Photography by Lauren Allen
Nestled at the intersection of Ross and Hall, the hidden cantón Bocado feels like Mexico City.
“We want it to be authentic,” says Bocado co-owner Jesus Almazan. “That’s the main thing … we want to stay away from Tex-Mex, we don’t have anything against Tex-Mex restaurants … we [just] want to be an authentic Mexican restaurant.”
The year was 2022 and Almazan and Humberto Novoa were scavenging through Mexico for the ideal restaurant and bar embodying authentic cuisines, tasty drinks and good vibes to bring to Dallas.
They searched everywhere: Monterrey, Mexico City, Guadalajara, San Luis Potosi, Puebla and Tulum. But none of the places aligned with the duo’s vision.
Novoa, CEO of a Mexican record label, envisioned something bigger, a place frequented by artists, and those who didn’t feel exclusive to be in their vicinity.
So Novoa had an idea.
“Why don’t we just make our own restaurant, and treat everybody like an artist?”
With a clear plan in mind, the duo set out to find a location for their new restaurant concept in Dallas.
Their search led them to Dahlia. Its modern hacienda style was the exact place they had been searching for, Almazan says.
Bocado solidified its fate when the owners took over Dahlia’s LLC. And within 29 days of Dahlia’s closure in December, Bocado opened for a sneak peek Dec. 30.
Drawing inspiration from recent travels and childhood memories living in Mexico, Bocado’s menu has a tapas-style approach, featuring small shareable plates of seafood and tacos such as sashimi shlomo, filete bañado, black sea bass and esquite fuego.
And for those wondering, Bocado is continuing Dahlia’s brunch legacy on Sundays with a female-led mariachi band underway.
Bocado’s Sunday brunch includes traditional staples such as chilaquiles verdes, burritos de huevo con chorizo, huevos divorciados and tortita ahogada.
The eclectic cocktail menu pays homage to Mexican culture through names, flavors and liquors. Crafted by Guillermo Trejo, also known as G, and Olando Orozco, who goes by Chino, they share that each cocktail tells a story.
For example, the Chocolate Abuelita martini, mixed with Milagro Reposado tequila, Baileys, Chocolate Abuelita and piloncillo syrup served in a small stainless milk barrel, similar to the way people bought milk in Mexico in the early ’90s.
“When it comes to the story behind the drink, I want you to have that cocktail [and] it needs to remind you of your grandma’s house when you were little drinking a Chocolate Abuelita,” he says.
Another signature cocktail, the paloma negra, consists of Casamigos silver with a mystery recipe inspired by a popular song often performed by mariachi bands in Mexico.
The restaurant encourages people to stay awhile and explore their next-door speakeasy, Alcatraz, which features club music, black booths, neon lights and interactive mirrors of old celebrities.
“When you come in here, I want [you] to feel like you’re in one of those cool restaurants and bars in Mexico City,” Alamazan says.
Since opening, the business has had consistent VIP tables in its speakeasy, daily reservations in its dining room and crowds of all ages flocking to the restaurant for drinks, Instagram content and food.
With Bocado staying busy, the company decided to expand its business and open a second location in downtown Fort Worth; the new restaurant is slated to open at the end of this year.
“I don’t want people to feel like they’re still in Dallas, I want them to feel like they’re in Mexico when they come experience this [place]. I want it to feel like [they’re] somewhere else, that’s my vision,” Alamazan says.
Bocado is open Thursday 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday through Saturday 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Bocado, 3300 Ross Avenue, 369.670.7807
