This week in gluttony

These are the 9 best food and drink events in Fort Worth this week

Richard King of Ellerbe Fine Foods serves a cocktail at Night Market.

Nancy Farrar

Fall foodie festival season is here and two of Fort Worth's most highly anticipated events (both hosted by the Fort Worth Food + Wine Foundation) happen this week. One boasts an after-hours street food market theme and the other is a brand new brunch featuring uplifting gospel music. Global flavors are also featured in a South Vietnam wine pairing dinner, a Thai sawaddee supper, and a British afternoon tea.

Thursday, November 14

Journey to South Vietnam Wine Dinner at Cadillac Wines
Chef Hao Tran of Hao’s Grocery & Café will visit Cadillac Wines to prepare a five-course South Vietnamese-inspired dinner. Cadillac’s sommelier Jason Hisaw will pair wines from all over the world with each course. Dinner is $80 and begins at 6 pm.

Night Market
From the organizers of the annual Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival (taking place April 3-6, 2025), this outdoor street market-inspired tasting event will feature global flavors from 15 local chefs and craft cocktails from 17 mixologists. Participants this year include ZAAP Kitchen, La Cabrona Cocina Mexicana, Los Guapos, Inti Poke, Atlas Fort Worth, Ellerbe Fine Foods, and The Bar at Bowie House. Early admission is sold out, but general admission tickets are still available for $65. The event will run from 6:30-9 pm at The Shack at Panther Island Pavilion.

EIEIO Wine Dinner at Waters
Oregon-based EIEIO wines will be paired with four courses during this special dinner at Jon Bonnell’s downtown seafood destination. There’ll be grilled halloumi, ora king salmon, and flourless chocolate cake. Arrive at 6 pm for tray-passed apps and white Pinot Noir. Dinner is $190, plus tax and gratuity.

Caymus Omakase Dinner at Hush
The downtown Keller sushi restaurant and bar will host a multi-course omakase dinner paired with prestigious Caymus Vineyards wines. The experience is $100, plus tax and a service fee, and begins at 6 pm with a cocktail reception followed by dinner at 6:30 pm.

Friday, November 15

Secret Vault Wine Dinner at Restaurant 506
The restaurant inside Arlington’s Sanford House Inn & Spa will open the vault to pair wines from William Chris Vineyards with a six-course dinner. Highlights include veal cachete with ratatouille, heirloom tomato soup, golden seabass, prime strip loin, and squid ink pierogi. The $150 price includes tax and gratuity and dinner begins at 6:30 pm.

Saturday, November 16

Afternoon Tea at The Londoner Pub
Colleyville’s British-inspired bar and restaurant will host its first afternoon tea of the season featuring scones and clotted cream, tea sandwiches, sponge cake, chocolate mousse, macarons, and teas by the pot. Prices are a la carte, and the menu will be served from 12-3 pm.

Scone with jam Fancy a scone with your tea? Photo by Ben Stein on Unsplash

Far Niente Wine Dinner at Kirby’s Steakhouse
Visit the Southlake steakhouse for a five-course pairing dinner featuring Napa’s Far Niente wines. Dinner is $225, plus tax and gratuity, and begins at 6:30 pm.

Sunday, November 17

The Gospel Brunch
The second event this week hosted by the Fort Worth Food + Wine Foundation is a brand new Sunday morning brunch paired with uplifting live gospel music. To be held at The Shack at Panther Island, the brunch will be served at communal tables featuring cuisine by five area chefs: David Bull (Second Bar + Kitchen), Katrina Carpenter (Carpenter’s Cafe & Catering), Reggie Robinson and Cedric Robinson (Lil’ Boy Blue BBQ), and Marcus Paslay (From Scratch Hospitality). Ostara Coffee Roasters will bring a mobile espresso bar and there’ll also be mimosas, palomas, bloody Marys, and a signature espresso martini featuring Ostara Black Cold Brew. Tickets are $165 and the event will run from 11 am -2:30 pm.

Monday, November 18

Sawaddee Supper at Tuk Tuk Thai
Take a Thai culinary journey during this multi-course dinner that will highlight regional traditions of Thailand’s food history. The $50 price, plus tax and gratuity, includes a drink. Reservations begin at 5 pm.

british afternoon tea chefs dinner fall festival season festivals fort worth food wine events

FroYo News

Fro-yo chain Orange Leaf makes Azle debut in time for the holidays

Photo courtesy of Orange Leaf

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A new frozen yogurt shop is bringing chilly delights to Azle: Called Orange Leaf, it’s a self-service fro-yo concept opening a new location at 828 Boyd Rd. #102, in a former chicken wing space.

According to a release, it will open on December 7.

Orange Leaf was founded in Oklahoma in 2008 and is known for its frozen yogurt, smoothies, shakes, superfood bowls, cake in a cup, and fro-yo cake.

They boast 12 flavors of yogurt, some distinctive such as toasted marshmallow, white chocolate strawberry, and birthday cake. As is often the case with self-serve shops, their machines are set up with two adjacent flavors so you can do a combo swirl. Toppings comprise more than 30 options, including fruit, cereals, nuts, boba, gummies, and cheesecake bites.

A cup of frozen yogurt goes for $8.

Bringing the chain to Azle are husband-and-wife Mike and Yvonne Higby. Mike is a retired Air Force veteran, and Yvonne was previously a paraprofessional for preschoolers in the Azle Independent School District.

According to a release, they chose to invest in Orange Leaf because they enjoyed the items as a treat with their two sons and wanted to connect with the community.

“I spent years in food service before joining the military, both of which allowed me the opportunity to connect with people, provide the best quality products and services and become a strong leader," says Mike in a statement. "The lessons learned along the way encouraged me to make a choice to take control of my life, which led me to entrepreneurship”

Orange Leaf is one of the brands under the portfolio of Brix Holdings, the Dallas-based restaurant franchise company. Sherif Mityas, CEO of Brix Holdings, shared excitement over the the couple leading the Azle opening.

“We’re confident that with their combined years of experience serving the nation and their community, they will provide an experience to their guests filled with care, passion and dedication,” says Mityas in a statement. “As we open our final Orange Leaf location for 2024, we are proud of our franchise partners and are eagerly looking ahead to the success of Orange Leaf Azle and many more locations to come in the new year.”

The opening of the new Azle store brings the chain to a total of 25 stores in Texas, including Austin, San Antonio, Spring, and Lake Worth. There are more than 60 locations across the nation.