All the Food Events To Try

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

The 38th annual Grapefest arrives in Grapevine this week.

Grapefest/Facebook

The biggest wine festival in Dallas-Fort Worth takes place this week, along with the 30th anniversary of a gourmet grocer. There's also a complimentary wine tasting, a brisket-smoking class, and an after-hours garden party with beverages and bites.

Tuesday, September 10

September Wine Dinner at Caterina’s
The Stockyards fine dining Italian destination (which recently relaxed its policies on jackets and cell phones) will host its monthly wine pairing dinner. Highlights from the five-course menu include arancini alla puttanesca, beef tenderloin with gnocchi and wild mushroom sauce, and Italian shortbread with lemon cream. The $155 price plus tax and gratuity, includes wines paired with each course. Dinner begins at 6:30 pm.

Thursday, September 12

Grapefest
The 38th annual four-day wine festival features the best of Texas-grown wines along with varietals from around the world. Grapevine’s historic downtown Main Street shuts down to give way to live music, food vendors, shopping, and kids activities, along with experiences like the People's Choice Wine Tasting Classic, Champagne Terrace, Liberty Park Plaza International Wine Experience, and the Rosé Rendezvous at the Gazebo. (Some experiences require an additional fee.) Admission is free all day Thursday and on Friday until 5 pm. After that, adults are $10 ($5 for 62-plus and children 6-12).

Celebrate with Chef Martin Yan at Central Market
The Fort Worth Central Market Cooking School will host the legendary TV chef as part of the grocer’s 30th anniversary celebration this month. No cooking required – Yan will demonstrate his skills in the kitchen while spectators sit back and enjoy. Menu items include celebration poke salad with seasonal fruit, good fortune beef with grilled brussels sprouts, longevity garlic noodles, and prosperity sweet and sour fish in lettuce cups. Wine pairings are included in the $150 ticket price. The event will run from 6:30–8:30 pm.

Friday, September 13

Meet the Winemaker at Roy Pope Grocery
This virtual meet-and-greet will feature Malek Amrani of The Vice Wine, who’ll join participants at Roy Pope Grocery via video from his home in Napa. Samples of his wines will be served, including The House Cabernet, Else Chardonnay, Pickleball Orange of Viognier, and Paso Corto Amrani exclusively crafts for Roy Pope. The free event will take place from 5 -7 pm.

Fall After Hours in the Garden
The Fort Worth Botanic Garden launches a fall rendition of its after-hours series, when guests can enjoy beverages, bites, and beautiful scenery during dusk. Admission is $25 per person ($18 for members) and includes one beer or wine, light bites, and live music. The event will run from 6:30–8:30 pm. Members get early entry at 6 pm.

Saturday, September 14

30th Anniversary Foodie Stroll at Central Market
The Texas-based gourmet grocer will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a sip-and-stroll at all locations. To be held from 2–5 pm, the event will feature interactive demos, sampling, and tastings. Cost is $10 and includes a 30th anniversary wine glass and a $10 coupon.

Sunday, September 15

BrisketU at Martin House Brewing Company
It’s officially tailgate season and perfect timing for this class on smoking the quintessential Texas brisket. Participants will get schooled on pit types, brisket cuts, trim techniques, rubs and prep, wood selection and smoke profiles, managing a fire and pit chamber, timing, and properly slicing the end product. Class is $139 ($129 for additional participants) and will run from 11 am–2 pm at Martin House Brewing Company.

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.”