Restaurants / Openings

Renowned Chef Brings Revolver Taco Back Home to Fort Worth — and It Returns With Extra Tasting Room Power

Regino Rojas' New Dual Sided Restaurant is Sure to Create Serious Buzz — and Nostaglia

BY // 02.09.21

One of Fort Worth’s most beloved — and innovative — chefs is returning home to open a new restaurant. Chef Regino Rojas is taking over the former Taco Diner spot with its coveted patio access, overlooking Sundance Square.

Rojas’ new Purepecha/Revolver Taco Lounge will be a dual sided Fort Worth restaurant. Think part counter service taqueria, and part highfalutin, multi-course, prix fixe tasting menu showcase spot. Plans call for an early summer opening.

“The space will be divided into two concepts. On one side the vibrant, traditional taqueria and on the other side a more formal tasting menu ― my upscale Mexican concept,” Regino Rojas tells PaperCity Fort Worth.

“The taqueria will be a counter service with a majority of its seating in the plaza. Purepecha Room will be a white tablecloth, sit down concept by reservation only, and the menu will consist of six different courses.”

Fans of Rojas’ original Revolver Taco Lounge will recall that it opened a decade ago in 2011, along Fort Worth’s West Seventh Street.

People didn’t get it at first. This wasn’t the usual Tex-Mex. This was not that anglicized plating with rice on one side, beans on the other and a flavorless taco, enchilada, or burrito smack dab in the middle. This was something else entirely.

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Rojas and his familia essentially invited you into their home to enjoy a leisurely family meal ― Michoacán style. And, that was really his mother, Juanita, at the stove.

Landlord issues forced a move from West Seventh (where the shell of the very first Revolver Taco Lounge still sits there mockingly vacant). Rojas wound up on Forest Park for a time, before pulling up stakes completely and heading to Dallas’ Deep Ellum neighborhood instead.

Although, Rojas turned out the exact same excellence while in Fort Worth, it took the move to Dallas for the chef to really get his due. Rojas was named a semifinalist in both 2018 and 2019 in the Best Chef in the Southwest category in the prestigious James Beard Awards. He got the Best Chef: Texas nod in 2020. I’m still a little bitter about the deserved recognition coming only after he left Fort Worth, but we were all still happy for him.

Regino Rojas in front of his Deep Ellum Revolver Taco Lounge.

Now it’s time for the conquering hero to return to Fort Worth, where it all began.

A Taste of Success

Rojas operated his Purepecha tasting room in Dallas from 2017 to when the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything in 2020.

“It was very successful in Dallas, but when the pandemic hit we had to pause it because of COVID safety,” he says. “The space was too small to accommodate social distancing.”

Purepecha allows Rojas’ creativity to shine. There is no menu, with each dish simply explained by the server. It’s sure to be something you won’t experience anywhere else.

“I named it for the Purepecha or Tarascan indigenous people of Michoacán, Mexico which is where I am from,” Rojas says.

How does a Japanese ama ebi tartar, with premium beluga caviar on top, and bell pepper jocoque (fermented milk sauce) and chile de arbol sound? Or a plate of premium duck breast and pickled mushrooms atop Rojas’ mother Juanita’s famous mole sauce? Those are just two examples of past Purepecha courses.

The price of prix fixe will vary depending on the season, running between $85 to $225. This Purepecha will be open for two seatings ― one beginning at 5 pm and the second at 7:30 pm, Wednesdays through Saturdays.

 

The Revolver Taco side of things will be far from basic, though it will be much more casually priced and served.

“The classic tacos will be the same in Fort Worth,” Rojas says. “The tacos that everyone knows and loves — with some specials here and there to make it fun for everybody.”

The two priciest tacos on the menu are a must-try. The Pulpo features tender Mediterranean octopus with fried leek and a bright jalapeno salsa. And the Pato is filled with seared duck breast, caramelized onions, roasted poblano pepper and fresh salsa.

Rojas’ sourcing is also a cut above, with fresh fish arriving from Baja California, Mexico and the Toyosu Fish Market of Tokyo, Japan. All meats come from his local Wagyu beef producers, as well as top quality suppliers of meat, pork and game from around Texas.

There will, of course be a full bar with cocktails and wine, and yes, Revolver Taco’s outstanding Mexican seafood brunch will be available on Sundays. It will no longer be served buffet style with menu ordering instead.

“I knew at one point Revolver had to go back home to Fort Worth, but I wanted to go back home when I felt ready,” Rojas tells PaperCity. “Kind of like when a kid goes off to college and one day comes back with a Master’s degree, so I make mama proud.

“It has been a family affair from the very start.”

For this chef, it’s always been about balancing and elevating traditional techniques and flavors. “I start by picking my mom’s brain for traditional recipes, then I add my own international influences, such as Asian ingredients and European platings, to get it to the next level,” Rojas says.

Since leaving Fort Worth a few years ago, Rojas has upped his service game as well. When Revolver Taco Lounge first debuted, the focus was all about the food and the service tended to run at a more relaxed traditional Mexican restaurant pace.

“My service in Fort Worth will be top of the line,” Rojas promises. “I’ll be hiring the best professional service that Fort Worth can showcase.”

It should be quite a welcome home for one of Fort Worth’s favorite food sons.

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