Make Cyclone Anaya's Jumbo Lump Crabmeat Nachos Yourself, and You Can Call Them By Any Name You Want

Photos by Sarah Johnson

​Jumbo Lump Crabmeat Nachos
Demonstrated by Jose Cardenas of Cyclone Anaya's

It's becoming more common for an athletes, both active and retired, to switch hats and become restaurateurs. For example, the Dallas dining scene has the popular sports-inspired Hully & Mo Restaurant Tap Room that was opened by Dallas Stars players Mike Modano (current) and Brett Hull (former). And it's no different with the Oak Lawn hotspot Cyclone Anya's, an expansion of the Houston-based chain.

The original Cyclone Anaya's restaurant was opened by famed pro-wrestler Jesus "Cyclone Anaya" Valencia in Houston in the late 1960's after he retired from the, um, sport. His restaurant first started as a dive bar, but when patrons were drinking more than they should have been, Valencia's wife decided it was best to jump into the kitchen and start cooking to coat those empty stomachs. And that's how the upscale Mexican restaurant was born.

Cyclone Anaya's is now run by Rico Valencia, the son of Jesus, now deceased, and has a total of five locations in both Houston and Dallas, with more in the works. The Oak Lawn restaurant will be celebrating two years of business in March, with the Prestonwood location turning two in October. The Valencia family is also hard at work opening up a third location in the Dallas area off North Central Expressway and Stacy Road.

For today's AFI, Cyclone Anaya's found time in their busy schedule to let us sit while Chef Jose Cardenas prepared the Jumbo Lump Crabmeat Nachos.

Ingredients:

• 4 Blue Corn Tortillas
• 3 oz. Black Beans
• 5 oz. Mexican Cheese
• 6 oz. Jumbo Lump Crabmeat
• 3 oz. Roasted Yellow Corn
• 2 oz. Pico de Gallo
• 2 oz. Sour Cream
• 2 oz. Guacamole
• 2 oz. Nacho Jalapenos
• 2 oz. Balsamic Vinaigrette
• 1 Kale Leaf
• 0.5 TSPN Garlic Minced
• 1 TSPN Diced Onion

​Step 1: In a skillet add ½ ounces of butter. Once hot, add garlic, onions, crab meat and corn. Cook for 2 ½ to 3 minutes and season with Cajun seasoning.

​Step 2: Spread beans all over tortillas and then add the cheese.

​Step 3: Place in salamander for 1 to 2 minutes until cheese is melted. If you're without a salamander, then you can broil it on 450 degrees for 3 to 4 minutes. Once done then add the crab meat and corn mixture to the tortillas.

​Step 4: Cut the tortillas into quarters. The four tortillas should equal out to 16 pieces.

​Step 5: Place on a round plate and lay the kale leaf in the middle. Add the pico, guacamole and sour cream on the leaf. Then splash the pico with balsamic vinaigrette. Voila!