One of my very dear friends got married this past weekend.  I am so very excited for her and this new life in which she is about to embark.  The man she is marrying is so important to one local restaurant, that they offered up their restaurant for the rehearsal dinner the other night.  I can’t think of a more personal tribute to the quality of character of the man she is marrying.  Sometimes gifts aren’t tangible things, but acts of sacrifice, acts of service, and acts of love.

Sandwiched between an auto repair shop and a motel, Cancun Mexican Restaurant appears to be just another Tex-Mex restaurant in a metroplex riddled with them.  This innocuous mom-and-pop place however is so much more.  It was evident that the owners had taken great pains in making the front of this stand-alone restaurant as attractive and inviting with a stone patio and facade.  Time was even invested in landscaping and planting of trees to make an attractive approach.

The inside of the restaurant is also richly decorated in festive colors, paintings, and cultural knick-knacks presumably from the owner’s hometown.  The decor evokes an open, entertaining atmosphere you wouldn’t expect in that area of town.  Prior to going, I’d never heard of this restaurant.  This is often the case with many hole-in-the-wall cases though, so I didn’t let that put me off.  The four-star reviews on both Google and Yelp certainly back up their reputation as a good spot for good Mexican food.  After reading the owner’s story, however I was eagerly anticipating an evening of great friends and authentic Mexican cuisine!

From the website: “In 1988, Juan Piña came to Fort Worth bringing with him his love for the flavor of his hometown San Felipe, Guanajuato.  Located in Central Mexico, San Felipe is known for its typical cuisine famous for chiles rellenos, carnitas and guajillo sauce, as well as its wonderful seafood dishes.  This rich heritage inspired Juan to create delicious Mexican dishes as he worked his way to become an executive chef in one of the areas top restaurants.  Seeing his passion to create delicious Mexican food, Juan’s friends urged him to open his own restaurant where he would be able to develop his to the fullest potential.  By creating Cancun Restaurant, which opened on Cinco de Mayo 2000, specializing in bold, flavorful and fresh coastal Mexican seafood entrees.  Today, Cancun Restaurant continues to celebrate it’s Mexican heritage with authentic, traditional Mexican cuisine and seafood specialties…” (Source: http://cancunmexicanrestaurantfw.com)

Upon arrival everyone was greeted with crispy chips and individual portions of salsa.  The salsa, though it looked like nothing special, was deceptively good!  The texture of the salsa was smoother than your average salsa, but the fresh flavors were there.  I like my salsa on the chunky side, but it was enjoyable.  We were next treated to generous plates of beef and chicken fajitas with all the fixings!  Usually, when we order fajitas at a restaurant, there’s never enough sour cream and guac to share; but I was pleasantly surprised to find perfect portions of both on my plate!  Additionally, the beef was tender and correctly spiced.  All of the food seemed really fresh and not from a can.

Cancun Mexican Restaurant is located at 7419 Camp Bowie W in Fort Worth.  You can order for delivery, but you really should make a trip in person.  Their full menu looks amazing and I’m already thinking about when to go back to try more of their cuisine!

Share some of your favorite, fun, or even cringe-worthy rehearsal dinner stories in the comments below!