Slow Burn

During the week, I try to bring my lunch, except for Friday. Friday is my special day to venture out of the office and hopefully find a great place for lunch. This Friday, March 5th, around 10:00, I started thinking about what sounded good. I’ll have to admit it was earlier than 10:00 in the morning when I started thinking about lunch, but who can really admit that. So, I started running through some of my standard places, buffets, fast food and the regular local spots. Thinking of some of my favorite place brought me to the hunger for Mexican food. Yes, that can only lead me to try and narrow down to one that I was in the mood for. The sun was shining, the weather was great and it was time to pick a place to eat.

A place that I sometimes forget, suddenly hit me like as if I had just smelled the aroma of a fabulous meal. I stood up and said “La Familia” sounds good today. So, I left with some co-workers and headed down to La Familia.

I’m not sure when they opened but several years ago this restaurant was located in building that used to “super size” their meals. I know what your thinking a Mexican restaurant that used to be in a fast food building. Well, since gaining a reputation as a great restaurant, they were able to move to their current location off of 7th ave and Foch in Fort Worth.

So, in this very unique shopping center, is the home of a great lunch. It’s almost as if they found a place to fit in with, other unassuming retailers. Once you open the doors, you are able to leave your day behind. As soon as you enter the main doors, you are aggressively greeted with a firm handshake and asked how many. It’s a long narrow space, with large photos on the wall as art work; heavy textured walls give this space a very warm feeling. The lighting is a little dimmer, so when you walk in from the outside your eyes adjust to the ambiance of this little gem. Directly on the wall to the right, are three large rolls of butcher paper. They each contain the special of the day and a bell at the end of the paper. The specials are delineated by a letter, A, B and C. Today’s special were as recalled.

A. 3 Pork Tacos, choice of soup, rice and beans.
B. Chicken Flautas, choice of soup, rice and beans.
C. 3 fish tacos, choice of soup, rice and beans.
I would suggest looking these over, before you are seated. Even if it looks like a full house, they are quick to turn a table over. Sometimes, you are walking to the table as it’s being cleared off.

Now back to the specials. They only make so much of each, everyday. I don’t know how they decide, or how they even know where to start. It’s like making a calculated guess everyday. I mean who wants to be left with too many fish tacos at the end of the day?
Here’s what’s interesting, once they are out of one of one of the specials, it over. Like a heavy weight champ being knocked out in the last round. The bell is rung, and the paper with the special on it is torn off the holder and if you just sat down, then I hope you have a back up selection. I’ve been here before when my favorite special was already gone when I got there. Don’t make this mistake, get there early and save yourself the heartbreaking sorrow of finding out that the lunch you have been thinking about all day is not available.
Once you are seated, your drink order is taken and the chips and fresh salsa are delivered with almost the skill of a magician. If you turn your head you’ll miss when they put them on the table. Now, lets move on to the salsa and chips. I’ve heard from a good source that this salsa is made fresh everyday. The simple ingredients make it spectacular. It’s chilled and not runny, almost a thick paste but not quite. After ordering your meal, grilled jalapeno peppers are delivered to the table. I would advise to take it slow. I was able to slice mine and put it on a few chips, slowly watching the heat.

I had made up my mind before entering, what my order would be. I was hoping for the pork tacos, meal A. Let me tell you why I like it so much, if your still reading this, it’s a little late to stop reading. You’ve already invested this much, why now find out why I like the pork taco.

The pork taco’s, are filled with pork, onions, peppers, a special sauce, and a fried slice of jeaolpean. The plate is then garnished with bean, rice and a single piece of bacon. Did you hear me, “BACON”? I’m not sure who thought to include this but they will forever have my respect. Everything taste better with bacon.

The tacos, I will have to warn you are spicy. It’s a slow heat that will catch up to you, just about mid second taco. Don’t worry, drink some water, eat some chips and wipe off your brow. Now that you’ve recovered, dig back in.

I slowly worked my way through the heat and enjoyed the delightful flavor of the spice and the sauce. I haven’t found any other place that has a plate that comes close to this one. Maybe that’s why I like it so much, because it’s not like anything else.

