know that I was not impressed by these tamales at all. The masa was dry, the sauces was overpowering to the tamales and the meats were under seasoned. Let us talk about these toppings, one in particular really very was off putting. The chili sauce, frankly, it tasted as if they opened a can of chili, Wolf Brand Chili to be exact, and put some over the tamale. Now, I love Wolf Brand Chili, it the only kind I use on hot dogs for my kids, but it is not what I expected to get at a restaurant.
Over all my high expectations were not met, but there was a silver lining. Near the front check out area there were these little nuggets of deliciousness, pecan praline. That's another thing us Texas gals go crazy for. Some like the soft and chew, I am a fan of the firm crunchy ones. These candies made the trip to this restaurant worth my wild. Matter of fact, I would go there just for the pecan praline candies. I always give second chances, so when I go back, and try something different, I'll be sure to let you know.
Hungraciously Yours,
MiMi J
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