King and Cardinal Is a Tasty Mesh of Cultures

Say what you want about migration to the Lone Star State, but the influx of thousands of people brings rich and fascinating cultures to our lives, including food. As the population changes, our appetites for something new grow along with it. That synergy is what seems to be behind King and Cardinal Burgers Wings and Shakes.


The style here is best described as American fast food with South Asian flavors. The menu stretches from burgers, fries, hot wings, shakes, but everything is inspired by South Asian flavors, ingredients and flare. Unlike American fast-food chains, there are a ton of vegetarian options like the paneer burger, aloo samosa appetizers, a spinach ricotta burger and more.

The mutton (lamb) shami burger is a minced meat patty bound with chickpeas, eggs and loads of spices. Bhuna masala wings are made with roasted onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, garam masala, coriander, cumin and red chili powder.

At first glance, the food looks like any fast-food fare, but the intense savory aromas tell another story.

First came the burger, topped with lettuce, onion, tomatoes and dressed with a velvety white creamy sauce that tasted like tzatziki (photo at top). It’s a large burger with a lot of sauce and got pretty messy. So, if you're with someone you are trying to impress this may not be the move.
The bhuna masala wings took a different direction. They were messy, too, but worth the cleanup. The wings seem quite small but pack a huge punch to the taste buds. The blend of the Indian spices slowly mixed in with the tomatoes base is magnificent. Like most Indian restaurants, you pick your own poison when it comes to the heat level; medium was the perfect amount of heat and didn’t melt my face. The garnish of fresh herb was also a nice touch.
The icing on the cake was the mango. Mango lassi is one of the most glorious things to come out of the Indian food scene. It’s also the perfect food to extinguish any remnants of heat from some of the spicier entrees. The Go Mango was the precise blend of sweet and creamy with the consistency of a milkshake with bits of delectable fruit mixed in, which could constitute a full meal by itself.

The menu here is worth exploring; there are two locations currently in the area, one in Irving and the other in Frisco. If you want to try something new and don’t want to put a large dent in your wallet, this place should be on your list.

King and Cardinal, 8350 N. MacArthur Blvd, #120 (Irving) and 14550 Highway 121, #160 (Frisco). Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday - Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.