15 September 4–10, 2025 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents I n 1981, when former Mansion owner Caroline Rose Hunt asked chef Dean Fearing to recreate a tortilla soup recipe she had in San Antonio the day prior, he couldn’t have anticipated it would subtly transform his classic French training and establish him as the godfather of Southwestern cui- sine. At the time, Fearing and another chef in the Mansion kitchen, John Eschenfelder, led the charge for French fine-dining in Dallas. After Hunt’s request, they spent weeks testing recipes and ingredients to make the perfect tortilla soup, which Fearing says then involved a lot of Kraft yel- low cheese. One day, Eschefelder arrived at the kitchen early, and when Fearing arrived, Eschefelder told him he’d perfected it. Fearing tried it and agreed: it was perfect. They added it to the menu that night, and it was an in- stant success. Five years after making that soup, Fearing started leaning into Southwestern cuisine. He was in Dallas, he thought, so why not celebrate the flavors of the re- gion with a French technique? One humble bowl of soup helped launch Southwestern cuisine. Years later, when Fearing broke away to open his eponymous restaurant, Fearing’s, the soup came with him, although over the years he’s dressed up this recipe (he now uses white cheese). To this day, it’s served at both res- taurants. For a dish to be iconic, it has to represent a particular time or serve as a symbol for something else. And even while Dal- las is still trying to find its foothold in its own gastronomic landscape — apart from Tex-Mex and barbecue — these are the longstanding dishes that are more than a meal, rather a story. Tortilla Soup Fearing’s, 2121 McKinney Ave. Fearing’s silky, Southwestern soup is famously imitated but has never been duplicated. Since 1981, smoked chicken, rad- ish, cabbage, jalapeño, white cheddar cheese and crispy tor- tilla strips have waited patiently at the bottom of a ceramic soup bowl for a server to pour the soup atop them gener- ously, and that’s the way Dean’s famous soup has been served since its conception. Would anyone believe the origi- nal recipe called for Kraft yellow cheese and boiled chicken? Dallas, 40 years ago? Yes. Dallas now? That’s jail time. The tortilla soup is made in 60-gallon batches that typically last around 4-5 days, and for some of his diners, that soup could be its own one-item menu, and they’d still come in just to eat it. Brisket Tacos Mia’s Tex-Mex Restaurant, 4334 Lemmon Ave. It should have been foreshadowing when Mia’s owner, Ana, nicknamed Mama Mia, made Jerry Jones wait an hour to eat in her restaurant. On that day in 1989, Jerry Jones, as the new owner of the Dallas Cowboys, met with Jimmy Johnson, who would re- place Tom Landry as the new head coach for America’s team. But we’re not here to reminisce about football deals, rather one of the most fa- mous dishes in Dallas. Two toasted flour tortillas are side-by-side stuffed with Monterey Jack cheese, sautéed onions, poblano peppers and brisket bathed in its own gravy; framing them are refried beans, rice and a shred- ded lettuce salad. The famous brisket tacos started as a Wednesday-only off-menu item. As diners lined up for them, guaranteeing they sold out, they made their way onto the menu permanently and now serve as one’s gate- way into the rest of Mia’s beloved Tex-Mex cuisine. Chocolate Glob Dessert Parigi, 3311 Oak Lawn Ave. Call it an undercooked brownie, a monstrous runny glob or underbaked. Call it whatever you want. The Chocolate Glob from Parigi is an enduring dessert that an entire demo- graphic of Dallas has sworn an oath to since 1984. Here, an 8-inch-square baking dish is stuffed with magic (basically brownie ingredients) and tucked into the 350-degree oven for 15-20 minutes until the edges are cake-like and the mid- dle is gooey. This ritual has been repeated in Parigi’s oven over 160,000 times over the last 40 years. Get it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you’ll understand the universe. Swiss Madrisa Cake Henk’s European Deli & Black Forest Bakery, 5811 Blackwell St. If one dessert could single-handedly unite the city of Dal- las, it would be the Swiss Madrisa cake, which has been the focal point of local graduations, birthdays, anniversa- ries and other celebrations since the early 1960s. Sales of this layered, whipped cream-covered sponge cake with a glossy crown of fresh fruit and a belt of sliced almonds have in- creased exponentially over the years, with no set demographic and no viral moment that catapulted it to fame. Any family with a memory of this cake has no idea how it ended up at each celebra- tion year after year. It’s just always been there. The owners previously told us they sell over 30,000 cakes every year. Henk’s may be a hub for traditional German meals and goods, but in the process, it has woven its way into the city’s fabric. Al is o n M cL e an | CITY OF ATE | t Dish Alison McLean Big D’s Defining Dishes Some meals, desserts and drinks have won a sacred place in the city. Here are our 10 favorite icons. BY AAREN PRODY >> p16 Alison McLean Chef Dean Fearing has been making his tortilla soup since 1981. Fearing’s silky Southwestern tortilla soup. Henk’s Swiss Madrisa Cake
