BEEF, CHICKEN AND SUNSET?
It definitely got my attention so I had to go check them out - not that I'm a fajita connoisseur or anything, but I do know a thing or two about food having written for a food trade magazine for six years. Besides, I've been eating all my life.

Ruby Tequila's is opening officially on October 12 in Midtown and the venue has three types of fajitas: Fajitas al Carbon, Shrimp Fajitas and something called a Sunset Fajita, which is like your basic chicken or beef fajita but smothered with their special homemade queso inferno.

But before we even get to the fajitas, let me tell you what impressed me most about Ruby's is that everything is fresh...really fresh. I checked out their kitchen and they don't even have a microwave or warming station, which means every order is made to order. It also means, you're not going to get rubbery quesadillas, dried out tamales or crunchy old Mexican-style rice.

"Everything is made from scratch," said Strickland. "We don't buy anything pre-prepared. We chop up all the peppers, tomatoes and onions in the kitchen, we create our marinade for the meat, and we are cooking and prepping all day long."

I checked out the cooking stations and he wasn't exaggerating. Everything was made the old fashioned way and they don't fry their meat; they actually have a mesquite oven in the kitchen so everything has an authentic smoky flavor.

"All our meat is certified Angus beef that we trim and cut in-house," Strickland said, as he showed me the actual wood they use in the oven.

I even checked out their giant cooler and there weren't bottles of processed salad dressing or jars of pre-made salsa. It even kind of smelled good in there. And if you don't believe me, you can check it out yourself.

"We have an open kitchen policy. Any customer who wants to see the kitchen is welcome to come back for a tour," said Strickland. "The pico de gallo, guacamole, sauces, salsas, tortillas and beans are made throughout the day to ensure consistent freshness on every plate. At the end of each day, any leftovers are discarded. Nothing is reheated, frozen or saved for the next day."

In fact, the made-fresh concept is carried right out to the tables as they will make your guacamole dip right in front of you to your own level of spiciness and chunkiness. In other words, you're not going to get some just-add-water powder version.

THE RITAS TO GO WITH THE FAJITAS
While the food is good, the margaritas are outstanding and according to the bartender, what makes them so good is that they are made from real ingredients.

"We don't use a mix. They are made with premium tequila, Grand Marnier, Patron and freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice," said the bartender.

Their signature margarita is their Supreme Rita. It's your choice of tequila (I got Tres Generaciones), Grand Marnier, Patron Citronge and a little lime juice for $7.99. An extra shot is only $1.00.

The bartender also recommended their Pineapple Fusion Rita.

"That one is my favorite. It's pineapple infused sauza tequila, vanilla bean and Grand Marnier," said the bartender.

SO ARE YOU UP FOR THE FAJITA CHALLENGE?
So DO they the best fajitas in town? Give them a try at one of their two locations and let me know.

You'll find Ruby Tequila's Mexican Kitchen in Willowbrook at FM 1960 and Highway 249 and in Midtown located at 2616 Louisiana at McGowen.

Oh, and they have a Happy Hour. Monday to Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and all day Wednesday, they serve $0.99 draft beer and $1.99 house margaritas.

"Our Wednesday Happy Hour turns the middle of the week into a Friday," said Strickland.

Hmmm...weekend thinking on a Wednesday. Gotta love that.

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