Chef News
Chef Tim Love tries out tapas in new restaurant at Fort Worth Stockyards
Brave Fort Worth chef Tim Love is dipping his toe into a restaurant realm in which few have succeeded: tapas.
On January 17, he'll open Ático, a Barcelona-inspired tapas bar at the Springhill Suites by Marriott, the newly opened hotel at 2315 N. Main St. in the Fort Worth Stockyards.
Ático will occupy the rooftop bar space, overlooking the Stockyards, with views of all of Fort Worth's landmarks, including TCU stadium, Will Rogers Memorial Center, Dickies Arena, and downtown Fort Worth.
According to wiktionary, "atico" can be a Spanish or Portuguese word, and it means "penthouse, loft, or attic."
What it definitely is not is "Attica," which the great actor Al Pacino chanted so passionately in the 1975 film Dog Day Afternoon. Atico, yes. Attica, no.
This is the second new restaurant for Love in the past year. In 2019, he opened Gemelle, a casual Italian restaurant in Fort Worth's river district serving pastas and Detroit-style pizza.
Tapas are a touchy thing. Many a tapas restaurant has opened, then closed, despite the fact that diners say they like the idea. If you call it "small plates," it seems to fly. There are plenty of restaurants serving small plates. And restaurants with lots of appetizers that people like to share. There are "share-ables" on many menus.
That said, if anyone can bulldoze through the obstacles that have beset the tapas concept in the past, it's Tim Love.
According to a release, the menu will feature an assortment of classic and modern tapas from the chef. Highlights include:
- Patatas Bravas with aioli & ranchero sauce
- Ham or Brisket Croquettas
- Pan con Tomate
- Catalan Coca (Spanish Flatbread) with crushed tomatoes, chili, fresh basil & mint
- Catalan Cocan (Spanish Flatbread) with Deer Salami, Roasted Fennel, Manchego, and Roasted Jalapeño Pesto
- Grilled Oysters with Garlic, Parmesan, and Guanciale
- Grilled Iberico Secreto, Chimichurri, Aji Amarillo Salsa
- Wood-roasted whole fish served with salsa, herbs, and crème fraiche
That will include a selection of charcuterie served with escabeche, including (but not limited to):
- Iberico Ham
- “José’s Tacos” – Iberico ham, caviar & gold flakes
- Black lime-garlic lomo embuchado
The beverage program will feature a Spanish-driven cocktail and wine menu with an emphasis on straightforward mixed drinks, which the release dubs "combinados." There'll be cervezas on draft and a selection of Spanish sherry from veverage VP Anna Warren.
Wine highlights include:
- Mont Marcal Brut Reserva, Catalonia, Spain (Cava)
- K5 'Pilota’ from Txakolina, Spain (Getariako Txakolina)
- Torres 'Verdeo' from Castilla y Leon, Spain (Verdejo)
- Marques de Caceres, Rioja Rose from Rioja, Spain (Tempranillo, Garnacha)
- Alvaro Palacios 'Camins del Priorat'from Catalonia, Spain (Grenache, Carinena)
- La Rioja Alta 'Vina Alberdi' Rioja Reserva from Rioja, Spain (Tempranillio)
Cocktail highlights include:
- Blood Orange Sangria: Tempranillo, blood orange, lemon, lime, sprite
- Sherry & Soda: sherry + sprite
- Horchata Old Fashioned: rye whiskey, spiced simple, bitters
- Madrid: brandy, ‘East India Solera’ sherry, orange bitters
- PX Float: ‘Pedro Ximénez’ sherry, vanilla ice cream
The restaurant seats 82. Love collaborated on the design with Studio 11, with elements that include Spanish Mission-style brick arches and a modern glass roof. There'll be a big commitment to greenery including large potted plants and live green walls throughout.
The restaurant will be open for dinner Monday-Friday, and open at 11 am on weekends.