A new Tex-Mex restaurant south of I-20 fires up the poblano flavor
After 18 years in Fort Worth, it was about time Cancun Mexican Restaurant opened a second location.
The Pina family picked a back-road location — Everman Parkway — but it’s every bit as inviting as their original location on Camp Bowie Boulevard West.
On a visit this week, Cancun served standout Tex-Mex under trying circumstances.
It was 109 degrees outside, but cool inside the shopping-center location 2 miles east of Interstate 35W.
Sunday brunch was over, and the restaurant was empty. Four TVs were poised and ready for Cowboys-season viewing.
Yet a basic chile relleno combination plate ($12.25) proved to be some of the best Tex-Mex south of Loop 820.
The relleno was a large poblano, stuffed with cheese and lightly battered, with a mild ranchero sauce. The platter also included an above-average cheese enchilada in chili sauce, chicken enchilada in green sauce and a crispy taco.
Cancun’s table salsa is mild, but order the hotter molcajete sauce. Cancun also offers the full molcajete dinner in a steaming hot bowl.
Cancun’s signature dishes are the shrimp cocktail, seafood, bacon-wrapped shrimp and flautas.
There’s also a distinctive “Popeye enchiladas” platter of spinach enchiladas in poblano cream sauce ($9.75), along with a grilled chicken breast in poblano ($13.25).
Cancun also serves creamy poblano soup, seldom seen in Texas restaurants ($4.25-$7.50).
“Enchiladas gringas” are made with chicken or beef in flour tortillas and topped with queso ($10.95).
Brunch is served weekends along with the lunch specials. The Cancun in west Fort Worth is also known for the brunch migas, chilaquiles and huevos rancheros (all $7.75).
Both Cancun restaurants also open early for the working-lunch crowd.
The new Cancun is open from 10:30 a.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. weekends for brunch through dinner at 1809 Everman Parkway; 817-708-2878. (It’s BYOB for now.)
The original location is open daily from 10:30 a.m. weekdays for lunch, 10 a.m. weekends for brunch through dinner at 7419 Camp Bowie Blvd. West, 817-696-8810, cancunrestaurant.net or facebook.com/juanpinahfw.
More reasons to visit Dutch’s
The new Dutch’s Hamburgers bar is open, and now Dutch’s is an all-around burger cafe and sports grill.
The bar replaces a neighboring shop, and now Dutch’s has expanded across four spaces and an upstairs patio along the “drag” near Texas Christian University.
Dutch’s, a former DFW.com Burger Battle winner, also added a better women’s restroom, more parking and a takeout counter.
Tuesday is still half-price burger night, Wednesday half-price hot dogs.
Dutch’s is open for lunch and dinner daily at 3009 S. University Drive; 817-927-5522, dutchshamburgers.com.
Chop House out, Guy Fieri in
Another former Burger Battle finalist has gone by the wayside.
Chop House Burgers & Wings, founded in Arlington and one of the first stops for Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives” show, has changed owners and closed. (Don’t confuse it with Chop House Burger in Fort Worth and Euless, or Mercury Chophouse. They’re different.)
Chop House Burgers & Wings’ landlord changed the locks Thursday in Pantego. The new owners had remodeled the kitchen, reopened briefly then closed.
Chef Kenny Mills of Dallas opened Chop House and put Arlington on the map for the “Ten Pepper Burger,” but sold it and now works in Dallas. Fieri’s show visited in 2011, along with other Arlington standbys such as Prince Lebanese and Taste of Europe.
Ironically, Fieri is about to open a new Guy Fieri’s Taco Joint restaurant Aug. 9 in the new Texas Live! shops at 1650 E. Randol Mill Road.
This story was originally published July 23, 2018 at 12:01 AM.