The motto of the Mexican state of Jalisco translates to “Jalisco is Mexico.” Among other things, Jalisco claims that mariachis, the sombrero, and tequila all originated in the west coast Mexican state. It’s no surprise that a restaurant called La Antojeria Jalisco would be full of delicious, unadulterated Mexican cuisine.
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La Antojeria Jalisco
2720 Pearl Av, FW. 682-708-3505. 10am-6pm Sun, 10am-9pm Mon-Tue,10am-9 pm Thu, 10am-10pm Fri-Sat.
All major credit cards accepted.
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The menu, divided into entrées and a la carte items, is in Spanish with English subtitles. Even so, there were words my gringo lunch companion and I had to look up on Google. The entrée list included tortas and the Hamburguesa Vallarta: shrimp with tomatoes, onion, and a peach and strawberry vinaigrette on a torta bun, served with chips.
The salsa was some of the spiciest I’ve ever tried, and I had to ask what the white chunks in the center were –– turns out, they were cubes of cheese.
Based on our server’s recommendation, we ordered the alambres: corn tortillas topped with sliced sirloin steak, bacon, green peppers, a little melted cheese, and avocado. The beef was exceptionally tender, and the marinade had a subtle heat to it. The dish came with a side of flaming red chile paste that was piquant but not absolutely necessary and lime wedges, which made for a nice pop of flavor that balanced the richness of the avocado and cheese.
La Antojeria Jalisco offers a selection of a la carte breakfast tacos along with standard corn tortillas filled with tripe, chorizo, chicarron, and (perhaps in a nod to norteamericano palates) fajita meat. The fajita taco came with a little bit of sautéed peppers and caramelized onions. The meat was well seasoned, and, for less than $2, it was probably as tasty as anything from Salsa Limón or Velvet Taco.
Bírria, a spicy stew, is one of the state of Jalisco’s signature dishes, and, like menudo, it’s apparently useful on Sunday after a weekend bender. Antojeria Jalisco’s version is pulled beef, and you can order it on its own or in a taco. The bírria taco came with a fried outer shell and a plain tortilla inner shell to hold in all the liquid. The package wasn’t successful at completely keeping the rich, chile-laden sauce from dribbling out. The shredded beef was silken, and the sauce was flavorful without singeing the taste buds.
Like the tacos, the quesadillas come with your choice of meat. The cheese quesadilla with fajita meat was cooked perfectly. The outside of the large flour tortilla was nicely caramelized, while the cheese inside was ridiculously melty –– almost like a commercial for a grilled cheese sandwich.
Be sure to save room for the crepa dulce. The place’s signature dessert item comes made to order. (It will take a minute.) The sweet pancake was stuffed with strawberries and bananas and topped with vanilla ice cream and a homemade cajeta caramel sauce. The creamy sweet caramel was absolutely plate-licking good. If you want more, you can buy a jar of house-made cajeta deliciousness at the register.
La Antojeria Jalisco has agua frescas made with real fruit juice but no alcohol. If you bring your own beer, they’ll make you a michelada cocktail. On weekends, you’ll find pozole and other goodies that aren’t on the regular menu. The restaurant has been open for a little more than six months, and its out-of-the-way location, past the main drag on the North Side, makes the place a bit hard to find. It’s worth seeking out, though, because the food’s fresh and the service is pleasant.
[box_info]La Antojeria Jalisco
Alambres $9.25
Birria taco $2.15
Quesadilla $5.25
Fajita taco $1.95
Crepes $5.95[/box_info]
