Closure News

Worldly restaurant in Fort Worth's Near Southside closes after one year

Upscale seafood dish at Beast & Co.

Beast & Co.

An acclaimed restaurant in Fort Worth has closed: Beast and Company, a chef-driven spot with a worldly/global menu located at 1010 W. Magnolia Ave. in the Near Southside, has closed.

Chef and founder Dustin Lee shared the news on Facebook, blaming the closure on a decline in business the restaurant had endured in recent weeks.

"I would rather fight until every last dime is gone, but after consulting my lawyer and accountant, we must act in the best interest of our employees and also ensure taxes are paid. I hate to say this, but the Beast and Co is closing its doors, effective immediately," he said.

Lee left the corporate world in 2020 and opened The Beast & Co. on West Magnolia Avenue in 2022. He gained a following for an evolving menu of scratch dishes with worldly flair, like soba noodles with coconut curry, burrata with gremolata & grilled bread, and masala spice cake with curry ice cream.

The restaurant did not lack for acclaim, including making the December 2022 edition of CultureMap's monthly Where to Eat column, for "Where to take the hardcore foodie and prove FW has a foodie scene." Author Malcolm Mayhew called it "one of Fort Worth’s best new restaurants," serving dishes that went beyond the city’s norm.

Lee also earned a nomination for Rising Star Chef in Fort Worth's 2023 CultureMap Awards.

In February, Lee stirred up some controversy in a post where he speculated that the city of Fort Worth was not receptive to outsiders. Some commenters said it was more a case of inadequate marketing, while others found it too expensive for anything beyond a special occasion. But nearly everyone said it was a great place with great food, rooted in Southern traditions, but incorporating other cuisines including Western African, Northern African, Vietnamese, French, and Spanish.

Dishes included Italian pasta with goat Bolognese, Thai lobster bisque with a Thai lobster dumpling, and a spicy version of bouillabaisse made with skate wing. The bar featured cocktails with a global focus such as a saffron-tinted Bees Knees.

In his closure post, Lee praised his staff, calling them "the best team in DFW," stating that the failure was his fault, but that he was going to persevere.

"I’m going to keep cooking and putting together bad ass wine lists, wherever that may take me. Be well Fort Worth. Sorry for the missed connection," he said.

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TikTok News

TikTok critic Keith Lee visits Dallas spinoff of Fort Worth steakhouse

TikTok

Keith Lee

A TikTok critic paid a visit to a surprisingly fancy DFW restaurant: Viral critic Keith Lee, whose online restaurant critiques generate millions of views, bestowed a visit upon Wicked Butcher, a local steakhouse that started in Fort Worth.

Wicked Butcher is a fine-dining spot from hospitality group DRG Concepts that debuted in Fort Worth’s Sinclair Hotel in 2020 with a menu of steaks, seafood, and wine. Lee visited the Dallas location, which was originally known as Dallas ChopHouse, then reopened as a Wicked Butcher spinoff in early 2024.

According to a spokesperson for the restaurant, Lee visited on December 29, and gave no warning he was coming. He wasn't invited or compensated for the review; he just showed up as a guest and ordered food to go.

But he seems to have been recognized, since a general manager approached him and asked for his feedback on the food. The spokesperson, however, states that they ask for feedback from all their guests regardless of status.

A steakhouse is a little more highbrow than some of the small, independent spots Lee has favored in the past. In a four-minute TikTok video, he shares what he ordered, along with his ratings and comments.

Items he ordered along with his notes include:

Green Curry Salmon. "It's seasoned really well, it's not super spicy, but it does have a little kick," Lee says. "The rice has the perfect texture, too." 8.6 out of 10.
Steak Frites. He gave the fries and steak separate ratings. He liked the parmesan cheese on the fries, but wished they were more salted. The steak was medium rare. Said it was “very well-seasoned and extremely tender” and that it was “cooked perfectly.” Fries 7.5 out of 10; steak 8 out of 10.
Salmon tartare and rice crackers. Commented that the cracker is "seasoned perfectly, in my opinion," with a chili lime seasoning. 9 out of 10
Bread was described as “pillowy, layered, and flaky.” 7.5 out of 10.
Blackberry basil lemonade. He enjoyed it so much that he ordered two. “Another blackberry mint lemonade, please!” 9 out of 10.

He gave customer service a rating of 9 out of 10, remarking that customer service in downtown Dallas is usually good.

The total bill was $142.89.

“One thing I do love about the Dallas food scene— we’ve been here about a month, a month and a half— they do got some nice fine dining restaurants,” Lee says in the video.

Lee recently relocated to Texas from Las Vegas in November, after visiting Dallas on a number of house-hunting trips as well as roundups of Dallas-area restaurants. Wicked Butcher is not the only DFW-area restaurant he's explored; he recently visited Hutchins BBQ.

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