Hey, Bud: The search for the hottest salsa ends on North Main Street

Hey, Bud! We need your advice, please. Who has the spiciest salsa? My friend and I are obsessed with chips and salsa and we're on a mission. So far we aren't too impressed.

— John S.,

Fort Worth

Los Asaderos, 1535 N. Main St., is usually the recommendation. The spice varies based on the fresh peppers available, but it's usually a compelling salsa that goes well with the green chicken enchiladas or fajitas. (Some restaurants like Meso Maya and Mi Cocina have hotter salsas on request.)

Hey, Bud! Another restaurant closed. Does it seem like only barbecue and Tex-Mex restaurants are safe long-term bets?

— Mark,

Fort Worth

And catfish. Fried-catfish restaurants stay forever and close when the owners retire. Barbecue works great, but only in a location with a lunch crowd, and restaurants like Heim have raised patrons' expectations. Tex-Mex restaurants are popular, but patrons want prices kept low. There's a market for a clever, chef-driven restaurant with craft cocktails, but it had better be good.

Hey, Bud! Any chance you know the old recipe for Carlson's burger sauce?

— John T.,

Fort Worth

Carlson's Drive Inn, the 1950s-'60s burger hangout of Fort Worth memory, was known for its distinctive "bakon-burger." It was a bacon cheeseburger with lettuce (no tomato or onion) and a sauce that was a secret mix of Thousand Island dressing with relish and — maybe hickory sauce? The beef patties had been marinated overnight, giving the burger a smoky bacon flavor.

This story was originally published July 11, 2018 at 8:12 AM.