100 Favorite Dishes, No. 68: Cabrito a la Parrilla at El Ranchito

By Whitney Filloon Tue., Jun. 19 2012 at 8:11 AM

Categories: 100 Favorite Dishes

El Ranchito

The first time I ate cabrito was at El Ranchito, a glorious palace of Mexican food specializing in Comida Norteña (that is, the regional dishes of northern Mexico) located on Oak Cliff's Jefferson Boulevard.

Serenaded by the sweet sound of not one but two mariachi bands and bolstered by a few cold Dos Equis, I brazenly tore a fatty chunk of meat off the mini-goat carcass splayed on the parrilla (that's a flat grill used for cooking all sorts of tasty meats, gringo) in the middle of the table and tucked it into a warm flour tortilla with grilled onions, guac and pico.

The baby goat was rich and tender, less gamey than lamb but exponentially more flavorful than chicken, with a touch of smoky flavor from the grill. In a word, delicious.

My date and I may or may not have rock-paper-scissored over who got to eat the tail.

No. 100: The Cleaver and Block Burger at NHS Tavern
No. 99: The Bone Marrow at the Meddlesome Moth
No. 98: Arepas at Zaguan Latin Cafe
No. 97: Jalapeno Poppers at City Tavern
No. 96: Elotes: Everywhere
No. 95: Dan-Dan Noodles at Royal China
No. 94: Smoked Ham Mac and Cheese at The Porch
No. 93: Chicken and Waffles at Jonathon's Oak Cliff
No. 92: Regina Margherita At Cane Rosso
No. 91: Devils On Horseback At The Chesterfield
No. 90: Ginger Soy Baby Back Ribs at Tei Tei Robata
No. 89: Croissants From Rush Patisserie
No. 88: The Reuben At The Cock & Bull
No. 87: The Brisket at Pecan Lodge
No. 86: The Roast Chicken At Bolsa
No. 85: Chicken-Fried Egg at Union Bear
No. 84: Brisket Tacos At Manny's
No. 83: The Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes at Smoke
No. 82: The Oxtail Ragout at Central 214
No. 81: The Italian Beef At Jimmy's
No. 80: Pulled Whole Hog BBQ Eggs Benedict at Smoke
No. 79: Veal Cheeks At Bijoux
No. 78: Sweet Shrimp At Yutaka
No. 77: Pho At Lemongrass
No. 76: Shanghai Buns at Jeng Chi Dumpling House
No. 75: Pepper Bomb At Goodfriend
No. 74:Veracruz Cafe's Sopa de Atlahua
No. 73: Fish and Chips at the Londoner
No. 72: Italian Combo At Carbone's
No. 71: Breakfast Schnitzel At Crossroads Diner
No. 70: Berkshire Pork Belly Buns at Howard Wang's Uptown
No. 69: Bolognese At Princi Italia