To the mostly Mexican members of the well-read TLO audience, “calacas”—or, in an alternate spelling kind-of-way, “kalakas”—needs no introduction. They are the distinctive skulls and skeletons, grinning among the festive decorations that color the city in early November to celebrate Día de Muertos, or, in English, Day of the Dead.
“Kalakas” is also the name of a great Mexican restaurant at 4101 N. MacArthur Blvd in Warr Acres—one that fully leans into the dark, celebratory vibe of the semi-morbid iconography I grew up with... something most non-Mexicans will probably never quite get.
But if there’s one thing everyone should get, it’s a proper review of some of this city’s most overlooked and underappreciated cuisine. So let’s get to it—Kalakas deserves the spotlight, and we’re turning it on, post haste!
As my wife and I arrived at the restaurant, the ethereal blue paint job on the cathedral-like building was only one of the sky-high surprises that Kalakas had in store for us. Once inside, my wonder and excitement were only compounded by the wall-sized sugar skull that greeted me, letting me and my skull-loving fandom know that we are most welcome here.