A new restaurant opened last week in Preston Center that may become one of my regulars. Labeled as “Tex-Mex with a Santa Fe flair,” Ocho has a great bar, creative food, and a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere that makes you want to come back again and again.
A foodie friend of mine mentioned that something had finally taken the place of the dark, dreary steakhouse next to California Pizza Kitchen in Preston Center. She also mentioned tequila so I knew I had to try it out. Heading south on Preston off Northwest Hwy, I easily slipped into the valet line and was quickly greeted with a smile and welcome. Even the hosts were overfriendly, asking if I would like to eat in the family friendly downstairs or if I wanted to head up to 8bar. My fellow diner had already positioned herself at the bar so I headed upstairs. The giant Warhol-esque portrait of one of the owner’s dogs let me know that this place doesn’t take itself too seriously.
After passing the snakeskin couches and open seating I sidled up to the bar and ordered something tequila-based but not sweet. The Hatch Chile Smoke did not disappoint. With green chile powder, lemon and El Jimador Reposado Tequila, I knew I could drink these all night and be a happy camper. The bartenders were low-key and extremely helpful in telling us all about the restaurant. Being in a town full of snooty mixologists, it is nice to have an easygoing barman who is willing to turn on the baseball game. We also tried the Tijuana Mule, nice but not a ton of flavor, and the Berry Woodie Smash, which was good if you like bourbon or a sweet drink. As someone still paying off my credit card debt due to Restaurant Week, having the drink menu organized by cost made things easy on my wallet. Combined with the late hours — per the website the bar is open “3:00pm to late” — Ocho will certainly attract a younger crowd.
John, our bartender, talked us into the BBQ Duck Quesadillas and the Nachos “Totopos”. The nachos are made in a cleaned-out coffee can that is quickly removed to create a “stacked” nacho. It sounded like a great idea, but by the time the bowl arrived at the table everything had collapsed making it look like a normal plate of nachos. Well, normal if you are used to gourmet nachos. These are not your normal bar food. The nachos include spicy braised pork, serranos, whiskey cheddar and a smooth avocado salsa. The chips are round and sturdy enough to handle the braised pork without having an overbearing corn taste. The pork, black beans and cheese were evenly mixed and could have been eaten with a fork they were so flavorful.
Even better than the nachos, the BBQ duck quesadillas stole the show. Thin, naan-like tortillas were stuffed with jack cheese, poblano chiles and plenty of juicy duck. They were lightly drizzled with crema & lime greens and were so brightly flavored I didn’t even touch the side of pico de gallo. One of the biggest issues I have with restaurant quesadillas is the amount of grease used during the grilling process. The last thing I want is an orange line of grease running down my arms while I try to eat. The quesadillas were lightly toasted with no sign of greasy overcooking in sight.
I will warn you that the portions here are large. We ordered two appetizers with the plan to try multiple courses and were so full we didn’t get to a main course. Luckily, no one was quick to rush us out and we finished watching the Rangers game and sipping on our tequila. While I won’t choose Ocho as my new sports bar, it is great for a mixed group wanting to eat good food, have great conversation and still know what’s going on in Dallas sports. I can’t wait to go back and see how they fare the next few weeks. That area can be hard on restaurants due to the plethora of options and the high rent, but for everyone’s sake I want Ocho to stick around. A
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