Paco’s in Fort Worth adds something new: a fruit and smoothies dessert bar next door
.jpg "The new Islas Tropicales next to Paco’s Mexican Cuisine will serve fruit, smoothies, mangonadas and aguas frescas.")
One of Fort Worth’s most genuine Mexican restaurants has added tropical treats.
Paco’s Mexican Cuisine, already home to a flashy new margarita bar, is adding Islas Tropicales, a shop serving fruits with Tajin, smoothies, mangonadas, paletas and desserts next door at 1500 W. Magnolia Ave.
Along with a new Paco’s Sunday brunch that begins this weekend, Islas Tropicales completes the conversion of small, chef-driven Paco’s into a major dining anchor on Magnolia near Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center.
If you’re looking for birria tacos with a chef’s touch, birria ramen, molcajete, bone-marrow tacos and adventurous margaritas, Paco’s is the place.
.jpg "IslasTrop2 (1).jpg")
Yes, the menu also includes salads, nachos, quesadillas, poblano-queso soup and your basic enchiladas and tacos, but with a chef’s touch.
If you don’t know the story, for years Francisco Islas worked nights serving French fine dining at Saint-Émilion Restaurant, then got up early to serve interior-Mexico and Yucatecano breakfasts and lunches in an Eighth Avenue gas station when the restaurant was named Paco & John’s.
Now, son “Paco” Islas is bringing Paco’s into the next generation, and Francisco is running the new frutas-and-mangonadas dessert shop next door.
Paco Islas said last fall the restaurant was navigating its way through the pandemic, thanks in part to huge orders of Christmas tamales and a curbside takeout menu that includes $39.95 fajita or taco family dinners for six..
I’ve always said the best place to eat Mexican food in Fort Worth is the 1500 block of North Main Street.
(Just walk from Los Alamos to Nuevo León, browse the menus at Los Asaderos and La Playa Maya, and pick any of several restaurants known for flavor and style.)
But the 1400 and 1500 blocks of Magnolia are a growing Mexican food destination, with a taqueria across the street (Salsa Limón) and a giant menu of Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes in the next block at 40-year landmark Benito’s Mexican Cuisine.
To celebrate the first Sunday brunch — it’s already served Saturdays — the Islas family will welcome artist Juan Velázquez to paint a wall mural of artist Frida Kahlo.
Paco’s is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner Tuesdays through Saturdays, dinner Mondays and brunch Sundays; 1508 W. Magnolia Ave., 817-759-9110, facebook.com/pacoscuisine.
This story was originally published January 19, 2021 at 5:45 AM.
