This roundup of restaurant news around Fort Worth includes a big opening, some major comebacks, and lots of delicious new dishes to check out.
Here's what's happening in Fort Worth restaurant news:
Quince, a restaurant founded in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, which has been proclaimed the "No. 1 Rooftop Restaurant in the World," has opened a location in Fort Worth, in the WestBend development at 1701 River Run; it opened March 27. The menu features seafood including sushi and ceviches, steaks, salads, and bowls. There's steak au jus, tuna, tempura shrimp, chicken with ginger rice, filet with chateau potatoes, short ribs in truffle sauce on hummus with crunchy chickpeas, pasta fusilli with lamb ragout, New York strip, and a cowboy ribeye. They also serve brunch with dishes such as huevos rancheros, eggs benedict, French toast with berries and cream, chilaquiles verdes, and eggs shakshouka.
61 Osteria, the upscale Italian restaurant in Fort Worth, has launched weekend brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am-2 pm, and weekday lunch from 11 am-2 pm. Brunch includes the Semolina Dutch Baby with luxardo cherries, lemon, and powdered sugar; scrambled egg bruschetta with ricotta, prosciutto, and hen of the wood mushrooms; House Granola with chestnut honey, farro, hazelnuts, and yogurt; and Mozzarella in Carrozza - battered mozzarella sandwich with tomato sauce, calabrian chili, and baked eggs. Lunch includes salads and sandwiches such as the Italian hoagie with Rovagnati cured meats, giadiniera, provolone, gem lettuce, tomato, and calabrian chili aioli; Broccolini Panino with preserved lemon, calabrian chili, provolone, mozzarella, and roasted garlic aioli; and Shaved Porchetta with castlefranco, provolone, mozzarella, fennel, and caramelized mostarda, all served with rosemary fries or a small Caesar.
The Original Mexican Eats Cafe, which has been open at 4713 Camp Bowie Blvd. for nearly a century, will not shut its doors at the end of March, despite previous reports to the contrary. According to a confusing post on their Facebook page, they've been given an extension of three months. “Well friends, we’ve been waiting for our Knight in shining armor, and He has ARRIVED!! We just secured a 3 month extension! Hopefully this will lead to a permanent stay! Nonetheless, we will stay here on Camp Bowie at least through the end of June!!” When asked who the Knight in shining armor was, the restaurant responded that it was "not an actual person, just a small miracle." Sure seems like the landlord cut them a break; wouldn't that guy be the knight?
Terra Mediterranean Grill is reopening in Crockett Row. According to a post on Crockett Row's Facebook page, the restaurant from Adam and Lena Chanaa returns after a four-year absence. Adam and his brother Jalal and their mother opened their first place, Ali Baba Mediterranean Grill, on Lower Greenville in Dallas in 1989. That closed, but they still have an Ali Baba in Richardson as well as one in Monterey, Mexico, plus a Terra Mediterranean in Plano. The Fort Worth Terra originally opened in 2009, but closed due to pandemic. They'll return to the West 7th district, in the former Patrizio space, and hope to open in late August. Before that, they'll be opening a Mexican restaurant across the street called La Cabrona.
Fred's Texas Cafe has launched a new menu with favorites and new dishes including chicken dishes such as tinga chicken salad, a hot honey chicken sandwich, and a grilled chicken Cobb. There's a veggie quesadilla with pepper jack cheese, black beans, corn, portabello mushrooms, and grilled onions, salads, and new burgers such as the veggie burger with a whole sautéed portobello mushroom cap, pickles, lettuce, tomato, onion, and mustard; and a salad burger featuring a Fredburger with lettuce, tomato, onion, and cheese.
La Madeleine has new limited-edition bakery items for spring: Blueberry & Lemon Individual Cheesecake topped with tart lemon whipped cream; Blueberry and Lemon Crepe with blueberry-cheesecake filling and fresh blueberries; and Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting. Three seasonal favorites are also returning: Lemon Blueberry Danish with blueberries and a lemon cream center; Lemon White Chocolate Chunk Cookie with tangy lemon glaze; and Lemon Poppyseed Muffin with a sweet lemon glaze drizzle.
Dog Haus has a new creation: the Pepperoni Pizza Sausage, a savory link with pork and fennel Italian sausage, pepperoni, mozzarella, tomato, and oregano. Guests can get it the Würst Way, served on King's Hawaiian rolls with spicy basil aioli and grated cheese; the Corn Dog Way dipped in Dog Haus’ root beer batter; and “Sliced Way” grilled and sliced with spicy basil aioli. A new item in the Absolute Würst Sausage Series arrives each month.
