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Birria en Plato Hondo (in a bowl) served at Birrieria Los Chivos de Oro Aug. 20, 2024. The dish pictured is a traditional Mexican lamb-based stew that originated from Jalisco, Mexico. (Camilo Diaz | Fort Worth Report)
” data-medium-file=”https://fortworthreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/BirriaOro_Aug20_CamiloDiaz5008-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://fortworthreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/BirriaOro_Aug20_CamiloDiaz5008-scaled.jpg?fit=780%2C520&ssl=1″ tabindex=”0″ role=”button”>There are a lot of good reasons to stay off social media these days. Like, a lot. But the passion of the North Texas foodie groups on Facebook is a solid counterpoint. Just type in “foodie” in your Facebook search bar then select “Groups” from the filter menu and watch the screen fill up with options. It’s hard to know where to begin, and that’s just the groups with “foodie” in the title. Looking for a gluten-free group? Vegan? Food trucks? There’s a group for everyone. In the spirit of all that is still good about social media, The Dish is brought to you this week through the glorious crowdsourcing of popular opinion, which is sometimes very opinionated, indeed. If we’re going to argue about something, though, let’s argue about where to eat out next. Birrieria Los Chivos de OroBirria is to the 2020s what fajitas were to the 1980s. Don’t get me wrong; that’s not an insult. Who doesn’t love fajitas? In fact, it says great things about the staying power of birria, a foodie trend which — according to internet lore — started as a traditional beef or goat stew in Jalisco, Mexico, found its way into tacos in Tijuana, then crossed into the U.S. where it became a crispier, cheesier, dipping taco in Los Angeles somewhere around 2019. Now it’s everywhere and we are not sad about it. Customers dine in an afternoon on Aug. 20, 2024, at Birrieria Los Chivos de Oro. (Camilo Diaz | Fort Worth Report)The popularity of this dish helped south Fort Worth’s Birrieria Los Chivos Dde Oro outgrow its first location, opening in a much larger space on July 6 with a line out the door. Technically, “birria” is the stewed meat (which you can order to-go, by the pound, at Birrieria Los Chivos de Oro), and those crispy dipping tacos are often called quesa-tacos. If you haven’t jumped on the birria train yet, don’t worry. There’s still time. If you’re feeling more retro, they do serve fajitas along with a full menu of Mexican food favorites. 4351 Hemphill St., Fort Worth; 817-927-2400Philly Dave’sFoodie groups on Facebook were all abuzz recently when Philly Dave’s opened in far north Fort Worth. Owners Charlotte and David McCurtain previously owned The Burger & Philly Shack on Denton Highway in Watauga. The McCurtains tried to retire and couldn’t make it stick, it seems, so they opened Philly Dave’s. Facebook fan Stacey Marie posted an all caps announcement celebrating their return and added, “He said he isn’t done just yet. He’s going to be doing what he does best, plus more!” Philly cheesesteaks are the star of the show, and Philly Dave’s is keeping it real with Amoroso’s bread delivered fresh from Philadelphia. Burgers, wings and salads round out the lunch and dinner menu, but the full breakfast menu might be just as popular, judging by the posts on social media. 5500 N. Tarrant Parkway, Fort Worth; 817-479-4700Rock & TacosIt’s hard to say which takes center stage at Rock & Tacos in North Richland Hills: the music or the food. Serial entrepreneur Duane Tyree has created a venue big enough for both, serving “tacos with an attitude” on one side and teaming up with the adjacent Sparks Sports Bar connection for drinks and live music on two stages. The vibe inside Rock & Tacos is heavy on the rockstar edge, with busts of KISS band members standing guard at the ordering line, electric guitars and concert posters hanging on the walls, and a menu filled with rock-themed tacos named for icons including Korn, Eddie Van Halen, Pat Benatar and Elvis. The stages feature local bands, live band karaoke, singer-songwriter showcases and jam nights. Follow Rock & Tacos on social media for event notifications. 5209 Rufe Snow Drive, North Richland Hills; 817-576-4296We’d love to hear from you! Send your restaurant tips and hot takes to thedish@fortworthreport.org.