Dos Mares’ prime skirt steak was cooked to medium-rare perfection, as ordered, velvety and succulent.
Photo by Cody Neathery
Dos Mares, 3260 W 7th St, Fort Worth. 682-480-2143. 10am-8pm Sun, 11am-9pm Tue-Thu, 11am-10pm Fri-Sat.
Pearlescent powder-blue tiles mark the entrance to relative newcomer Dos Mares, the seafood-centric sister restaurant of the much-lauded Don Artemio, conveniently located next door. Whereas Don Artemio focuses on cuisine from Northeast Mexico, sibling Dos Mares rides a wave of inspiration from coastal Mexican states like Baja, California; Sur; Veracruz; and Quintana Roo.
At the entrance, a vestibule with seagrass walls welcomes guests while tropical Latin music serenades and seashells hang overhead, giving a slight tiki vibe. But don’t expect to walk into a bar loaded with rum and Polynesian artwork. What awaits through the second door would fit comfortably in Puerto Vallarta.
More handmade blue and green tiles form the interior walls complemented by natural wood dining sets trimmed by more seagrass under a palapas roof. Hanging globe light fixtures and scattered potted tropical plants add more detail to the dining room’s coastal composition.
Though I’d only been to the soft opening about a year ago, my recent visit had me content at the bar. If one needs to break up life’s monotony with some escapism, Dos Mares offers just that. One TV aired scenes of comida de mar, or “seafood,” being prepped and cooked traditionally. Stenciled paintings of marine life by Gaby Cardenas, daughter of co-founder and Chef Juan Ramon Cardenas, bring a nuanced aesthetic behind the bar. The happy hour hooked me with $7 mini martinis, $4 off-menu cocktails, and 25% off glasses of wine. East Coast oysters, tacos, and tostados round out the food offerings.
Hanging globe light fixtures and scattered potted tropical plants add more detail to the dining room’s coastal composition. Photo by Cody Neathery
This dining experience was lifted by bartender Even (rhymes with “Steven,” which is his brother’s name — no lie) guiding us through the menu with recommendations while making a pomegranate martini that balanced sweet, tart, and crisp, plus a fiery punta brava — a Mexican riff on the pina colada with rum-like Uruapan Charanda, which bridges the gap between rhum agricole and mezcal, along with pineapple liqueur, coconut syrup, and peppery bitters. Wanting to capitalize on the happy-hour food, we checked the boxes for a shrimp tostado, shrimp taco, and gaonera de res, or seared prime beef.
The topping of the tostado was reminiscent of shrimp ceviche. A layer of summery sliced cucumber, spicy jalapenos, and sweet red onions mingled over a bed of diced carrot and serrano chile, then dotted with avocado mousse. It might sound convoluted, but the flavors were freshly balanced.
The tempura fried shrimp taco wasn’t as flavor-forward and was slightly less thrilling. The batter lost crispness under an overwhelming heap of garlic aioli that rendered the other ingredients useless. Here, less would be more.
Most of Dos Mares’ ceviches are relatively linear options. Photo by Cody Neathery
The standout was the prime beef taco. Browned cheese covered the handmade tortilla before a hearty cut of meat was laid on top, furthered by caramelized onions, pico de gallo, and an amount of earthy chile de arbol sauce that didn’t smother the dish, merely encapsulated it. Juices dripped when eaten.
Reservations fell on the third day of DFW Restaurant Week with a $59 three-course option and $99 four-course option — both different, though each menu provided a sample of Dos Mares’ regular dinner selections. Before we started, a cup of caldo dos mares, or seafood soup, was delivered.
The rich, fishy broth gave a taste of the ocean without submerging your face into the Gulf of Mexico. A medley of shrimp, octopus, fish, mussels, clams, and scallops blended with no real flavor distinction other than visual recognition. It was good but best for those who appreciate the pungency of seafood.
Next, the tostada de colifor. A cauliflower ceviche complete with aguachile caviar and cubed mango, similar in flavor to the other ceviche and tostadas, though it accommodates guests of the vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free lifestyles. Fortunately, there are plenty of other gluten-free options, which makes Dos Mares less constricting when deciding upon restaurant options.
We also picked up the Texas red fish ceviche, which, again, tasted like the other ceviches and tostadas, making all of them relatively linear options. After two visits of ordering several ceviches and tostadas, more definitive flavor profiles were in order.
The rich, fishy broth gave a taste of the ocean without submerging your face into the Gulf of Mexico. Photo by Cody Neathery
Our first main was a mound of diced pulpo drenched in a sauce of the octopus’ own rich ink, next to a bed of garlic rice with zigzagging aioli across the grains, partnered with slices of plantain and Dos Mares’ blue corn tortillas. When wrapped together, it made for a delectable taco, especially if using verde tomatillo salsa or roasted roja salsa, but alone, the plate didn’t provide much excitement since it was so straightforward.
The second entrée was a humdinger: 10 ounces of prime skirt steak cooked to medium-rare perfection, as ordered, velvety and succulent. Under the slices of beef rested a toasty tomatillo chipotle sauce that upped every bite, accompanied by roasted golden potatoes.
Other notable items on the regular dining menu are the garlic shrimp La Reina del Comal, covered with ranchera sauce, a scoop of black beans, avocado mousse, and queso fresco; and, if money is no option (lucky), the sensual grilled lobster, or langosta tikin xic, for *gulp* $69.
Dos Mares
DFW Restaurant Week (thru Labor Day)
Four courses $99
Three courses $59
Happy Hour
Punta Brava $14
Pomegranate martini $7
Prime beef taco $8
Shrimp tostada $6
Shrimp taco $6
Dos Mares’ pomegranate martini balanced sweet, tart, and crisp. Photo by Cody Neathery
