Pappasito's Cantina - Arlington, TX (Dallas)
Refreshing lemonade
Pappasito's Cantina is well known for it's Tex-Mex flare. With a home base in Houston it's no surprise that Pappasito's is known throughout Texas. Although they do have locations in 7 states, I didn't discover Pappasito's - or any of the other Pappas family restaurants - until I moved here. You should stop by Pappasito's next time you have that Tex-Mex itch you want to scratch. You can even try it when traveling through the DFW airport. They have a to-go counter that's really easy to order from and the food is definitely worth a stop.
Mesquite-grilled salmon and cilantro rice
The Prof and I had spent the day at the State Fair of Texas. We wanted something simple for dinner, but still wanted to go on an adventure of course. The Pappasito's in Arlington is very convenient and located right off the main highway. Whether you're at the fair grounds at a Cowboys game or at Six Flags, you can get here quickly and have a good meal.
Homemade tres leches
I had the Atlantic Salmon, which was served with cilantro rice and black beans. The salmon was nicely grilled -- check out those grille marks! It had a nice smokey flavor from the mesquite chips they used. The cilantro rice was a nice side, fluffy and fresh. It was a nice way to take it easy after eating all morning at the Fair.
But of course I couldn't end without having some dessert. I was surprised they didn't serve any flan. I'm trying to figure out why some Mexican restaurants serve flan while others don't. Let me know if you have any insight to that phenomenon. The Prof and I shared a rather tasty alternative when flan isn't on the menu - tres leches. Pappasito's serves a delicious and moist vanilla cake that is soaked in three different kinds of milk. Hence the name. It was topped with a meringue that was also perfectly fluffy and sweet.
Overall I enjoyed my first sit down experience at Pappasito's, when I wasn't on my way from one gate to the next at the DFW airport. The salmon was nicely done and the tres leches was a great way to end the day. I've had their tacos and quesadillas in the airport and it's a nice option in between flights. Visit one near you -- you should also try other Pappas restaurants, like Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen (also at the DFW airport).
