First Look: How Harumi and Jose Luis Rodriguez Manifested Mixtitos

Mexican and Japanese fusion cuisine may sound like an unusual concept, but a small East Dallas spot makes it an essential component of its menu. Mixtitos Kitchen opened last August in the space previously occupied by La Acapulqueña, and while the owners, husband-and-wife duo Jose Luis and Harumi Rodriguez, had big shoes to fill, their space has become a cultural cornerstone for the East Dallas community. Their restaurant is a love letter to the world started by way of actual love letters to each other and manifested over two decades.

Jose Luis and Harumi met while he was living in Juarez, Mexico, and she was living in El Paso. Jose Luis had recently moved to Juarez from Querétaro, Mexico, and Harumi hailed from León. While out one night they met through mutual friends.

“I gave her my email address, but it was missing a number,” says Jose Luis. “She was emailing me back and forth, but it didn’t go through.”

One day, Harumi heard a voice saying that Jose Luis would be the father of her children. Trusting her intuition, she went on a month-long quest searching various bars and clubs to find Jose Luis. After 30 days of searching, Harumi and her friend began to grow tired of the search, when one day, while Jose Luis was working at a bar in Juarez, he saw Harumi coming down a flight of stairs while he was carrying drinks, going the opposite direction. The two then looked back and made eye contact.

“It was like a soap opera,” says Harumi.

The couple moved to Dallas in 2004, a city they say has brought them more than they could ever imagine. The two have collectively worked in various kitchens, starting at Sonic, Golden Corral and on to the now-closed Charlie Palmer at The Joule.

All along, Jose Luis wanted to open a place of his own. Leaning on an entrepreneurial drive and experience gained at Charlie Palmer, the couple opened a Mixtitos ghost kitchen in 2021.

Though the commercial kitchen wasn’t a success, the two were determined to continue with their dream of owning a restaurant.

Patrick Donlin, who owns the old La Acapulqueña space, gave the couple a chance. Even though they ran through all of their capital with the ghost kitchen, Donlin saw something in them.

Of course, moving into La Acapulqueña’s old spot was no easy task, especially as loyalists still mourn its closing. The new tenants dedicated a section of the menu to some of La Acapulqueña’s classic dishes, including guisado de puerco ($15.99) and pescado bagre al pastor ($24.99).

But the highlights of the menu are the dishes inspired by Jose Luis’ experience learning French cooking techniques, as well as Harumi’s Japanese and Mexican heritage.

Appetizers include chori-queso fondue and tempera-fried vegetables. Among the soups are a cream-based shrimp bisque with a touch of cilantro or a French Aztec soup with chicken.

One of Mixtito’s signature dishes is a Japanese shepherd’s pie ($14), inspired by a recipe from Harumi’s father. Here, they use rice instead of mashed potatoes, and Michoacana-style pork instead of beef, along with vegetables, pickled onions and jalapeños.

Another good choice is the Mix-Croque Monsieur ($15), white bread bathed in a Bechamel sauce filled with discada (mixed) meat and a slab of Swiss cheese, with a side of truffle fries.

Opening Mixtitos wasn’t a smooth ride. After the doors opened, customers would leave after glancing at the menu, disappointed that it wasn’t entirely reminiscent of La Acapulqueña.

But overall, the love and support from the community outweighs the negativity.

With a place of their own – a goal the couple worked so hard to achieve – their dreams have finally come full circle.

“The people, everything that is here, this is where our heart is,” says Harumi.

Mixtitos Kitchen. 2706 Samuell Blvd. (East Dallas). Monday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.