The Phorrito at Cris and John Is Everything You Never Knew You Needed – Texas Monthly
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Cristina Mendez and John Pham were 21 years old and newly married in 2017. When cooking, they instinctively used ingredients and techniques from their cultural background. Mendez, a native Dallasite whose parents emigrated from Monterrey, relied on Mexican components and flavors. Her husband Pham, a Vietnamese immigrant, brought the Southeast Asian notes with him. Their meals – think elote (grilled corn) with spring onion oil or an avocado and coconut milk smoothie – inspired the couple, both restaurant industry veterans, to start their own business combining Mexican and Vietnamese cuisine. It felt like a natural addition, in part because the two traditions have more in common than you might think: grilled beef and pork are common in both cuisines, as are sandwiches (bánh m to and tortas), offal soups (pha lau and menudo), spicy tamarind sweets, chillies in abundance and a heavy reliance on coriander. After a year of planning, the couple opened their eponymous restaurant Cris and John Vietnamese Street Food in north Dallas in 2018. Despite the city’s large Latino and Vietnamese communities, the couple were initially still nervous that their food might not prevail. Mendez admits it was difficult in the beginning. “People came very hesitantly, but still [the fusion concept] Get people through the door, ”she says. “When they tried it, people were addicted.”
Wedged between a 7-Eleven and a laundromat in a hidden strip center, Cris and John’s beige exterior hides a colorful interior dotted with murals depicting scenes from Vietnamese street life. The menu is creative and bold in taste, with many options. Guests can choose from traditional Asian and Mexican dishes, as well as mixed dishes, the most popular of which is the Phorito. The star of Cris and John’s menu was inspired by a similar preparation Pham saw that was served in California. He told Mendez that he could put his own touch and make it pop. That is exactly what the phorrito does.
Consisting of all the pho elements except the broth – rice noodles, jalapeños, onions, basil, bean sprouts, hoisin, sriracha and a selection of grilled chicken, beef or tofu – the phorito is wrapped in a homemade flour tortilla. The tortilla is dipped in broth and then fried in the pan before assembling; a serving of broth is available, similar to birria tacos with consommé to dip. The tortilla has a bun-like flake inside and is a layered delight in textures. Best of all, the noodle’s chewy bite soaks up the “angry broth” so named for its flavor. The umber colored liquid is enriched with cayenne pepper and lemongrass. It has a kick, but it’s not something the average diner can’t handle.
Half a phorrito with Cris and John.
Photo by José R. Ralat
The counter at Cris and John’s, whose founders hope to be able to expand to a larger space soon.
Photo by José R. Ralat
Left: half phorrito with Cris and John.
Photo by José R. Ralat
Above: The counter at Cris and John’s, whose founders hope to expand to a larger area soon.
Photo by José R. Ralat
The dish is available as a stand-alone order or, better still, as part of a range of special platters perfect for sharing with friends. The platter to order is the $ 35 tray that contains not only the phorito but also three cheesy flat-top birria tacos that are pretty much all birria, standard (but not standout) cream and cheese elotes ; strong, crispy churros; and a sweet, cooling horchata that swirls with boba pearls. The latter is another allusion to the interweaving of the kitchens at Cris and John. A trip to the restaurant alone is worthwhile. On the side there are two dip cups, one with Vietnamese coffee to dip the churros and one with mango-habanero salsa to enhance the tacos or phorrito. Additional packets of hoisin sauce and sriracha are placed in the corners of the tray. Lime wedges garnish the plate. Aside from the phorrito, my favorite dishes were the birria tacos in handmade corn tortillas. Their filling, marinated in mango and habanero, has a touch of sweetness from the short rib, a popular Korean cut of beef that sets it apart from the abundance of birria tacos on taqueria menus.
I would pit Cris and John’s birria tacos against the best birria tacos in the state, including Maskara’s Mexican Grill in Dallas, Calisience in Fort Worth, El Remedio in San Antonio, and La Tunita 512 in Austin. Nonetheless, the Phorito is king here and testifies to Pham’s culinary skills. “Everything on the menu is his own recipe … and he cooks every day,” says Mendez. That’s true with one exception: the aguas frescas, including horchata and tamarind peach, are made by Mendez’s mother.
Pham and Mendez got the idea for the records out of desperation during the pandemic, when business was initially sluggish. They hoped customers would love to try a variety of dishes at once, and they were right. Cris and John introduced weekly variations that ranged from $ 25 to $ 55 for thirteen weeks. Mendez knew she was up to something on March 24, 2020 when she posted a photo of the first record on Instagram – a phorito with angry broth, two tacos, skewers and spring rolls. Almost immediately, she says, Dallasites called to order it. “I could really tell we were slowing down and the moment I posted that we just started all over again and we’re really busy,” she recalls.
They have been busy ever since. During a lunch visit, the line in front of the counter reached the door. My second meal at Cris and John was meant to be an afternoon snack around 3pm. As I entered I saw a full dining room and not long after that a short line formed behind me. I was there for the tacos, which were one hit after the other: the roast chicken tingled with a Sriracha honey glaze and the spicy beef belly with a kimchi top was the perfect mix of crispy and soft. Mixing Vietnamese and Mexican flavors is smart from a marketing perspective as it draws fans from both crowds, but it’s also a recipe for creative dishes that shine. The founders of Cris and John take pride in their post-pandemic success. “We’ve outgrown our dining room,” Mendez notes. You and Pham hope to expand into the empty room next door. The sooner the better. The Phorito Broth may be angry, but Cris and John’s future looks bright.
Cris and John Vietnamese street food
5555 Preston Oaks Road, Suite 5, Dallas
Phone: 972-803-4750
Hours: Sunday 11am to 3pm and 5pm to 8pm, Monday 11am to 3pm, Tuesday to Friday 11am to 8.30pm
(Note that the restaurant is closed on Saturdays.)
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