Get ready Fort Worth because Revolver Taco Lounge is open and they are packing some heat. We’ve all seen the mysterious sign and been intrigued by the name alone over the last few months. Now you can check out this sleek taco lounge for yourself. We got a sneak peak on Friday and learned a little more about the owner and his family.

Gino Rojas and his family work in the firearms industry and moved from Chicago to Texas because hey it’s Texas and we like our guns here. Hence the Revolver name, which in my book is pretty cool – it sounds like the kind of place Samuel Jackson would eat tacos at.

The space conveys a crisp contemporary feel that still invites you to linger. The large wooden bar balances out the sleek white that dominates the space. You can view all the activity on bustling West 7th from the large storefront windows. You will also find lots of action in the kitchen which is on full display. We had fun peeking in on Gino’s family members working diligently to fulfill orders.

Our meal began with a light and refreshing serving of Camarones (Shrimp) in a green sauce. The acid from the sauce of lime and chilies did a nice job of “cooking” the raw shrimp and infusing it with some noticeable heat from the chilies.

To continue with the raw fish dishes the Ceviche de la Casa followed. Marintated marlin was combined with diced tomato, cilantro, onion, and a hint of lime for a refreshing summer appetizer. At this point we began to appreciate the level of spice in the dishes. They packed more heat than we expected but it wasn’t excessive.

Next up had to be one of my favorite dishes and not just for nostalgia’s sake. The Mole Dona Jauna looks exactly like I what I ate at my last big Mexican family get-together off a paper plate. The combination of ingredients that make a great mole is an art form and Revolver hit the bullseye. The subdued, yet smokily spicy, flavors that came through in the mole made it the best I’ve tasted. The chicken itself fell off the bone into melt in your mouth perfection.

Revolver provides you with plenty of handmade corn tortillas that make for a tasty tool to scoop up any leftover mole on the plate. Thanks to the open kitchen you can see Gino’s mom in action making the tortillas in front of you. The corn tortillas were also perfect for slathering on the House Gaucamole. Our table enjoyed the bright yet spice forwardness of the Guacamole.

Next up was a plate of Tostaditos de Atun on a pleasantly crunchy small tostada. The ceviche style topping of marinated tuna mingled nicely with onion, tomato, and cilantro. Small chunks of habanero peppers provided the necessary punch the dish needed.

A dish of hamachi followed. The hamachi provided a sublime bite as it should. Thinly shaved habaneros, tomatillo, and a lime sauce added extra texture and flavor without detracting from the hamachi.

Our table eagerly awaited the taco courses. The Arrachera Tacos did not disappoint. We bit into unbelievably tender skirt steak topped with traditional onion and cilantro. The smoky salsa that accompanied the tacos complemented the taco nicely.

The huitlacoche (Mexican Corn Truffle) tacos also placed as a favorite dish of the evening. If your not familiar with Huitlacoche I’m afraid the description may not entice you. But if you’re adventurous you might just impress your friends with this selection. Huitlacoche comes from a fungus that grows on corn. Wikipedia refers to it as “corn smut” because of it’s sometimes slimy texture. If you can move past that description you’ll find it to be a pleasing taste and texture similar to a mushroom that hits the umami taste buds in your mouth.

Gino pointed out that the huitlacoche was fresh as opposed to canned. The only other place I’ve had fresh huitlacoche is the Huitlacoche Tamal at Lanny’s Alta Cocina Mexicana. Gino did right by this ingredient by simply sauteing it with salsa and topping it with queso fresco.

The Pescado Tacos come with a butterflied whole rainbow trout, a stack of tortillas and salsa. You assemble your own tacos. The flaky fish made for a light taco and the salsa mingled well with the fish.

The Sopitos Dish came with 4 sopitos and pan fried organic chicken. The sopitos are a mole-dipped and fried masa (corn flour) boat that holds a mixture of pork, ground beef, potato, queso fresco, and a sprinkling of shredded lettuce. We loved the nice crunch of the sopitos along with the fiery red salsa that came with it. The organic chicken drumstick once again had that fall off the bone quality. I recommend making a small taco out of the chicken with the handmade corn tortillas topped with salsa.

The Pato (Duck) Tacos delivered another surefire hit. Nicely prepared tender duck came topped with roasted poblanos and onions. After one bite of the duck tacos, I didn’t want to detract from the flavors by smothering them in salsa. I predict these to be a customer favorite.

We saved a tiny bit of room to sample desserts. The delicious flan yielded it’s slight firmness upon cutting into it and had a delicately sweet flavor.

Somehow I neglected to photograph the Tres Leches cake but I can assure you it had a nice presentation and an even better flavor. The Tres Leches cake was spongy and not over-soaked. Better yet it was infused with tequila.

Finally, we sampled bunuelos that came topped with syrup. Bunuelos are crispy fried tortilla-like discs topped with cinnamon and sugar. I prefer mine without the syrup coating but they will surely satisfy many a sweet tooth.

Revolver Taco Lounge infuses a modern touch into the traditional flavors of Puebla and Michoacan. You won’t find Tex Mex here, this is the type of authentic Mexican food common in the small restaurants, street fairs, and households of Mexico. I think they fill a niche in the ever growing taco scene of Fort Worth. Gino has managed to bridge the large gap between food truck and fine dining.

