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Next Dallas Apostafest
by noidea 599 Replies latest members meetups
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Sam Beli
Hi Guys,
First, let me admit that I am not a Texas by birth.
With that admission out of the way, I'll give you my 2 cents: Great food is hard to come by in Dallas; there is some at very high prices, but even then it can be disappointing. Below is a very recent review of Pueblo Arriba by the Dallas Morning News found at this site: http://www.guidelive.com/profile/293102
By LAWSON TAITTE / The Dallas Morning News
The folks at this new Tex-Mex spot are obviously trying hard. The greeting is warm. The servers are hardworking and cordial. The owners, who also run
Uptown Bar & Grill nearby, keep adding somewhat more-ambitious menu items.The big red house, on the same block of McKinney Avenue as
Hard Rock Cafe , has a patio out front and a deck on the side, wonderful places to take the air, bask in the neighborhood atmosphere and people-watch. The interior is simple and unpretentious, like a Tex-Mex cafe in a small town, but bright and cheerful. There's even a fair amount of parking out back in a part of town where space is at a premium.Outside or inside, there are plenty of beverage choices. The martinis actually outnumber the margarita variations on the menu.
So far, though, the food is hit-and-miss.
Sometimes it's just a matter of how you order it. The Bandera queso ($2.95 a cup, $4.95 a bowl) blends tomatoes and green chiles with molten cheese light enough in color and flavor that somebody at the table exclaimed, "This doesn't look like Velveeta!"
It was much less appealing, however, when dubbed Queso Feliz, mixed with far-from-greaseless seasoned taco meat and topped with guacamole and pico de gallo ($6.95).
The queso really comes into its glory served as a side with the flautas ($8.50), certainly the best dish sampled here and maybe the best version in town. The five cylinders of chicken rolled in corn tortillas are flash-fried to the optimum crispness. They're light in texture, with just enough dark scorch marks on the outside to remind you how fresh they are (as opposed to those cardboardlike prefab things you find at too many places).
The chicken tortilla soup ($3.50 a cup, $5.50 a bowl) makes a good starter as well. It has an assertive taste, but the picante quotient isn't very high.
The menu also offers lots of salad choices, including a Mexican cobb ($8.95) and a Caesar with grilled shrimp ($9.95).
None of the main dishes we sampled matched the best of the openers, though obvious care had been taken in their preparation. The chile-blackened pescado (a fillet of tilapia on a bed of Mexican rice, $14.95) was probably the best, though nothing but the side dishes identified it as Mexican rather than Cajun.
Carnitas
($10.95) were misnamed. The slices of pork were tender enough, though rather tasteless. But the real item is fried or occasionally broiled to a satisfying crispness; the version here just sits there blandly, topped with a thick, tasteless sauce that purports to have chipotle in it. (You couldn't prove it by us.)A server recommended carne asada ($15.95) over an 8-ounce fillet at the same price. The dish disappointed, overpowered by a spice rub, too chewy and lacking in beefy flavor. The cheese and onion enchiladas were more impressive ($7.95). They had clearly been rolled in fresh, tender corn tortillas. The jack cheese was a nice cheese, but there was so much of it that the taste of the sauce was overwhelmed.
Most entrees come with a nice version of Mexican rice and refried beans whose color suggests that they are made with vegetable oil, and not that much of it, rather than the traditional lard. These days most diners probably prefer this sort of recipe on grounds of health, but there is a penalty in flavor.
The lunch menu gives you a choice of two enchiladas or tacos for $7.25. There are also brunch specials on Saturday and Sunday: Mexican egg and potato dishes served until 4 p.m.
The desserts echoed the rest of the food at Pueblo Arriba, variable, with the best choices of dubious Mexican ancestry. Flan proved grainy, but a chocolate brownie topped with ice cream and caramel sauce ($4.95) was to die for, rich and surprisingly delicate.
Food ? 2 1/2 Stars
Service ? 3 Stars
Atmosphere ? 3 StarsPublished in The Dallas Morning News: 11.07.03
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cruzanheart
Well, it's not EXACTLY within walking distance, unless you're British. I was greatly amused by my English friends the first time they came to visit me, because they were convinced they could walk everywhere. They were also convinced that my basset hound (then the spry age of about 8 years old) could accompany them. I warned them that they'd end up carrying old Dexter home if they went past three blocks, but they didn't listen. He weighed about 70 lbs. back then too . . . . It was quite a sight.
Anyway, don't worry -- we'll have plenty of cars to carry everyone back and forth.
Nina
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Big Tex
Walking distance?
Dr, I can tell you've never been to Dallas.
Everything here is spread out (remember everything is bigger in Texas), so cars are a big deal here. It's not that we don't like walking, but things are usually a few miles apart. From the Bradford, it's a 5-7 minute drive, i.e. 30-45 minute walk uphill all the way (Texas hills mind you, which aren't that big).
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cruzanheart
Thanks for the review, Sam! Good thing we're not eating what they reviewed . . . On my first trip to Pueblo Arriba, I think I tried a fish dish and was underwhelmed. However, the fajitas and traditional Tex Mex offerings are outstanding.
BTW, Uptown Bar & Grill has the BEST hamburgers in Dallas -- unfortunately, they're located across the street from my gym, so as I walk to my workout I can smell that lovely grease on the fire. Very distracting.
Nina
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Big Tex
I'm sure Lawson loves you too O Beloved District Overbeer.
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Valis
*LOL* Big T...shush...
Sincerely,
District Overbeer
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drwtsn32
LOL...well, we don't walk anywhere around here either. Everything is very spread out.
Wow, I really appreciate you guys being willing to drive us to restaurants and stuff.
BTW, are we going to get together and prepare for Sunday's Watchtower study?
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Big Tex
Big T...shush...
Those are the funniest 3 words on this entire thread.