Eats Beat: Mi Cocula fires up Ridglea, and Chuy’s lands in Southlake

Sometimes new restaurants need time.

That’s proved true for Mi Cocula Mexican Grill, new in west Fort Worth.

Three months ago, Mi Cocula (“co-cool-a”) arrived with the great reputation of the Moreno family, former owners of a popular taqueria in Weatherford.

But it’s a big leap from running a taqueria to operating on a full Tex-Mex grill and bar, and Mi Cocula seemed to fall short in service and presentation.

No longer. Now, Mi Cocula has what Ridglea diners want:

▪ Steaks and seafood along with Tex-Mex specialties;

▪ Bargain lunches;

▪ Fresh chips and hot sauce;

▪ And a not-too-sweet rocks margarita that ranks with Fort Worth’s best. (There’s also a mango margarita.)

It’s more Mex than Tex, so the best dishes on the menu are the chiles rellenos (topped with fresh poblano ranchero sauce instead of cheese), authentic dishes such as sopes or gorditas, and the meats such as the chicken tinga or brisket tacos.

The menu tops out with a $22 rib-eye surf-and-turf dinner, but the more interesting steak is a rib-eye with house-made chorizo ($18). A T-bone is $18.

Breakfast is served all day, if you’re in need of huevos “divorciados” (red and green).

For dessert, Mi Cocula one-ups other restaurants with a cinco-leches cake soaked in rum.

Mi Cocula is open for lunch and dinner daily at 6550 Camp Bowie Blvd., at Tex Boulevard (near a Cici’s Pizza), 817-708-2895.

The ‘Elvis’ in Southlake

Southlake is full of new restaurants.

That could be said any week, but there is particular news today.

Chuy’s, the Austin-based Tex-Mex chain known for kitschy decor and an “Elvis” special, is open at 700 N. Carroll Ave. on the corner at Texas 114.

This Chuy’s is decorated with old cameras and clocks along with the traditional beach-hut decor.

Across Southlake, Dotto’s Pies and Fries is the new haven for diners who miss Deb and Steve Zube’s cooking at their former diner in a fitness center.

At Dotto’s, the Zubes have combined their breakfasts and lunches with a pizza-and-pasta menu.

The “pies” are pizzas. The fries are hand-cut.

(Yes, I actually heard a young woman order “a small cheese pizza and an order of fries.”)

Dotto’s is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. (Caution: It’s small, and the Zubes are short on help.)

Look for it at 1125 Davis Blvd., on the corner at Continental Boulevard; 817-749-0224, dottospiesandfries.com.

This story was originally published January 20, 2015 at 11:28 AM with the headline "Eats Beat: Mi Cocula fires up Ridglea, and Chuy’s lands in Southlake."