Posted on Wed, Nov. 29, 2006

Would you like a little politics with those pinto beans?
By Bud Kennedy
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

We might debate Farmers Branch's city politics.

But there is no debate about the Mexican food at Cuquita's.

The newest Cuquita's, on Josey Lane north of Interstate 635, has become a home base lately for political organizers. But it's also home for anyone seeking breakfast chilaquiles, lunchtime gorditas or dinner platters of chicken mole or pork in green chile.

Dallas night owls are familiar with the original Cuquita's, open until 3 a.m. nightly on Henderson Avenue.

The Josey Lane location isn't open late. But it does open at 9 a.m. daily, serving the Villafranca family's posole, soups, handmade corn and flour tortillas, and the homemade rice drink called horchata.

It's Dallas County's version of Fort Worth's familiar interior-Mexico restaurants such as Esperanza's or Benito's.

In Farmers Branch, the Villafrancas have led local opposition to city ordinances making English the only government language and barring landlords from renting apartments unless tenants can prove their immigration status.

Texas restaurants are lobbying for immigration reform through the Texas Association of Business, which supports allowing "guest workers" and legalizing some illegal immigrants as long as they live peacefully, pay taxes and serve a penalty.

Cuquita's co-owner Elizabeth Villafranca is from California. She has been quoted saying that Farmers Branch seems to be blaming all Spanish-speaking residents -- most of them native-born Americans -- for an economic downturn in the city.

"How can they blame all the problems of Farmers Branch on immigrants?" she asked. "It's silly."

There is no downturn at Cuquita's. It's packed daily for lunch and weekends for breakfast at 13260 Josey Lane; call 972-243-1491, or check the other locations at cuquitas.coupons4richardson.com.

For information on Texas restaurants and immigration reform, see www.tabcc.org or www.txbiz.org.

The best place for dinner in Fort Worth might be Cafe Modern.

But it's only open one night a month -- and this Friday is the one.

Chef Dena Peterson's menu will include a blackened beef tenderloin with a bourbon-cherry demiglace. The cocktail of the night is something called the "Jingle Bell Rocker," and jazzman Nick Kithas' group will play in the museum entrance hall.

Cafe Modern is open 6:30-8:30 p.m. the first Friday of every month. Regular hours are 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. daily except Monday, with sandwiches, snacks, desserts and coffee served until 4:30; call 817-840-2174.

Bud Kennedy's Eats Beat appears Wednesdays in Food and Fridays in Star Time. 817-390-7538, bud@budkennedy.com, blogs.dfw.com/big_plate
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