AGAINST THE TEX-MEX TIDE

EMILIO’S MEXICAN KITCHEN PROVIDES THE TASTES AND FLAVORS OF MEXICO

Story by ARIEL WALLACE | Photography by KATHY TRAN

VERACRUZ CAFE in Bishop Arts was Emilio Marta’s first experience owning a restaurant. For 17 years, he co-owned it with two other people.

Then he decided he was ready to go out on his own.

Marta sold his shares and began working to create Emilio’s Mexican Kitchen, which opened in 2019.

He knew that he wanted something truly authentic to his culture and upbringing.

“I wanted to do something different. Something that’s real,” Marta says. “There’s not a lot of authentic, real authentic Mexican food here. Most restaurants in this area are Tex-Mex.”

The food at Emilio’s Mexican Kitchen is heavily influenced by his home - town of Veracruz, Mexico.

A couple of Marta’s favorite dishes are the mole poblano and asado de puerco.

Mole means “sauce” in Spanish. The mole poblano is Oaxaca-style, served on top of grilled chicken and served with rice and beans.

“It reminds me of home,” Marta says.

The asado de puerco is cubed pork cooked on ancho chili and dry chipotle sauce served with rice and beans.

Another favorite on the menu is the carne asada, which includes a grilled sirloin and one chicken enchilada with green sauce. Chicken and steak fajitas are served with flour or corn tortillas, guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo and cheese. Fish tacos are made with grilled fish, lettuce, tomato, avocado and queso fresco.

“That’s what it means to be authentic. It’s more than just the mole and asada,” Marta says. “All the flavors — the beans, the rice, the sauce, the spices — are Mexican. That is real.”

Emilio’s offers drinks that complement every meal.

Margaritas are flavored with peach, mango, strawberry, passion fruit, raspberry, sangria, tamarind and orange. There’s also a Coronarita — a margarita combined with Corona beer — and of course the house margarita, served frozen or on the rocks.

Inside Emilio’s, the walls are decorated with large, abstract paintings created by Marta’s friend and local artist Manuel Padilla. Padilla owns an art gallery in Dallas and was responsible for the interior design of the restaurant.

Zato Thai Cuisine & Sushi Bar offers you traditional Thai cuisine and fantastic sushi prepared by our expert chef with over 10 years of experience. Come experience our great traditional Thai dishes and sushi. We welcome you to enjoy our delicious cuisine and make unforgettable memories.

Emilio’s has a staff of 12-15 employees, and Marta cooks, washes dishes and serves whenever he needs to.

Marta loves being a restaurant owner in Lake Highlands. He says that the customers are like no other.

“I love this area because of the customers. They are so friendly and so nice,” Marta says. “They make my job a bit easier.”

In the future, Marta hopes to open more restaurants around the Dallas area. Although he is working toward this goal, he knows that it will take some time.

“Those are just plans,” Marta says. “For now, I want people to come here and enjoy real Mexican food.”

Emilio’s Mexican Kitchen, 6243 Retail Road, emiliosmexican. com, 972.685.2108