Crystal Wise
Within minutes of ordering the cactus tacos on a Friday night at the newly opened Don Artemio, they were delivered to our table.
The last thing we expected to order was the first thing we fell in love with at this posh Mexican restaurant, a brave and welcome addition to Fort Worth’s expanding food scene.
Most Fort Worth foodies, I would imagine, have had nopalitos tacos, at some point or another, at some taqueria or another, near or far; they’re certainly nothing new. But I bet they didn’t look like this beautiful tangle of lightly fried strips of cactus — spiked with tiny pieces of bacon — that our server insisted should kick off our meal. Two salsas came on the side, along with a half-dozen freshly made corn tortillas.
Crystal Wise
Nopalitos Tacos
On top of the cactus was a set of tongs, inviting us to combine all the ingredients, which we did and which we continued to do until the last strand of cactus was gone. It was so good — one perfect bite after another of saltiness and crispiness — I was tempted to get a second order.
But we still had two entrees to go: a generous chunk of pork belly wearing a cape of rich adobe sauce and surrounded with a pool of black bean puree and a generously portioned filet mignon, perfectly cooked inside and out, with grilled veggies and painted with a swath of chipotle sauce that found my wife licking her spoon.
Elsewhere on the menu, there were beef tongue tacos, a pecan and cream cheese-stuffed poblano pepper, slow-cooked cabrito in tomato sauce, and enchiladas topped with a tamarind mole.
Crystal Wise
El Famoso “Chile Hojaldrado”
For those who have lived in or traveled through the northeast Mexico region of Saltillo, whose recipes inspire Don Artemio’s food, maybe this type of food is the norm. But for the majority of Fort Worth, I would dare to say, Don Artemio is a new kind of restaurant: daring, authentic, and absolutely not Tex-Mex.
Opened late March in the space once occupied by Mr. Gatti’s Pizza, the restaurant is the end result of a longtime friendship between general manager Adrian Burciaga, the former general manager of Café Modern, and award-winning chef Juan Ramón Cárdenas. The two have known each other for decades.
Burciaga was studying restaurant management at La Universidad Autónoma del Noreste in Saltillo when a classroom assignment required he reach out to an industry expert. Managing his family’s restaurant at the time, Cárdenas wound up being that expert, and the two hit it off instantly.
Crystal Wise
Frescas con Crema
“He became my mentor in the restaurant business,” Burciaga says. “He and his family taught me the backbone of this industry.”
Years later, when Burciaga worked at the Modern, he would invite his old friend to come up and guest-host special dinners. During those occasions, the two toyed around with the idea of opening a restaurant together, Burciaga says.
That opportunity came at a turbulent time in the restaurant industry: during the pandemic. But Burciaga, who had just lost his job due to the pandemic, felt like the timing was perfect. “I had two choices: I could pursue some other opportunities that had presented themselves, or I could move forward with fulfilling a lifelong dream,” he says. “I called Juan, and five days later he was on a plane to Fort Worth to scout some sites.”
It was decided the pair would open a second location of Cárdenas’ popular Don Artemio, an award-winning restaurant located where the two originally met, in Saltillo; the restaurant is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year.
The two wanted to recreate the vibe and feel of the original location as much as possible. Mexican pottery, special tile, and other design and architectural elements were imported from Saltillo.
“It took nine 18-wheelers to get everything here,” Burciaga says.
But the pair are most proud of the dishes they’re introducing to Fort Worth. “It all comes down to the food,” Burciaga says. “We use traditional cooking methods and make everything from scratch, down to the tortillas. But most importantly, everything here is made with love.”
Don Artemio, 3268 W. Seventh St., donartemio.us
