It is kind of interesting how restaurant tourists will sing the praises of a particular restaurant just because they have heard someone talk about or read someone's review about how great a particular restaurant is. Take for instance Avila's Mexican Restaurant on Maple. We were eating there a few weeks ago and sat next to a clueless twit who raved continuously about how wonderful the food was. On and on went their drivel, driving me to fury .... so much so that I had a brain aneurysm and I died right their on the spot. I am better now, thanks for asking. There was a time, long ago, before the family schism that Avila was spectacular, but now I would rate it no better than pretty good.
I read the reviews in the Texas Monthly about Cuquita's. One of the 5 best Tex / Mex restaurants IN THE STATE OF TEXAS! So I mosied on in to partake of the culinary excellence described in the article. I don't know where in the hell these people ate, but the Cuquita's that I tried, which oddly enough had exactly the same address, prepared the most disgusting slop that I have had in a long time. Queso Fundito made with microwaved cheese, and a sprinkling of chorizo, served in an attractive plastic bowl. Yum. Huevos rancheros? Flavorless egg with flavorless red stuff on it. Yum. Refried beans ... you can't screw up refried beans, right? 50/50 beans and rancid lard mix. Yum. Carnita's that were obviously pre-cooked and had been sitting so long that they resembled beef jerky, in a red sauce that tasted like the same rancid lard. I have no idea how you could make that flavorless, except for the rotten lard, but they did. Yum. At least the tortillas were hand made. How do I know? Because there were hunks of corn husk mixed in with the maza that had to be picked out with every bite. Yum. Mother Goose people, do your taste buds even work? The food sucks. The service sucks. This place sucks. 
Luna's Tortilla has been selling tortillas and tamales since 1924, and for some reason now, after 85 years, they have decided to open a restaurant next door. We stumbled across them on the first week that they opened and could not have been more surprised. The food is what I pray that I am going to be eating every time I visit a new Tex/Mex, or as they call it, Mex/Tex, restaurant. Queso, in the form that every Texan expects when they order queso. Yellow (hell no it's not cheese, but ain't it good?), salty, gooey goodness. Guiso de Puerco con Calabacitas (a green chile pork stew w/ squash) was so frigging good that I had a big 'O'. Brisket Taco ... O ... O ... O...Oooo's, damn, there I go again. And yes, even the frigging salad was terrific. Look at the carnitas in that photo, damnit now that is the stuff. The hiccups in the service should be gone by now so you should be there right now.Cuquita's Restaurant
13260 Josey Ln,
Farmers Branch, Texas
Luna Restaurant
8524 Harry Hines Boulevard
Dallas, Texas
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