15 April 11 - 17, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Family Business Cuates Kitchen proves the American dream is alive and packed with flavor. BY CHRIS WOLFGANG F or Carlos Rodriguez, the family business has always been the res- taurant business. Rodriguez was born in Veracruz, but his family came to Texas while he was still in school. His mom and aunt worked at the Veracruz Cafe in Oak Cliff, and his father spent time working for David and Jennifer Uygur at Lucia. After graduating high school, Rodriguez worked at a pair of Oak Cliff institutions, starting at Tillman’s before moving to Hattie’s, where he learned the restaurant business firsthand. Then, in 2018, Rodriguez and his twin sister, Carla, impulsively bought a food truck and launched Cuates Kitchen. The food truck built a solid fan base with Mexican fare steeped in the family’s Veracruz roots. Rodriguez had always hoped to turn the truck into a brick-and-mortar location, and in May 2023, the ideal opportunity pre- sented itself when he and Carla took over the former Modest Rogers space on Fair- mount Street in Uptown. “I wanted more of a second-generation restaurant,” Rodriguez said. “I know banks were kind of struggling and not lending money to small businesses after COVID, be- cause we tried and they didn’t want to work with us.” By moving into a building that had been a restaurant before, Cuates Kitchen got up and running without a massive bankroll. The Ro- driguezes expanded the bar area and plan to spruce up the patio, but all the work has been self-funded so far. Hard work seems to be the Rodriguez family forte, and most impres- sively, the quality and care that goes into Cu- ates’ authentic dishes is still on display. We dropped in for a weekday lunch and found a seat at the bar. The interior is bright and airy, with four seats at the bar and an- other six tables against one wall. Simple white shiplap walls are the ideal backdrop to colorful art and greenery, as if you dropped into someone’s comfy living room. Naturally, tequilas are prominent on the drink menu, and a frozen margarita machine whirled quietly at one end of the bar, should your preferences lean frozen instead of on the rocks. A dozen or so beers are available in cans, along with a modest wine selection. We settled on a plate of mole chicken enchi- ladas ($14) after Rodriguez planted the sug- gestion, explaining that the recipe was one of many straight from his mom. Mole has different meanings depending on the part of Mexico it comes from, with mole xiqueño from Veracruz traditionally having a heartier and less sweet flavor. Cu- ates Kitchen’s take is spot on. Tender shred- ded chicken pairs brilliantly with the mole, smooth in texture, with savory and spicy notes dancing on the tongue. With a simple scoop of rice to the side, we quickly plowed through every bite on the plate. On another visit for a late dinner, tacos were calling our name, and Cuates can cure most any craving. Nine filings are available, and you can normally mix and match three to an order for $14 — brisket tacos only are sold three for $18. Cuates Kitchen fully em- braces the American trend of “Taco Tues- day” and knocks three bucks off a plate of mix-and-match tacos every Tuesday. Lucky us for timing our dinner accordingly, leaving only the difficult decision of picking flavors. The carnitas and barbacoa were fantastic choices, each leaning heavily into traditional flavors, and the housemade corn tortillas are gems. Don’t be swayed by the $1.50 up- charge for the fish taco, as the flaky white- fish, smartly battered and fried, topped with a bright slaw, is worth it. We paired our tacos with a bowl of creamy and mild queso blanco and tortilla chips ($7). A small dash of the roja hot sauce kicks up the flavor: tread lightly here. A to- matillo-based verde sauce is a faint whisper compared to the shouts of the roja, and we wished there was some middle ground be- tween the two extremes. Also worthy of mention are Cuates Kitchen’s desserts, an addition to the menu made possible by the bigger kitchen. The flan ($9) speaks perfect Spanish, decadent with a silky texture that justifies the time spent making it. Better still might be Cuates’ take on tres leches cake ($12): a traditional sponge cake gets a glow-up from a berry re- duction, Kahlúa-infused sauce drizzled on top and slivers of lightly macerated straw- berries. You’ll forever be ruined when pre- sented with more basic interpretations. Another perk of the brick-and-mortar is Cuates Kitchen’s brunch service on Sun- days, when traditional brunch favorites star alongside Latin gems. Our plate of chilaqui- les ($13) hit all of its marks, possibly because we upgraded from chicken to a delicious conchinita pibil, a Yucantan-style slow- cooked pork sparkling with citrusy and spicy flavor. More traditional palates may enjoy the French toast ($11). A concha takes the place of traditional bread, and whatever batter magic happens in the kitchen turns out a French toast that’s impossibly light and needs no syrup whatsoever. Cuates Kitchen remains a family affair. Carlos alternates among the roles of waiter, bartender and cook, while Carla spends most of her time in the kitchen, churning out dishes with their mother. The Rodri- guezes’ father also works in the restaurant when not at his day job, and Carlos tells us he forbids his father from quitting his regu- lar job in case the restaurant doesn’t pan out. While we understand the pressure of own- ing and operating your own restaurant, we don’t think Rodriguez needs to worry. While certainly not packed on our visits, Cuates Kitchen seems to be doing a steady business and has quickly established itself as a neigh- borhood favorite. With his parents growing older, Rodriguez mentioned he may switch to takeout only during midweek lunch hours, simply to give him and his family a break. “This spot has been really ideal for us, and we’ve been really blessed,” Rodriguez says of the switch from food truck to full- service restaurant. Blessings may be one thing, but great restaurants require talent and hard work, and Cuates Kitchen shows off both in equal measures. Cuates Kitchen is authentic, accessible and affordable — we spent a total of $125 for four meals across three visits — and proof that the American dream still exists, living right in our own backyard. Cuates Kitchen, 3811 Fairmount St. Tues- day – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. and 5–9 p.m; Friday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Sun- day, 11 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Alison McLean From top left, clockwise: concha French toast, carnitas and barbacoa tacos, tres leches cake, queso blanco and tortilla chips, mole chicken enchiladas. | t Dish 1713 N Market St. - Dallas - TX 214. 468. 4729 Reserve a Table at TheLiamsSteakhouse.com in Dallas’ NOW OPEN
