This Week in Gluttony
These are the 6 best food and drink events in Fort Worth this week
The week has arrived for Fort Worth's most prestigious food and drink awards — CultureMap's Tastemaker Awards. Celebrate the best the local culinary scene has to offer. Or check out the other wine and beer events takng place. With gourmet grilled cheese and dumplings on the menu, beer pairings get a little more adventurous this week. A museum-caliber wine dinner has us salivating for dishes like mushroom and lamb-stuffed quail and black pepper rhubarb sorbet. Then there’s the opportunity to be on TV — a camera crew will be in town filming the pilot episode of a series highlighting local art and food.
Thursday, April 19
CultureMap Tastemaker Awards
It's time to celebrate two of the things everyone loves most: food and drink. The Tastemaker Awards honors the top restaurant and bar talent in Fort Worth and Dallas. We'll unveil the winners of each category — including Best Bar, Best Chef, and Best New Restaurant — at a swanky tasting event and ceremony emceed by TV personality Jane McGarry. It all starts at 7 pm at Sixty Five Hundred in Dallas. Tickets ($55) include valet, bites by nominated restaurants, and up to three premium beverages.
Freeman Winery Dinner at Café Modern
Ken Freeman of Freeman Winery will be the special guest speaker for this five-course meal, which features only Chardonnay and Pinot Noir — the varietals for which Freeman is known. Dinner includes grilled fruit with house-made ricotta, salmon gravlox with cauliflower mousse, porchetta and polenta, mushroom and lamb sausage-stuffed quail, and sour cheery frangipane cake with black pepper rhubarb sorbet. Seats are $115 per person ($99 for Modern members), plus tax and gratuity, and dinner begins at 6:30 pm.
A Night of Artists of Chefs at Magdalena’s
Dinner, wine, live music, local art and a chance to be on TV? Yes, please. A producer from California has chosen Fort Worth to be the setting for the pilot episode of A Night of Artists and Chefs. Camera crews will be on site at Magdalena’s, where three local artists will transform the space into an artistic experience while chefs Juan Rodriguez and Jenna Kinard will prepare five courses paired with five wines. There are multiple nights to choose from (April 19-21 and April 27-29) and multiple packages with pricing ranging from $95-$175. (Note that some packages are sold out on some dates.) The event begins at 7 pm.
Friday, April 20
Benvenuto in Italia at Cadillac Wines
For those who like their vino paired with a little vroom vroom, a wine dinner at a car dealership is appropriate. Chef Carol Ann Kroehler is still finalizing the menu, but patrons can expect Italian fare to be paired with five Italian wines. Reservations are $65 per person and dinner begins at 6 pm.
Saturday, April 21
Grilled Cheese and Beer Pairing with Chez Flo at Grapevine Craft Brewery
Chez Flo is a French-inspired food truck from Bedford with a sister truck called Sandwiches Around the World. Both will be at the Grapevine brewery to whip up gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches paired with craft brew. Pairings include Texas brisket with cheddar, jalapeños, and barbecue sauce and HopFest United IPA; and a triple cheese pesto sandwich with Monarch pilsner. Guests will receive four five-ounce glasses paired with four sandwich halves for $20, and an expanded menu will be available for those who are still hungry. The pairings will be available from 12 noon-4 pm.
Dumpling Pop-Up at The Collective Brewing Project
Indulge in pure dumpling delight with Hao Tran of Lost in the Sauce, who’ll prepare four different varieties including pho soup dumplings, Nepali chicken, vegetarian, and dumplings stuffed with bacon burnt ends from Heim Barbecue. Desserts will also be available from Food, Pleasure & Health. The menu will be available from 2-6 pm or until sell-out.