Eats Beat: Chalios’ molcajete bowls over diners in Texas

Everybody knows where to find Tex-Mex.

Chalios Mexican Restaurant serves Cal-Mex. It’s so popular, the south Fort Worth location is doubling in size.

“People are coming here from L.A. and bringing these crazy food trends,” said Jose Luis. He chose Fort Worth to expand Chalios from the east Los Angeles flagship on South Atlantic Boulevard.

“We get people from all over Texas coming here for the birria, the coctel, the molcajete,” he said.

In L.A., Chalios originally became known for its birria, a spicy goat stew prasied by Anthony Bourdain.

But the Texas locations sell more molcajete mixto, a coastal Mexico mixture of beef, chicken, chorizo and maybe shrimp or avocado, all cooked with cactus, peppers and onions in the lava-stone bowl called a molcajete.

It’s served sizzling and spicy, with giant, fresh corn tortillas and extra jalapeños on request.

Just call it fajitas for grown-ups.

The East Seminary Drive restaurant is doubling in size from its original space (a former IHOP) to 9,000 square feet with seating for more than 250.

“Business in Texas is great,” Luis said without hesitation.

He chose Fort Worth specifically to be next to La Gran Plaza, he said.

Chalios opens at 8 a.m. daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and serves until about midnight weekends; 308 E. Seminary Drive, 817 927-2400, facebook.com/ChalioMexicanRestaurants.

A smaller location is at 2020 N. Main St., 817-740-0465.

The same family owns Bad Azz Burrito, a California-style shop serving regular or “wet” burritos (with green sauce) and specializing in 3-pound and 11-pound burritos and carne-asada fries.

It’s at 1200 S. Blue Mound Road, 817-847-5511, facebook.com/BadAzzSaginaw, or 3300 Western Center Blvd., 817-847-4411.

Neiman’s for Mom

OK, if you don’t have Mother’s Day plans yet, take Mom shopping.

The Zodiac at Neiman Marcus in west Fort Worth will open at noon and serve a rare Sunday lunch.

The special holiday menu features French-cut roast chicken, heirloom-tomatoes salad, white asparagus soup and Valrhona chocolate cake.

The Zodiac also will serve its regular lunch menu at regular prices; 2100 Green Oaks Road in Ridgmar (just inside the Green Oaks Road door), 817-738-3581, neimanmarcus.com.

(Can’t wait to see the new Zodiac in the store at Clearfork.)

More for Mom

The Del Frisco’s Grille locations will open early, at 10 a.m., and serve moms a complimentary lemon jar cake.

It now serves prime rib at all times, and try the brunch chicken and waffle; 154 E. Third St., 817-887-9900, or 1200 E. Southlake Blvd., 817-410-3777, delfriscosgrille.com.

If you’re out to impress Mom with money, the brunch at Fearing’s in the Ritz Carlton Dallas is $115.

But it might be more fun at Fire Oak Grill in Weatherford, serving brunch, $45, featuring short-rib eggs Benedict, rack of lamb or trout and a strawberry shortcake dessert; 114 Austin Ave., 817-598-0400, fireoakgrill.com.

This story was originally published May 3, 2016 at 11:57 AM with the headline "Eats Beat: Chalios’ molcajete bowls over diners in Texas."