Coffee Buzz

Dallas’ hottest coffee shop nabs nifty riverside spot in Fort Worth

Dallas Design District hot spot Ascension Coffee open this fall at Fort Worth's WestBend.

Ascension Coffee

Popular Dallas Design District coffee and wine bar Ascension Coffee is expanding west, opening a branch in fall 2016 at WestBend, the mixed-use development in Fort Worth's University District.

Ascension will open a 2,420-square-foot store that overlooks the Trinity River and Trinity Trails, says owner Russell Hayward. The trails were a key part of what made the location appealing.

"Our location will fold right out onto that trail, and it's a beautiful setting that's very relaxing," he says. "That's part of what we do. We have the coffee, but I think what makes us special is the way we create conversation areas, where people can come and be there all day long."

The first Ascension opened in Dallas in 2012 and immediately became a neighborhood hot spot. (Still is.) But it's only been recently that Hayward has considered expansion.

"People kept asking us to build one here or build one there," he says. "I try to think of what makes a good fit. In Fort Worth, I'm friends with Garold LaRue, owner of Avoca Coffee, and I like what he was doing, so it was important to me not to compete with where he is."

He just recently opened his second branch of Ascension at the Crescent Court, which has a much different feel than the Design District original.

"It has this European style that fits into the building," he says. "If you look out, you would swear you're in Paris. Each branch is completely different; I think it's important that they fit into their environment."

WestBend is currently undergoing a redevelopment with new retail, restaurants, and office space. Also opening there is Dear Hannah, a women's clothing and accessories boutique. Drybar and Tyler's both opened this spring, joining Zoë’s Kitchen, East Hampton Sandwich Co., Core Power Yoga, Pax & Parker, Woodhouse Day Spa, and Silver Fox.

HG Sply Co. will open this summer, with a 5,000-square-foot patio on the Trinity River and Trinity Trails.

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Cheers News

Point Pub and Grill brings friendly Cheers vibe to north Fort Worth

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Behold the Daddy Mack, from The Point Pub & Grill.

A neighborhood hangout from Oregon is opening in Fort Worth: Called The Point Pub and Grill, it’s a casual bar and restaurant opening in the former Wicked Wing Pub space in north Fort Worth at 5636 N. Tarrant Pkwy., inside Parkwood Plaza, celebrating its grand opening on November 7.

There are no shortage of restaurants called The Point, including two already in the Fort Worth area. However, this one is the Point Pub and Grill, founded by a group of eight friends in Central Point, Oregon in 2013. They opened a second location in Medford, Oregon in 2016. Fort Worth will be the third, and the first outside of Oregon.

It's coming to Fort Worth via franchisee Balasarath Kurapati, a well-traveled tech guy who met the owners at a convention and loved the restaurant's friendly, laid-back spirit. Overseeing the opening is general manager Kris Jara, a congenial host who served in the military before returning to the restaurant industry.

The menu serves a mix of stick-to-your-ribs American, Mexican, and vegan bar fare. There are wings, fried pickles, burgers, salads, jalapeno poppers, and onion rings.

Sandwiches are a tempting collection including a reuben, patty melt, French dip, and Philly cheesteak. They also do mac & cheese, and it appears in an over-the-top sandwich called the Mac Daddy Patty Melt in which a burger is topped with caramelized onions, bacon, BBQ sauce, pepperjack cheese, and mac & cheese on grilled sourdough.

Their adherence to the original recipes included a training session at the original location. “I got sent up to Oregon to go work for about a week for training,” Jara says.

There's also a big nod to vegan and gluten-free diners, with vegan versions of nearly their entire menu including vegan chicken mac & cheese, served with vegan garlic bread; vegan chicken tacos; vegan patty melt; and a vegan Philly cheesesteak. This is something you might expect in Oregon, but they'll be offering it in Fort Worth, too.

"We like to take care of people — it's part of our desire to include and serve everyone," Jara says.

Five desserts include mini fried doughnuts with choice of chocolate, caramel or strawberry dipping sauce; and a unique item called deep fried apples: fresh apple slices that are battered and fried, tossed in cinnamon sugar, and topped with caramel sauce, served with vanilla ice cream.

Prices range from $8 for a half salad to $21.50 for an apple bacon bleu sandwich wrap.

The bar program includes fruity, youthful cocktails like the Wild Raspberry drop with raspberry vodka, and one with lavender and vanilla. Beers are specific to each location with different selections on tap.

"It's a great neighborhood pub and grill," Jara says. "Lots of places like to compare themselves to the TV show Cheers, but we really are like that, except we're above ground and you can see outside. That thing of remembering your name — we strive to make sure that when you come in, even if it's the first time, you feel like you've been here before."

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