Cowboy Chicken, famous for its rotisserie chicken, has added chicken tenders to its menu, served with honey blaze, ranch, BBQ, and honey mustard sauces.
Genghis Grill has partnered with chef Robert Kabakoff on a trio of new Fried Rice bowls: Kimchi Fried Rice with spicy pickled cabbage, fried rice, scrambled egg, in spicy Korean chili sauce; Jambalaya with chicken, sausage, shrimp, onion, bell pepper, and dirty rice; Farmhouse with chicken, bacon, jalapeños, ranch seasoning, fried rice with carrots, bell pepper, onions, and a cream BBQ ranch sauce. They start at $8.49.
Dunkin' has new Breakfast Tacos with scrambled eggs, sharp white cheddar cheese, fire-roasted corn, and tangy lime crema in a soft flour tortilla, with or without bacon. What sets Breakfast Tacos apart is the fact that the fire-roasted corn takes center stage.
Cicis Pizza is collaborating with Mike’s Hot Honey to offer a Hot Honey pepperoni pizza, drizzled with the signature chili pepper-infused honey. Now through April 30, the Hot Honey Pizza will be in the third slot after Garlic Cheesy Bread and Pepperoni Pizza, or to-go, $10 for a medium, $12 for a large, or $15 for a giant.
Yogurtland, the self-serve frozen yogurt brand, has two new seasonal fro-yo flavors: Thai Tea and Boba Milk Tea, inspired by two classic tea experiences. Thai Tea frozen yogurt is new, with a bold black tea flavor and sweet cream notes. Boba Milk Tea is a returning flavor, with brown sugar notes. They also have a new limited-edition topping: rainbow mochi.
Chick-fil-A has brought back Watermelon Mint Lemonade after six years. It's available as Watermelon Mint Sunjoy, Watermelon Mint Iced Tea, and Watermelon Mint Frosted Lemonade, starting Monday, April 3. "Guests loved the Watermelon Mint Lemonade in 2017, so we are thrilled to bring it back to our menu and introduce new ways for guests to enjoy this flavor," a spokesperson says.
Gong Cha has a new Sparkling Series of bubbly beverages featuring combinations of fruit flavors, pearls, jelly, milk foam, and sparkling water: Sparkling Milk Foam Mango with Star Jelly, a bright, fruity and fizzy mango drink topped with milk foam and chewy, peach flavored jelly in star shapes; Sparkling Lychee with Mango Popping Pearls, a tropical fruit blend of lychee with bursts of mango in each pearl; and Sparkling Hibiscus with White Pearls, a sweet & sour hibiscus drink with tart, floral flavor and chewy white pearls. The chain has seven locations in DFW.
Häagen-Dazs Shops has a new ice cream confection: Pineapple Coconut Shake, an alcohol-free ode to the classic piña colada, made from Häagen-Dazs Pineapple Coconut ice cream, topped with whipped cream and a slice of fresh pineapple, available April 1-June 14.
Milk Bar, the New York dessert company, has launched two new cookie types in grocery stores: bite-sized crunchy cookies (“crunchies”) and ready-to-bake cookie dough. Known for familiar-yet-unexpected items like their Compost Cookies, Milk Bar entered into the Grocery category in 2020. Crunchies will come in four flavors: Brown Butter Chocolate Chip, Cinnamon Toast, Pretzel-y Chocolate Chip, and Vanilla Butter Crunch, and sold at Whole Foods. The cookie dough comes in two flavors: Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow and Fruity Cereal, and is sold at Target and Kroger.
El Chico has two new cocktails featuring tropical flavors: Guava ‘Rita: with Monte Alban 100% Agave Silver Tequila, Gran Gala Orange Liqueur, Reàl Guava and margarita mix; and Sangria Swirl, a house frozen ‘Rita with El Toro Silver Tequila and red sangria swirl. Both are $7 and will be available April 3-July 3 at participating El Chico locations: 1549 S. Bowen Rd. Pantego; 7621 Baker Blvd., North Richland Hills; and 503 I-30, Rockwall.
Chili’s is no longer using children’s activity placemats that promote keeping parrots and monkeys as pets, after a complaint was lodged in Nebraska. The North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance collaborated with PETA to discourage use of the placemats.
