El Tiempo Cantina, 1011 Nolan Ryan Expy, Arlington. 817-533-3431. 11am-9pm Sun-Thu, 11am-11pm Fri-Sat.
Special occasions require special places, and El Tiempo seems like a celebratory locale for family dinners, parties, and even milestone meals. From the outside, it looks a bit too elegant for the entertainment area of Arlington, nestled among stadiums and venues and amid all the sports-hub excitement.
We wanted adventure, and we got it, starting off with the restaurant’s design. Approaching from Nolan Ryan Expressway, you’ll be greeted by a huge fountain, which is quite beautiful and seems to be a popular spot to stop and take photos for those coming in or even just passing by.
Photo by Kena Sosa
Inside, the restaurant is much roomier than expected for such a packed entertainment district. Bold colors line the walls to the back where the booths sit, and vibrant art hangs on the wall. The windowed area allows for a lot of light, which is nice. The ornate chandeliers reminded me of old Europe, which brought about some confusion. Expecting Mexican decor, we noticed a blend of Europe, Mexico, and Tex-Mex-like themes.
The menu similarly led us to a few questions. Inside, it bears a crest from Laurenzo, Italy, but features Tex-Mex dishes — and isn’t entirely clear to read. Could it be part of the adventure? Doing some digging, we discovered that the restaurant was founded by Roland Laurenzo, son of Ninfa Laurenzo, the well-known founder of the Ninfa’s Restaurant chain. Unsure if we should expect matching cuisine, we decided El Tiempo’s food would be a better way to dig further.
I happily accepted the waiter’s offer to try their weekly special drink, the Spicy Mangorita, to get the journey going. It did have a kick, lined with tajin on the rim and bursting with mango flavor. The chips were fresh, and the salsa was refreshing with just the right amount of kick.
Photo by Kena Sosa
I thought a great follow-up would be the guacamole. Interestingly, it came on a plate disassembled, the avocado, onion, cilantro, and chopped garlic all on the plate unmixed. I’ve never actually seen that at a restaurant. But we jumped in and blended it together ourselves. Maybe El Tiempo should give some instructions because mixing the quantities on the plate meant there was an abundance of garlic breath afterward. The dish was served with fried flour tortilla chips instead of corn or pita, which was new. Like buňuelos, minus the sugar. They were actually pretty good.
We ordered the beef and chicken fajitas, which came over a bed of grilled onions and garnishes. The tortillas were better than I had expected, but I would have liked more of the deliciously smoky meat and poultry and fewer grilled onions.
Amid all the fajita madness and the sides, we forgot to save room for dessert, but that’s OK because I still have a few questions and may need to go back for Round 2 for answers. Here’s to mystery and intrigue, a cold drink, and a sizzling plate of Tex-Mex on a hot day.
El Tiempo Cantina
Spicy Mangorita (Drink of the Week) $12
Guacamole $11.99
1¼ lb mixed fajitas $24.79
Photo by Kena Sosa
Photo by Kena Sosa
