15 February 6 - 12, 2025 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents T&A in Downtown Carrollton New restaurant takes over a familiar spot. BY HANK VAUGHN T here’s a spot in old downtown Carrollton, right next to Cane Rosso, that has multiple personalities. Decades ago, when I was in high school, it was a car mechanic shop; before that, a gas station. Over the intervening years, it has morphed into several types of businesses, most recently Monkey King Noodle and then a Cow Tipping Creamery location. We noticed it has risen yet again from the ashes when we were visiting Everything Madeleine for sweet treats last fall. Enter a new Tex-Mex restaurant called Tacos & Avocados … or rather Mex-Tex, as this place likes to be called. A somewhat generic name playfully abbreviated to “T & A” on the neon sign outside. Let’s assume they’re Stones fans. Tacos & Avocados is from longtime Dallas restaurateur Bob Gregg, who owns Jakes Burgers. (He also owns Floyd’s 99 Barbershops.) The restaurant opened in November, putting its mark on the location with bright colors, landscaping and an inviting outdoor patio that we were unable to enjoy due to a recent arctic blast. That’s OK; the interior is cozy as well. There is alcohol to be had, from a dozen or so tequilas, a handful of mezcal varieties and a bunch of bottled and canned beer, including non-alcoholic Shiner Rodeo. There are several house cocktails such as a spiced horchata and a Jalisco Breeze. The mandatory frozen margarita is served up in a blue salt-rimmed glass, which we enjoyed while munching on chips and salsa. Starters include avocado hummus, blistered shishito peppers, elotes and different types of queso. We went with the loaded variety that includes chorizo and cilantro. It arrived like Baby Bear, not too big, not too little, not too bland nor too spicy. Main selections include tacos (pastor, brisket, vegan), bowls (brisket poblano, shrimp cocktail, vegan), burritos, soups and salads. We ordered quesabirria tacos and a fried avocado bowl. The birria tacos came three to an order, served in corn tortillas topped with jack cheese, grilled in consommé and filled with tender slow-cooked beef birria. They’re served with rice and beans and a side of the consommé for dipping. We’d heard that you should ask for them spicy, which we did; the spice level was a bit less than we were expecting. Still, the flavor was there: they were not bland, just not off-the-charts spicy. The fried avocado bowl came with two breaded and fried avocado halves filled with carnitas, queso and tomatillo salsa, all topped with pico de gallo and pickled carrot atop a bed of shredded lettuce. It was light and packed a hefty protein punch that didn’t leave us overly full. Dessert options include margarita pie, which appears to be their take on Key lime pie, and house-made popsicles in seasonal flavors. Those will have to wait for the dog days of summer. Hopefully, Tacos & Avocados will make this site work. It’s a welcome addition to historic downtown Carrollton. 1309 S. Broadway St, Carrollton. Tuesday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. ▼ FIRST LOOK YOU’RE GOLDEN THEY CALL HER QUEEN ESTHER AT GOLD SPOON. BY MIGUEL M. VARGAS O n the surface, Gold Spoon is decep- tively ordinary. It’s a Korean restau- rant on Old Denton Road just minutes away from the center of Carrollton’s “Koreatown,” which surrounds H-Mart. Far from the sprawling Korean BBQ restaurants that are popping up in the surrounding neighborhoods, there’s nothing extravagant about the restaurant’s exterior or interior. It sits in a basic, square building with a simple logo featuring a golden spoon. With relatively few, tightly packed tables, the interior looks almost like a standard neighborhood diner, except this one has dimmer lights than we expected. Nevertheless, despite having no stand-up bar to order from, there’s something about the place that pulls you in and makes you want to have a drink. Maybe it’s the dim lights. Maybe it’s the inviting and fun personality of our server, who playfully referred to herself as “Queen Esther.”More likely, however, it’s the packed tables of people drinking with friends, loved ones or colleagues. Despite boasting what Esther jokingly calls the “best water in town,” it seems like Gold Spoon’s visitors don’t shy away from beer, soju or one of the other traditional Korean alcoholic drinks, like baekseju, bokbunja or makgeolli. Gold Spoon’s menu pairs remarkably well with the alcohol. Dishes like bulgogi, crispy Korean pancakes, hot pot, dumplings and short ribs exit the kitchen with haste. Big plates encourage sharing. The more the merrier it seems. This past go-around, our large group en- joyed the Napa cabbage with boiled pork, braised pigs’ feet and stir-fried brisket— all of which, we should add, offer a beautiful ratio of tender meat and delicious fat. We also indulged in a seafood hot pot, kimchi stew with pork, stir-fried squid and the seafood- chive pancake. We recommend each of them. Some of Gold Spoon’s dishes are generously seasoned with chili peppers or chili paste, fish flavors, garlic and sesame. Others, such as the boiled pork, are lighter in flavor, which makes them perfect candidates to pair with the other stars of the show: the sides. As soon as you place your order, Gold Spoon delivers a wide array of sides, especially pickled and spicy vegetables. In our opinion, most of these sides are of higher quality than those being served at many other major Korean spots in town. Some of them can be particularly spicy depending on the day. If things get too spicy, you can always chase it with beer or soju. We cannot promise that alcohol will release the pain, but you’ll somehow feel better anyway. If Gold Spoon’s remarkable Google ratings aren’t enough to get you there (5/5 in almost 1,000 reviews), then put it down on your list as a good spot for a meet-up with close friends, a casual dinner with those relatives who enjoy a good drink or a fun date night. No matter your reason or company, expect a joyous welcome and laugh- | CITY OF ATE | ▼ Dish Hank Vaughn This space has been many things. Now it’s great for tacos and a marg. Miguel Vargas The seafood hot pot, like everything else here, is for sharing. >> p16
