Restaurant Review: Tejano’s

Not much on my list of childhood favorites withstand the test of time. Tejano’s, that big, beautiful Tex-Mex joint on Davis, is one of the rare exceptions. Sure, I have an appreciated adult taste for sushi bars, vegan diners and veal Frito pies, but I also have a soft spot for taco specials, enchilada plates, and free chips and salsa.

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Just to make sure I wouldn’t write too biased a review for one of my favorite restaurants, I took along a friend from North Dallas who had never eaten there. The first thing he noticed was the huge circular dining room and wrought iron chandelier hanging above rows of red plastic booths. A big, stained-glass window depicting Spanish ships and Mexican Indians is lit up on one side of the wall, and photos of Marylin Monroe Elvis Presley hang on another.

My friend and I decided to order from the lunch menu and he settles on enchiladas sonoras and a small, 99 cent frozen margarita that might remind one in taste and appearances of a Slurpee. After eating here for years, I find something on the menud I’ve never ordered, a mini chimichanga. I pick it based on the sides, because as my friend pointed out, it’s the sides that matter with Tex-Mex. If the main falls short, I know I can make do with guacomole, queso, salsa, rice and beans.

The enchiladas come with shredded beef and red ranchero sauce with sour cream and rice and beans. It’s yummy, simple, and filled my friend up fast, which is good because once it got cold, the rest wasn’t so appetizing. My mini deep-friend burrito came with a cheese sauce reminiscent of Kraft and a texture that can only be described as “velvety.” It was crunchy, tasty, cheesy—basically comfort (or childhood) on a plate. It kept me full for the rest of the day, which is also good because I would hate to count the calories on that plate.

All together, the whole tab—two lunches, two small margaritas, flan and tip—was under $25. If it’s cheap, hot, fast and tasty you’re looking for when you’re entertaining in Oak Cliff, then look for the big red white and blue sign at the south west corner of Beckley and Davis.