A Tribute to the Enduring Allure of Casa Navarro

Often things familiar and comforting get taken for granted for always being there and never disappointing. Casa Navarro, a little Tex-Mex place in North Dallas at Marsh and Forest lanes is one such place. We’ve been going there for years, two or three times a year reflexively, without much thought or analysis. It’s seemingly been there forever, founded by family members of the old El Taxco, which opened in 1947.

It received its first and still only full-fledged review in the Observer way back in 1994, 30 years ago, and even then the writer waxed nostalgic about the neighborhood. Those intervening three decades have only caused the nostalgia to grow.

Decades have passed since we’d first go see a movie at North Town Mall and afterward cruise that area of Forest Lane, some in Camaros, others in our parents’ Ford Fiestas, with Judas Priest blaring from the Sansui-driven 100-watt Rockford-Fosgate amp as we pulled into Arby’s to loop back in the other direction. There was a Jack in the Box for tacos then, but there was also Casa Navarro. And there still is.

The staff is always friendly and attentive, and after seating yourself they immediately bring you the requisite chips and salsa, along with a bowl of bean soup. The soup is yet another thing that is easily overlooked, but it shouldn’t be. Peppery and rich and just enough, a sort of comfort food that one should occasionally pay attention to.

Relatively inexpensive lunch specials clock in around $10 and are served seven days a week, along with breakfasts that are served all day. (We’ve never had the menudo, which is served on the weekends only).  We usually come for dinner and start with a frozen margarita that goes for $4.50. In a world of $20 cocktails, this is a steal and a half. We added a small queso with beef for our chips; it’s small, but we were still unable to finish it.

On this night we went with a couple of Tex-Mex plates for our mains: Vallarta’s special and Blanca’s plate. The Vallarta comes with a spinach enchilada with sour cream sauce, a cheese enchilada with green sauce, a chicken flauta, rice, beans, a dollop of guac and sour cream and a small salad with shredded cheese. The green sauce was tangy, the white sauce creamy and the flauta was very big. Perhaps it should be renamed an oboe?

Blanca’s plate consists of a chicken flauta, fried beef taco and two enchiladas (one beef, one cheese) topped with chili con carne, and accompanied by rice, beans, guacamole, sour cream and salad. It was a full and colorful plate with a little something for everyone.

Familiar favorites are available such as tacos (adobados, al pastor, al carbon, brisket, etc.), pork chop rancheros, chicken mole, shrimp and tilapia dishes, burritos, fajitas and the aforementioned breakfasts like migas, machacado con huevos and omelets.

So, if you haven’t been in a while and find yourself in the area, definitely stop by. Don’t sleep on this area or this small, cozy restaurant that has just quietly trudged on day in, day out over the decades. North Town Mall may be gone, but the no U-turn signs at every intersection on Forest Lane and, thankfully Casa Navarro, remain.

11742 Marsh Lane, Monday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.