| CITY OF ATE | ▼ Dish Revolver Takes Another Turn Regino Rojas is expand- ing his taco empire with a new gastro cantina in Deep Ellum. We re- cently got a first look. BY LAUREN DREWES DANIELS at different tables in the lunchroom. But here’s the thing you need to know about Re- volver Taco Lounge Gastro Cantina owner Gino Rojas: He sits wherever he wants. Rojas’ latest concept recently opened in A Radiator Alley in Deep Ellum near his origi- nal taco spot on Main Street. With this space, he wants to redefine what Americans think of when they hear the word “cantina.” He sees it as dual-purpose, “It’s a place where you can take your family during the day for tacos and go back and get fucked up on margaritas at night.” But here, the menu goes far beyond tacos, and even margaritas for that matter. High- end dishes that are both inventive and au- thentic will, once again, change perceptions of Mexican food in Texas. Take, for example, the delicate cabrito wontons topped with small purple flowers and served on a salsa roja reduction. “It’s a pretty presentation style of Micho- acan birria cabrito,” Rojas says about these botanas, or small plates. “Really, the wonton just serves as a vehicle. I love wontons.” Rojas has blazed a trail in his 10 years in the restaurant business. He’s originally from Michoacán, Mexico, and came to Dallas by way of Chicago. (You can read more about his fascinating journey in an article by José Ralat in Texas Monthly.) Rojas opened Re- volver Taco Lounge in Fort Worth in 2011 with no formal culinary training, then moved it to Deep Ellum in 2017. In 2019 he also opened Purépecha Room by Revolver Taco Lounge (also known as La Resistencia), a reservations-only chef’s tasting room that costs $150 per person. In that time, he’s been nominated for four James Beard Foundation best chef awards. When the pandemic hit, Rojas had to par- tially close Revolver Taco Lounge, using only a side window to fill to-go orders, which is “gastro cantina” may seem an ill-fitting description, like putting a gardening glove on the wrong hand. Typically, gastronomy and cantinas sit still in operation. There’s also a Revolver Taco Lounge in The Exchange food hall at AT&T Discovery District in downtown. This newest concept opened in early June, adjacent to the original taco lounge, and offers an expanded menu, perhaps a meeting in the middle of the taco lounge and the chef’s tasting menu. There are no tables here, rather one long black bar spray- painted with bright colors running the length of the restaurant. Mexican hip-hop plays overhead, while Rojas’ Aunt Teresa, wearing an old-fashioned brown apron trimmed with lace, presses out fresh tortillas at the grill. There are some traditional appetizers, like guacamole served with house-made to- topos (chips) and queso fundido with fresh corn tortillas ($15). But the menu also has elements of Rojas’ love of Japanese food, like a grilled bone-in Japanese hamachi kama (yellow tail collar) with citrus pine- apple pico de gallo, salsa and tortillas ($19). Chilitos rellenos de cochinita come with three Caribbean chiles stuffed with Yu- catan-style cochinita on a bed of black bean puree. Michoacan style enchiladas are stuffed with quail guisado. There’s also a full menu of tacos: carne asada, trompo al pastor, carnitas, pato (duck), lengua (A Bar N Ranch wagyu), red trout, squash and pulpo (octopus). The gastro cantina has spins on classic cocktails too, like an Oaxaqueno Old Fash- ioned made with tequila joven and mezcal. The Mexican Manhattan has a reposado te- quila, Ancho Reyes chile liquor and mole bit- ters (yes, mole bitters). Or have a shot of El Tequileno Reposado Rare ($34 per ounce). If you’ve had your tacos are are ready to get serious about your evening, try a licuache- las, a margarita served in a blender with tradi- tional street vendor-style fruit salad, chamoy, sea salt, chile de arbol and lime ($45). Before hanging up with Rojas after chat- ting, we wished him good luck on his new place to which he spat back, “I don’t need luck. Pendejos need luck. I just need a place to work.” Revolver Taco Lounge Gastro Cantina, 2646 Elm St. (Deep Ellum) 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday - Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday - Saturday. Revolver Taco Lounge Gastro Cantina Lauren Drewes Daniels ▼ OPENING TEXAS WITH A FRENCH TWIST standalone service in the East Dallas area. KEESH, which stands for “Keith’s Epic A East-Side House,” is a Texan-French fusion café that delivers pastries and savory menu items to residents in East Dallas on the weekends. “I live in East Dallas and love this com- munity. So, I want to launch a brand I know people here will appreciate,” said Keith Cedotal, chef and owner of KEESH. “I hope they will taste my Texas roots and interna- tional heritage in what I’m making.” Cedotal grew up in San Antonio and comes from a mixed cultural background. He grew up eating food that was made by his French grandmother and his Mexican grandparents, which inspired him to pursue a career in culinary arts. He got his degree from The Art Institute of Dallas and began working as a pastry chef for some of the city’s best restaurants and venues, including Hotel ZaZa, the Adolphus, Uchi, TopKnot, Billy Can Can and many more. Outside of baking, he was also the open- ing executive chef for Malai Kitchen in 2011, which was named one of 2011’s Best New Restaurants in Dallas by D Magazine. Re- cently, he was recognized as Pastry Chef of the Year by the 2018 Dallas CultureMap Tastemaker Awards. Cedotal is looking forward to seeing where this new venture goes and hopes to showcase it to the whole Dallas area soon. “Eventually, I plan to open a neighbor- hood shop where I can bring Dallas what I’ve learned through all my years as a chef. Until then, I’m bringing it to your door- steps,” Cedotal said. >> p14 NY DELICATESSAN RESTAURANT & BAKERY 5 DFW LOCATIONS CINDISNYDELI.COM 1313 12817 Preston Road, Suite 105 • 972-392-0190 indiapalacedallas.com INTRODUCE YOUR DALLAS FORK TO THE TASTE OF KEESH, A TEXAN-FRENCH FUSION CAFÉ, DELIVERS PASTRIES AND SAVORY MENU ITEMS IN EAST DALLAS ON THE WEEKENDS. BY DANIELLE ZACHARIAH fter serving as a chef in the Dallas area for many years, Keith Cedotal has announced he is starting his first SATIATE chili YOUR HUNGER CHICKEN dallasobserver.com dallasobserver.com | CONTENTS | UNFAIR PARK | SCHUTZE | FEATURE | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | MOVIES | DISH | MUSIC | CLASSIFIED | CLASSIFIED | MUSIC | DISH | CULTURE | UNFAIR PARK | CONTENTS DALLAS OBSERVER DALLAS OBSERVER MONTH XX–MONTH XX, 2014 JULY 7–13, 2022
