Greg Castillo, or @GregMakesVideos, is one of North Texas' emerging Instagram personalities, building a loyal audience by telling the stories of locally-owned restaurants that often fly under the radar.
The independent journalist has made it his mission to spotlight the mom-and-pop eateries that define the region's diverse culinary culture.
"I just want to tell people's stories," Castillo said. "Every video that I make is something that I believe in, it's something that I care about and I think that more people should support."
Castillo joined NTX Now's Ron Corning and Miranda Suarez to talk about his transition from newsroom journalism to independent reporting and why community engagement matters more to him than views. Plus, he shared three of the North Texas businesses that have recently captured the attention of his growing online audience.
These interview highlights have been edited for length and clarity. You can hear the full conversation but clicking the 'listen' button above.
Carnitas Conejo
One of Castillo's most talked-about stories centered on Carnitas Conejo, a family-owned operation in Ennis known for its Michoacan style carnitas.
The family initially operated out of their backyard, while also running a nearby food truck. After Castillo featured the business, the backyard operation drew the attention of health inspectors and was forced to close.
Castillo documented what happened next, witnessing an outpouring of community support that sent customers to the food truck in record numbers.
Today, they're expanding with a second food truck, and Castillo believes the attention ultimately accelerated their growth, while introducing thousands of Texans to what he considers some of the best carnitas in North Texas.
"I've never had anything that good before in Dallas," he said.
Mr. Max
Castillo also highlighted Mr. Max, the beloved Irving restaurant that introduced many North Texans to the Japanese izakaya experience more than three decades ago.
Located on Belt Line Road, Mr. Max specializes in the small plates and casual atmosphere that define Japan's neighborhood drinking establishments.
Having traveled to Japan himself, Castillo says the restaurant captures the authentic feel of an izakaya better than almost anywhere else in the region.
"It is truly just as special as any izakaya that you walk into in in Tokyo," he said.
Castillo also pointed to Belt Line Road as one of North Texas' most remarkable international food corridors, home to an extraordinary concentration of Japanese, Peruvian, Argentinian and other global cuisines that deserve wider recognition.
Dollar Dogs
Sometimes Castillo's stories happen by accident.
While driving through Dallas' Cedar Crest neighborhood, he noticed a modest food truck selling hot dogs for just a dollar.
The business, known as Dollar Dogs, is operated by Tony Vann, whose mission is to provide affordable food for the community.
Beyond hot dogs, Vann also sells inexpensive household items and furniture in an effort to make everyday necessities more accessible.
"[Vann] thinks the community should be able to eat and he thinks that selling useful items outside for affordable prices can really help people out," Castillo said. "It's kind of like a flea market outside of the restaurant."
He says these are exactly the kinds of stories he hopes to tell, not because he sees himself as rescuing struggling businesses, but because he believes remarkable people often go unnoticed until someone shares their story.
"I really feel like when I put my heart into a video, people respond to it," Castillo said. "I make things that I want to see. I make things for people that I think deserve more recognition and the community supports them."
Miranda Suarez and Ron Corning are the hosts of KERA's NTX Now. Got a tip? Email Miranda at msuarez@kera.org or Ron at rcorning@kera.org.
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