The day has come for pasta fans via one of the more exciting restaurant openings in Fort Worth: Il Modo, a new Italian restaurant, has opened on the ground floor of the Harper Fort Worth, the restored historic landmark hotel in the former XTO Energy Headquarters building at 714 Main St. in downtown.
Il Modo serves sophisticated Italian dishes, featuring housemade pastas, with an emphasis on local ingredients. Chef is the acclaimed Matt Williams, a Chicago transplant who has worked for notable restaurants in the Chicago area including Mino's Italian, Bar Siena, and The Florentine.
Signature dishes include Cacio e Pepe Orecchiette, Manila Clam Linguini, and Spicy Italian Sausage Rigatoni. There's also a 22-ounce bone-in Ribeye with bone marrow butter, and a roasted half chicken with potato-leek puree.
But the thing here is pasta: They make every pasta on the menu every day, and the restaurant features a glass-windowed pasta room that gives diners a view of the action.
They'll also offer pasta-making classes and sell pastas and packaged sauces.
Menu
Starters include:
- clams in 'nduja broth with grilled sourdough bread
- meatballs with spicy pomodoro
- salads including shaved vegetable salad and a Caesar with anchovy vinaigrette
- calamari
- shrimp scampi
- fried artichokes with capers and anchovies
Pastas include:
- bucatini Amatriciana
- risotto with rock shrimp mascarpone
- spaghetti with ricotta and sungold tomatoes
- linguini with clams and garlic
- cacio e pepe
- garganelli with lamb ragu
- rigato with spicy Italian sausage and rapini
Entrees/secondi include salmon, roast chicken, a 6-ounce filet, and a 22-ounce bone-in ribeye with bone marrow butter.
Entrees to share include a $140 bistecca and a whole branzini for $55. Sides include mashed potatoes, roasted mushrooms, broccolini, and roasted carrots. Desserts include toffee cake with dates, chocolate mousse pie, and tiramisu.
The wine list includes Italian labels, designed to enhance the cuisine, and cocktails built around Italian classics.
Il Modo is one of two food & beverage establishments in the hotel, along with Refinery 714, a penthouse bar and lounge.
The Harper is the first Kimpton property in Fort Worth, joining the Kimpton Hotel Van Zandt in Austin and the Kimpton Pittman Hotel, recently opened in Dallas' Deep Ellum.
Swanky dining room