So, next time you are in Fort Worth and are in the mood for some good authentic Mexican food, try out La Familia. Get there early and order one of the specials. If the pork tacos are already gone, then maybe I was already there. Good eating out there stay full my friends, until the next time, that Arthur Eats.

Cooper's Bar-B-Que Fort Worth Texas

Last Friday, a group of my co-workers gathered up to head out to lunch. They asked me if I wanted to join them but I had already made plans for lunch. They mentioned they were heading to a new barbeque place in the Stockyards. I didn't think much of it as they left. When my co-workers returned it was as if they had returned from a pilgrimage to a holy place. They started spouting "That was some of the best BarBque I've ever had". That, my friends, made me stand up and listen. I mean in the heart of Cowtown, those are some mighty strong words to throw around on a Friday afternoon. So, I asked "Where did you go for lunch"? They replied "Cooper's Barbeque". They went on about how the meat was seasoned, how you could order the meat right off a pit and that they offered free beans and bread. Let me repeat that, "free beans and bread" with your meal. I vowed at that moment that I would make my visit on the following week. Now I have been thinking about going to Cooper's all week. I woke up this morning and could almost smell it. Now, it was my turn to find out if this could become one of my favorite places for barbque. So, I headed out on a cold drizzly day down North Main Street. It wasn't hard to miss the large, red barn on the hill just north of Billy Bob's. The parking lot was already packed when I arrived at 11:30. I entered and was immediately greeted by a man working the pits. He was explaining to everyone how you select your meat and then go around the corner. These large barbeque pits are the holding area for the fresh meat. Just in the next room is where all the magic happens with the actual fire pits. I went with the pork chop special, which includes a baked potato. The pit master stabs your choice of meat and then puts it on a red, plastic cafeteria style tray. You can get the meat by the pound, so I added a beef rib to my order. You take your tray around the corner where it's wrapped up, weighed and then they put the price sticker on it. Makes you feel like you're at a meat market ordering up all the meat for the family.Now once you proceed down the line, you can pick up any sides, prepackage or your fix'ins for your baked potato. The last area is the cobbler station, where you can pick up a side of hot cobbler. I was already loaded down so I had to pass.The interior reminds me of the inside of a barn. The décor is very simple, red metal panels, exposed ductwork and large picnic style tables. You feel like you are having lunch with your 200 closest friends. Now after, picking up a bowl of beans, glass of water and a few slices of bread, I found a seat at the end of a table. I unwrapped my pork chop, beef rib and baked potato. I went right after the pork chop. Now I'm used to thin pork chops that I get from the grocery store. This pork chop put all others to shame. At over an inch thick, this might be the thickest pork chop I have ever had. The outside was seasoned with salt and pepper. This is why Cooper's has been elevated above all the other places. The meat is not cooked and drowned in sauce. This allows for the taste of the meat and seasoning to come alive with every bite. The sauce that they do have is vinegar based not sweet seasoned ketchup like many other places. In fact the only ketchup here is in the bottle on the table, not in the sauce. Now I get their motto "It's all about the meat".I sliced away at the mammoth pork chop, the size of my fist, savoring every chew, just thinking how this tasted like I was at a barbeque at a friend's house. The pork chop had flavor that makes your eyes roll back in your head and I couldn't believe it. The beef rib was large and the meat fell off the bone. The baked potato was just what I expected, so no surprise there. Now, here are a few suggestions as you plan your trip. Order the special of the day, adding meat by the pound can add up quickly. My one beef rib was just over four dollars. I even thought it would be fun to go with a few friends, buy a pound of brisket to split. You could then make several sliced beef sandwiches with the free bread and sauce. Be sure to get there before noon. The place was almost full when I arrived at 11:30. Don't be afraid if you see a line out the door. It's worth the drive and worth the wait.I can't think of a better place for Cooper's, it's just across from Billy Bob's, and in the heart of the stockyards. I'm glad to have found an authentic pit barbeque place. I think this place is so good that it could even turn a vegetarian into a carnivore. So, get out of your lunch rut and try "the best" barbeque in Cowtown.