At this time they are BYOB. But they have a nice selection of non-alcoholic drinks including Lemonade and Mexican soft drinks. I strongly recommend the hibiscus water, also called Jamaica (pronounced with an “H” sound instead of the “J”). It has sweet tangy notes that will refresh you on a hot summer evening. If you bring Tequila they can also mix you up a margarita.

Since this was a soft open of course I can’t comment about service, etc. My observations are that everything is made from scratch and family works in the kitchen so don’t expect churn and burn service here. This may affect your wait. As with any restaurant opening anticipate a few kinks in the beginning. Don’t go there if you’re in a rush – it is a lounge after all. Lounge, enjoy a lingering meal of great food, and take in the street views of West 7th.

Revolver Taco Lounge
2822 W. 7th
Fort Worth 76107
Monday – Thursday Dinner 5pm-10pm
Friday-Saturday Dinner 5pm-12am
Closed Sunday
Reservations: 817.820.0122
Facebook: Revolver Taco Lounge
Twitter: Revolvertaco

Paco and John’s Mexican Diner is the unlikely hybrid of French and Mexican culinary traditions housed in a converted gas station.  This nouveau taqueria fills the need for a taqueria that won’t leave you wondering about the fortitude of your intestinal system. Paco and John opened this spring to a receptive lunch following and have included a dinner service recently, much to local foodies delight.

The Vibe
Paco and John embodies a certain chic that lands it way beyond traditional taquerias with a modern and light decor while still maintaining a casual and comfortable feel.  The glass fronted building houses an intimate dining area with about ten tables.  In true taqueria style the kitchen is open and up front.  There are also refrigerator cases that line the wall with drink options if you choose not to BYOB.

The Food
The dinner options demonstrate the brilliant melding of French and Mexican cuisines.  The apertivos include Mexican homestyle favorites such as Queso Fundido which is traditionally served with chorizo and covered in melted cheese.  Seriously, what isn’t delicious covered in melted cheese?  Well how about crabmeat?  There’s a touch of French decadence for you in the crabmeat version of Queso Fundido.  My dinner companions opted to keep things a bit lighter and we settled on the Oysters Fautas.  The beautiful small flautas were crunchy and crispy with tender oysters inside.  The toppings of rich mexican crema, queso fresco, avocado, and lettuce brought extra flavor and texture to the flautas.  The dish was served with a wonderfully addictive tomatillo salsa that gave some nice heat.

The Platos Fuertes (entrees) offer a wide range of options from fajitas to tenderloin to rotisserie roasted chicken.  Vegetarians can choose the Chile Relleno topped with queso fresco.

Paco and John’s Mussels were a deal at $11.95 and I could not pass them up.  A heaping plate of steamed blue mussels arrived at the table.  The tender mussels were seasoned nicely with fresh bites of cilantro and tomato. The dish comes with tortillas that you can use to sop up all the leftover broth.

You’ll find the side dishes that accompany the mussels are a nice surprise.  One side was a Mexican take on ratatouille with the addition of poblano to the traditional zucchini, squash, and tomatoes.  The other was a sublime baked terrine style dish composed of potatoes, sweet potatoes and poblanos, with a crusty cheese top layer.

The Cordonis al Mole Rojo ($12.95) is roasted quail stuffed with rice, champignons (mushrooms if your French is rusty), and jalapeno.  You can choose either a red or green mole to top the quail.  The red mole tastes like a traditional mole but more refined.  The green mole provided an unexpected but welcome consistency with the addition of pine nuts and it was packing some heat.  We opted for the green mole which played nicely with the tender quail.

Risking embarassment at your pronunciation of Huachinango a la Veracruzana ($13.95) is worth it once you dig into your plate of roasted red snapper.  The generously portioned snapper is covered in a luxurious and bright sauce of lime and guajillo chile pepper.  The snapper comes with a side of rice and beans.

This wonderful meal begged for a big finish with desert.  We could not decide between the Flan and the Coconut Pie so we got both.  The well prepared flan was covered in a sweet syrup and accented with three Maria’s cookies.  The Coconut Pie was luscious in both appearance and taste.

Paco and John’s is BYOB.  We picked up some Dos Equis at a convenience store on the way and fortunately it paired well with our food choices.  There is no corkage fee but they do charge $1 for use of their wine glasses, unless you’re willing to save a couple of bucks and drink from the bottle.

Overall
Paco and John’s dinner offerings infuse Mexican dishes with French panache and French dishes with Mexican bravado.  Whether you are looking for Buen Provecho or Bon Appetit this chic little spot deserves many return visits and I look forward to more tasty surprises.  If you’re looking for an easy-going spot for a first date or just want a creative dinner that doesn’t break the bank, Paco and John’s is the spot.  It can be tough to secure a table at lunch but the dinner service is less crowded.

Eat This
Oysters Flautas or a Fundido for starters. Paco and John’s Mussels (when available) and The Cordonis al Mole Verde mix up flavor expectations in a good way.

Hours
Monday – Friday
Breakfast 7:30AM – 10:30AM
Lunch 11AM – 2:30PM
Dinner 5:30PM – 9:30PM
Saturday Brunch 10AM – 2PM

Paco and John’s Mexican Diner
1116 8th Avenue
Fort Worth
(817) 810-0032

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