You actually have 13 more days, not 12, to try this year’s competitors for “Arlington’s Favorite Taco,” but who’s counting? (Me. I’m always counting.) If you try one a day — and skip Sunday, as the Lord intended — you could try all the entries for the Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau’s third annual Save the Tacos event before voting ends on Mon, Sep 30. These dozen restaurants are serving limited-time specialty tacos for your consideration.
Boiling Tails (816 N Collins St, Arlington, 817-261-5798) offers Fiesta Fusion Shrimp Tacos, hand-battered and served on a bed of fresh elote slaw, topped with avocado and cotija cheese and drizzled with Valentina.
Courtesy Tom’s Burgers & Grill
Cut & Bourbon (1600 E Randol Mill Rd, Arlington, 682-277-4950) is competing with The Hunter Taco, a chile-espresso-rubbed South Texas antelope served with crispy Texas fungus mushrooms, fresh jicama, and serrano-pineapple salsa on a blue corn tortilla.
Grounds & Gold (4130 S Bowen Rd, Arlington, 682-252-4633) is serving the El Jefe, a short rib taco paired with sliced avocado, pickled Fresno peppers, chipotle-agave glaze, and cilantro crema on a flour tortilla.
If there were a prize for the best name, the Jamaican Me Crazy Taco at M’Jay’s House of Smoke (4261 Green Oaks Blvd, Ste 502, Arlington, 817-572-1600) would be in the running. It includes sautéed shrimp marinated in jerk spices and lime juice, topped with cabbage slaw and mango pico de gallo in a flour tortilla.
Papaya Mexican Grill (100 W Pioneer Pkwy, Ste 158, Arlington, 682-238-3073) is presenting the Champiqueso Taco: steak, sausage, grilled onions, bell peppers, poblano peppers, and mushrooms, all served in a cheese-crusted corn tortilla, topped with cilantro.
My theory is that every culture has tacos because everyone makes a flatbread of one kind or another. Prince Lebanese Grill (502 W Randol Mill Rd, Arlington, 817-469-1811) is proving me right. Their entry for the contest — and another creative name — is the What the Falafel, featuring crispy fried falafel on a bed of red cabbage slaw, topped with Lebanese salad, tahini sauce, and chile sauce. It’s on a flour tortilla, but it would be even better on (or in) their own pitas.
Speaking of clever names, He’s Just a Po Boy is the featured taco at R Bar and Grill inside the Hilton Hotel (2401 E Lamar Blvd, Arlington, 817-640-4711). Fried shrimp comes with a creamy Cajun remoulade, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and sliced jalapeños on a toasted flour tortilla.
The Celestial Pork Belly Taco at Rocketbelly in Center Street Court (100 W Pioneer Pkwy, Ste 156, Arlington, 817-617-2001) is made with Adobo-inspired pork belly and sautéed onions on bone marrow-fried rice. It is topped with golden cotija cheese, adobo crisps, and fried shallots, all in a blue corn tortilla.
Tic-Taco Restaurant in Park Row Village (715 W Park Row Dr, Arlington, 817-617-2980) is going with a more traditional street-style taco. The House Special includes barbacoa beef, cheese, onions, and cilantro in a double layer of corn tortillas. The double layering is handy for making an extra taco from the goodies that fall out. Isn’t that how we all like to roll?
TJ’s Catfish & Wings & BBQ (4261 Green Oaks Blvd, Ste 506, Arlington, 817-572-1600) presents the Chicken of Wall Street, a tender breaded in-house and tossed in homemade Buffalo sauce, topped with cheese and pico de gallo, and served in a street taco-sized tortilla with a side of salsa.
At Tom’s Burgers & Grill (1530 N Cooper St, Arlington, 817-459-9000), the featured taco is the Baja Shrimp with Mango Salsa, seasoned and breaded shrimp served in a toasted flour tortilla topped with red cabbage slaw, diced red onion, chunky avocado, cilantro, mango salsa, feta cheese, garlic citrus aioli, and a squeeze of lime.
Zack’s Bistro (900 E Copeland Rd, Ste 150, Arlington, 682-323-8789) has a question for you: “Wanna taco ’bout it?” Fried fish is topped with pickled slaw, onions, the chef’s special Baja sauce, and cilantro, then lovingly served.
The winner will be announced on National Taco Day (Fri, Oct 4), and the first 50 customers at the winning restaurant will each receive a free taco to celebrate. For more info, visit Arlington.org and search by #SavetheTacos.
Photo by Elaine Wilder.
