Vegan News

Fort Worth's first fine-dining vegan restaurant makes maiden voyage in June

Maiden: Fine Plants and Spirits

Chris Plavidal

There's an opening date for Fort Worth's first fine-dining vegan restaurant. Called Maiden: Fine Plants & Spirits, the eatery is from the founders of the acclaimed vegan restaurant Spiral Diner & Bakery, and will open on June 1 at 1216 6th Ave., in the PS1200 complex.

Maiden will reside near its two siblings: in the same block as Spiral Diner, and a few doors down from Dreamboat Vegan Donuts & Scoops, which opened in mid-May at 1204 6th Ave. — creating a voodoo vegan triangle within Fort Worth's Near Southside District.

Maiden will offer a $150 seasonal tasting menu consisting entirely of plant-based food, with eight courses designed to be consumed over a two- to three-hour timespan. The restaurant will host two seatings per night, with room for 50 diners per seating.

Opening dishes include:

Lemongrass Grapefruit Consommé
Roasted Parsnip filled with confit zucchini and walnut, served with sourdough bread and shallot jam
a play on potato-leek soup that will have surprises

Patrons can add wine or mixed-drink pairings from choices that include sake, cocktails, beer, zero-proof cocktails, teas, and a zero-proof drink pairing. A-la-carte drink options will be available as well.

Prepaid reservations will be required and can be made via Tock starting in mid May.

For those who don't want to do the tasting, the restaurant will also offer first-come, first-serve seating at the bar, plus an outdoor lounge with limited service and dishes such as a vegan cheese board.

Maiden is from husband-and-wife James Johnston and Amy McNutt who, according to a release, will present emotive courses that evoke a cinematic experience. Johnston is a filmmaker ( The Green Knight, Ghost Story, Ain't Them Body Saints); as the release notes, the couple's passion for film and food are interwoven.

From the release:

"Every menu change will seek to tell a new story, full of twists and turns, asking: what does winter feel like; what surprises does spring bring; what stories does summer tell; what emotions does fall induce?"

In a statement, McNutt says that "Maiden is all about time," stating "The time devoted to forging our beautiful space. The time to thoughtfully compose each course. The time you grant yourself as a guest to relax and relish the experience. And now, finally, it is time to present Maiden to the great state of Texas."

Time is on your side. Time waits for no one. Does anybody really know what time it is? It's time to end this story. Time out.

openings vegan

Time For Some Tasty Tidbits

Lots of new dishes to check out in this Fort Worth restaurant news

Vickery Cafe

Shepherd's pie at Vickery Cafe

This roundup of restaurant news around Fort Worth has an exciting new opening, a sad closing, 2 high-profile relocationś, and loads of new menus to check out.

Here's what's happening in Fort Worth restaurant news:

Japan House, a unique all-you-can-eat concept with full-serve table service, has opened a location in the Lake Worth area of Fort Worth at 5912 Quebec St., off 820 — joining two other locations already open in North Richland Hills and irving. They feature an expansive menu of more than 170 items: appetizers, sushi rolls, sashimi, ramen, poke bowls, hibachi. They scrapped their previous buffet model and instead bring AYCE dishes to the table.

Vickery Cafe, the longtime favorite diner, has re-opened in its new location in the former Max’s Wine Dive location at 2421 W. 7th St. Owner Curtis James moved because his lease was not extended. It's known for its Southern and Tex-Mex fare.

Craft & Vine, the Roanoke taproom and eatery, closed its doors after seven years. They were known for their craft beers, shared plates, and 3rd-floor patio offering views.

Always Cooking Nola, a family-owned concept serving Cajun and New Orleans-style food, previously located in a Chevron in River Oaks, has softly opened in a new location at 6301 Randol Mill Rd. where it's serving po'boys, gumbo, wings, and more. Hours are 11 am-6 pm.

Dog Haus is celebrating Thanksgiving all month with a twist on the Turducken: a turkey, duck, and chicken sausage topped with garlic aioli, turkey gravy, onions, and scallions, served on King’s Hawaiian rolls; and the Turducken burrito, a turkey, duck, and chicken sausage, three sunny side up eggs, white American cheese, sweet potato fries, caramelized onions, and spicy mayo in a toasted flour tortilla.

Carrabba’s Italian Grill has new menu items including Arancini, a risotto bite with fennel sausage, mozzarella, parmesan, & Romano cheese; rigatoni al forno, with tomato cream sauce, Italian sausage, Romano, parmesan, mozzarella and goat cheese; and short rib marsala, bone-in short rib over garlic mashed potatoes with Lombardo Marsala wine sauce. Dessert includes a triple chocolate bread pudding. New festive cocktails feature the merry berry martini and wood-fired old fashioned. Available through January 13.

Main Event has new frozen hot chocolate shakes in three flavors: Classic, a frozen hot chocolate with chocolate candy frosted rim, and a Little Debby Christmas tree cake; s’mores with marshmallow rim and graham crackers; and peppermint with peppermint frosted rim and a candy cane. Bailey’s Irish Cream or Caffè Borghetti can be added to any flavor for $3. Prices start at $11. Available through January 7.

Menchie's Frozen Yogurt is collaborating with candy brand Hi-Chew for a limited-edition Key lime pie flavor, inspired by Hi-Chew Dessert Mix’s Key Lime Pie. The flavor is available through November 30 at Menchie’s locations in Euless' Glade Park and Colleyville.

Rita’s Frozen Custard has two limited-time frozen treats: Frozen Hot Cocoa Gelati, which layers Rita’s Frozen Hot Cocoa Cream Ice with Vanilla Custard, blending the taste of hot cocoa with cool Italian Ice; and Frozen Hot Cocoa Gelati Blender with a crushed peppermint topping.

Dunkin' is bringing back holiday favorites and new menu items. Drinks include the cookie butter cold brew, peppermint mocha latte, toasted white chocolate latte, and white hazelnut bark coffee. New items include the cookie butter donut, holiday cookie latte, almond croissant, and hash brown brisket scramble bowl.

Barrilitos, the Mexican soda, has returned to Texas shelves. Originally produced nearly 100 years ago, the drink is available in four flavors: Mandarina, Manzana, Piña, and Ponche de Frutas in both 12-ounce and 1.5-liter bottles. The aguas frescas were sold until 2020-2021, and the sodas were sold until 2017. Now they're available at El Rancho, La Michoacana, and Fiesta stores.

P.F. Chang’s has added Asian fried chicken to the menu for the first time. It comes in two options, Korean fried chicken and Taiwanese popcorn chicken, with a choice of sauces, including sweet soy glaze, dynamite, hot honey, and chili crisp. Available as bone-in three-piece or six-piece and boneless four-piece or five-piece, eight-piece or 10-piece for shareables.

Wendy's has a new salted caramel Frosty. It can also be paired with the limited-time mushroom bacon cheeseburger, which features roasted mushrooms, bacon, Muenster cheese, and garlic spread. The Frosty is $3 and the burger is $6.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has shut down two oyster harvest areas in the Gulf: the 14-acre Desperation Reef and the 529-acre Dollar Reef, both in Galveston Bay, to allow the oyster population to recover the reef is healthy enough that they can start harvesting oysters again. They'll reopen in November 2026.

Chipotle has launched a wacky new merchandise collection that includes a $10 cilantro soap, a nod to the small percentage of the population who are genetically wired to experience a soapy flavor when eating cilantro; the $28 “Water” Cup candle, a lemonade-scented candle; and $20 car napkin holder. The collection will be available for individual purchase, or as a bundle for $50.
___________________________
Raven Jordan contributed to this story.

lists