Who is Fried Jesus, Dallas restaurant owner? Abel Gonzales’ new nickname is the Texican

“Fried Jesus,” the nickname Point out Reasonable of Texas concessionaire Abel Gonzales attained mainly because of his entertaining and ground breaking fried meals, has a new identity: the Texican.

Gonzales’ newish cafe around Enjoy Area Airport in Dallas is named AG Texican, and it is serving up Tex-Mex classics, barbecue and a couple Point out Fair desserts.

Gonzales will be the very first to notify you that getting a Point out Good of Texas concessionaire for a few months yr — although operating a cafe 365 days a calendar year — is not really. But Gonzales is a hustler.

“During COVID, it was just me in right here,” he states, gesturing all-around his catering kitchen area exactly where you can see and hear every plane get off at Appreciate Industry. “I would just take orders, prepare dinner the foodstuff, provide it myself. And I would choose them everywhere. In actuality —”

“I’ll be ideal again.”

He’s the only human being in the cafe having orders and running foods. He tells his story in 5-minute bursts.

(When he’s experienced more time, he’s also instructed his tale to Oprah Winfrey, Rachael Ray and Kelly Clarkson — who now goes by Kelly Brianne.)

AG Texican is Gonzales’ next restaurant in this place on Harry Hines Boulevard, following his Italian restaurant failed during COVID. “I wished to do some thing various,” he says. And he unquestionably required to make income, immediately after the canceled Condition Fair in 2020 left him without having 80% of his annually profits.

At AG Texican, he’s cooking what he knows — and what he thinks the neighbors may well want: breakfast tacos, hen flautas, smoked brisket tacos, and steak quesadillas. On a Friday at lunchtime, The Texican was fast paced with Southwest Airlines staff. Even Brent Reaves, the proprietor of Smokey John’s Bar-B-Que and a fellow State Honest of concessionaire, dropped in for some tacos.

Reaves and Gonzales are amongst the eight family members highlighted on Deep Fried Dynasty, a Condition Reasonable of Texas demonstrate airing now on A&E.

So, this is a Condition Reasonable cafe, proper?

The Texican is not a calendar year-spherical State Honest knockoff restaurant. When we could possibly all get pleasure from if “Fried Jesus” tried out out his potential Huge Tex Selection Awards recipes on keen shoppers, he’s largely sticking to Tex-Mex. Each and every working day, he’ll do a special — what ever he feels like building — like fish and chips or steak tampiqueña or Italian meals.

Nevertheless, Gonzales serves one particular reasonable-associated dessert for each week, like fried PB&J or fried cookie dough. He got well known on fried butter and fried Coke, but we’re not positive if individuals have strike the cafe rotation however.

Gonzales grew up with a spouse and children who made a significant deal out of going to the Condition Fair. They’d help you save up for rides and game titles, corny pet dogs and turkey legs.

“Grandma would pack fried hen and we’d smuggle in a Coke, to conserve revenue,” Gonzales claims. “I’m telling you this and I’m getting a lump in my throat.

“I know each piece of that fair.”

He talks as however he needs he were being there appropriate now. But he’s got money to make in advance of the honest kicks off Sept. 30, 2022, so he’s back at AG Texican, hustling until eventually tumble.

AG Texican is at 7101 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas. It opened in early March 2022.

For extra foodstuff information, observe Sarah Blaskovich on Twitter at @sblaskovich.