This week in gluttony

These are the 7 best food and drink events in Fort Worth this week

Cocktails too pretty to drink — almost.

Photo courtesy of Refinery 714

June is almost here, and with the new month come new events. A tropical-themed brunch and a Pride Month dinner and a show are part of the list. Also new is a cookbook club that comes with tasty dishes and good conversation, and the grand opening of a new breakfast and lunch spot.

Wednesday, June 1

Secret Cocktail Garden Pop-up at Refinery 714
The cocktail bar at the top of the Kimpton Harper Hotel in downtown Fort Worth launches a month-long pop-up garden party to celebrate its first anniversary. It will feature an Instagrammy flower wall designed by local florist, a private Greenhouse Lounge, and organic infused cocktails by Belvedere Vodka — including the delightful-sounding Lantana Sunrise, made with Belvedere Lemon and Basil, lavender, grapefruit, lemon-basil syrup, and prosecco. The pop-up will be open June 1-30 during regular business hours at Refinery 714, 5-11 pm Sunday-Thursday and 3 pm-12 am Friday-Saturday. To reserve the private Greenhouse Lounge, email agriffin@theharperfortworth.com.

Reverse Drag Brunch at El Chingon
The West Seventh district Mexican restaurant and bar will electrify Pride Month by launching Wednesday night reverse drag brunches in June. The $40 ticket includes a brunch dish, bottomless mimosas, and a “Party with the Queens” drag show. Brunch items include chilaquiles, omelets, breakfast burritos, and menudo — a traditional Mexican soup. Wash it all down with the Prideapple shot or cocktail (additional charge) shaken with coconut rum, orange, and pineapple juices, and layered with grenadine and blue Curacao. Brunch will be served starting at 8:30 pm followed by the 10 pm show. Only want to see the queens but not eat? Admission to the show is free with a reservation.

Friday, June 3

National Doughnut Day Collaboration: TX Whiskey + FunkyTown Donuts & Drafts
Celebrate a sweet holiday with a doughnut and whiskey pairing at Whiskey Ranch. Three mini doughnuts will be paired with three TX Whiskey cocktails, including a mini maple bacon grilled cheese doughnut sandwich served with a TX Bourbon Old Fashioned. Tickets are $25 per person and the event (which will also have live DJ music) will run from 6-9 pm.

Saturday, June 4

Platinum Jubilee Brunch at The Londoner
The Colleyville British pub celebrates Queen Elizabeth's 70-year reign with a Platinum Jubilee brunch menu, being served from 11 am-3 pm Saturday only. Dishes include Platinum Scones and Sweets, a special twist on a Waldorf Chicken Salad, and more — plus Queen's Cup cocktails. Call 817-684-8810 or visit the website to reserve, as they expect spots to fill up.

Aloha Hawaiian Brunch at World of Beer
The restaurant and bar will launch its new brunch theme for the month on Saturday. Go for Hawaiian-inspired dishes, including the Hawaiian breakfast flatbread with eggs, ham, grilled pineapple and a drizzling of barbecue sauce, and the Loco Moco, a chargrilled beef patty served atop jasmine rice with seared SPAM and a sunny-side-up egg. Pair the dishes with Hawaiian brunch cocktails, including the Lei-ing Low Pineapple Margarita with cream of coconut. Brunch starts at 11 am.

Monday, June 6

Toasted Yolk Café Southlake Grand Opening
Get toasted in Southlake with the grand opening of Toasted Yolk Café, a new breakfast and lunch joint that slings cocktails, too. The first 25 guests will receive a $25 gift card, and three lucky raffle drawing winners will get free food for a year. Everyone who visits will receive free churro doughnuts and $3 mimosas. The grand opening party will run from 7 am-3 pm.

Cookbook Club at Leaves
The tea shop and bookstore will partner with its Near Southside neighbor, The Table Culinary Studio & Market, for a cookbook club potluck. This month’s cookbook is Cook Like a Local: Flavors That Can Change How You Cook and See the World by Houston chef Chris Shepherd, who was the special guest chef at a recent Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival event. Grab a copy of the book (available at Leaves), choose a recipe, and bring the dish to share. The gathering will run from 6:30-8:30 pm.

news-you-can-eat openings cocktails brunch

Empanada News

New restaurant in Roanoke treats diners to tantalizing Dominican eats

FrituWhaaa

A ghost kitchen serving vividly flavored Dominican food has settled into a permanent location in Roanoke: Called FrituWhaaa, it specializes in Cuban sandwiches and empanadas and is now open at 206 N. Oak St. in a food hall called The 206.

FrituWhaaa is owned by couple James and Rosa Brunder, who wanted to bring Dominican food to the Fort Worth area. The name itself is a play on the dish fritura, which is a medley of fried meats (like salami and sausage), cheese, and plantains.

The couple moved from the Northeast to Justin in November 2023 to venture into the food industry. They started out by cooking and selling food from their house. By spring, they had moved on to preparing takeout meals from a catering kitchen in North Richland Hills.

“We went into a ghost kitchen in March, and doors just started opening for us,” Rosa says. “We found this place in Roanoke, and now we’re here.”

Their menu doesn’t slack on variety, with sandwiches, rice dishes, empanadas with various fillings, and handmade drinks. Signature dishes include:

Cuban sandwich, which they dub "the ultimate grilled sandwich experience," featuring layers of pork, ham, Swiss cheese, mustard, and pickles, nestled between slices of toasted bread
Empanadas, which can be ordered in a choice of fillings including beef, pizza, cheese, and chicken and cheese
Arroz con gandules, a rice dish with pigeon peas and pernil, which is pork shoulder.

There are many delectable dishes — such as the patacon, a fried plantain sandwich that replaces bread with thin slices of plantains that are smashed and deep-fried until they're crunchy and crisp. They offer three options: ground beef, chicken, or pork, topped with sliced tomato and slaw. They come in regular "burger" size or in minis, four to an order — an exotic and irresistible little slider.

The Chimi is the Dominican version of a burger, featuring a ground beef patty topped with thinly sliced onion, tomato, and shredded cabbage, drizzled With special sauce and served on a bun that's similar to French bread. And Mangu Con Los 3 Glopes — mashed plantains with fried salami, cheese, and eggs with sautéed onions — is a dish that could be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Desserts include cheesecake and mousse in flavors such as pumpkin, Oreo, and mango. Drinks have a Dominican flair, including hibiscus lemonade, made with brewed hibiscus and passion fruit juice.

Dominican food is far more commonplace in Pennsylvania, where the couple spent 18 years, Rosa says.

“That's what made us want to open a restaurant with Dominican food, because it’s very hard to find that here,” she says.

Beyond sharing a taste of the Caribbean with customers, FrituWhaaa is dedicated to making the dining experience more personal and share their passion for the cuisine.

“The one thing that we are really big on is building a rapport with customers," Rosa says. "We want them to feel what we feel when we’re cooking. We want to transport them to either a memory they have of their childhood. It’s not just food, it’s an experience, it’s memories that are coming back.”