Eat This: Breakfast (and Lunch) at Morales Restaurant

There’s hardly ever a morning when a spicy guiso can’t hit the spot.

One such place that accomplishes that is Morales Restaurant. Recent visits had us at the location on West Davis Street — on our latest stop, staff told us they're closing this location and opening another on South Edgefield Avenue.

A fine start for a late breakfast, early lunch or whatever time you’re using as an excuse to eat is the bistec ranchero ($8.99). Served with fresh, thicker corn tortillas, rice, beans and salad, this plate varied in spice on our different visits, but swiping some refried beans on a tortilla and scooping this meat creates a bite of comfort food.

Better yet is a plate of tacos rojos ($8.99). Four crispy, fried, red tortillas contain tender shredded beef and are laid side-to-side on a plate and piled with plenty of lettuce, cheese and bits of tomato. (You can choose your own protein in these.)

Stuff the toppings inside before drizzling ranchero salsa on top, or keep the taco in place and just pile it on top of every bite. There’s seemingly no wrong way to go about it, and that tender bite of meat under that crunch from the tortilla is something you won’t want to share.

A truly wonderful part of this plate is that these beautiful tacos are surrounded by chorizo and potato. Chunks of the vegetable soak in that lovely grease of crispy housemade chorizo. This side can be enjoyed on its own as a morning hangover cure, but served as a complement to those delightful tacos, you’ll find yourself craving this plate on the regular.

Morales Restaurant, 2539 W. Davis St. (North Oak Cliff) and 1913 S. Edgefield Ave. (Elmwood). Cash only.