Restaurant News Fit To Eat

Help pizzeria hit by vandalism and more Fort Worth restaurant news

Jalapeno popper pizza from Pizza Verde

Pizza Verde

This edition of dining news around Fort Worth has plenty of things to chew on including new special dishes and new menus for fall. This is the time of year to get your butternut squash linguine, your pumpkin pancakes, your peppermint shake.

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

Pizza Verde, the award-winning vegan pizza and pasta restaurant, was vandalized on October 30 — the second time in a month. Staff at the restaurant, which is located at 5716 Locke Ave., arrived on Halloween Day to find their glass front door smashed to pieces. Unfortunately, the exact same thing happened on September 25, and it has happened to other businesses in that area, as well, by someone suspected to be homeless. In a Facebook post, Pizza Verde stated that they have still not caught up financially on replacing the door the last time. For those interested in helping replace the glass, their venmo is pizzaverdetx and their paypal is pizzaverdetx@gmail.com. Other ways to help: Buy a pizza! "We are staying positive, but obviously it is frustrating to have it happen twice in a few weeks," they said. "We always appreciate yall always being so supportive and kind."

Heirloom, the foodtruck by Kevin Martinez at Archie's Gardenland at 6700 Z Boaz Pl. has a fabulous-sounding new menu featuring dishes such as chorizo with fried potatoes, eggs, & avocado; braised beets with pears, mozzarella, pesto, and pumpkinseeds on sourdough; pork belly with pumpkin grits & apple cider greens; and a cranberry upside down cake with orange creme and maple-glazed pecans.

Meat Board, the butcher shop and cafe at 6315 Camp Bowie Blvd., has a lunch special for November: the Turkey Club, with turkey, bacon, lettuce, and tomato on brown bread, featuring not just mayo but also Mickey's Mustard. They're open for lunch Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-3 pm.

Bacchus Kitchen + Bar inside Hotel Vin has new four- and five-course chef’s tasting menus. Dishes include dates stuffed with bacon & goat cheese; short rib with celeriac puree and rainbow carrots; and lobster tortellini with lemon & basil pasta and poached lobster. Seasonal cocktails include the pear sidecar and the pumpkin Russian. The restaurant has also introduced chef Jose Soto as Executive Sous Chef, where he'll assist Executive Chef Juan Pablo Silva in overseeing culinary operations.

Logan’s Roadhouse is bringing back prime rib Fridays through Sundays starting November 1, featuring a 13-ounce prime rib and two sides for $35. Limited-time dishes include Roadhouse nachos; a 12-oz NY Strip seasoned with Logan’s signature coffee blend, topped with cream sauce and crispy onions, with choice of two sides; lemon pepper trout; 3-cheese bacon mac & cheese; and blueberry-apple cobbler. Three area locations in Hurst, Burleson, and Waxahachie.

Newk's Eatery is adding a new Premium Wraps category to its permanent menu, featuring Newk’s “Q” Wrap with chicken, bacon, Swiss, Romaine, and white BBQ sauce in a flour tortilla; chicken salad wrap in a spinach tortilla; club wrap with ham, turkey, bacon, Swiss, cheddar, Romaine, tomato, and honey mustard; and chicken Caesar wrap. They’re also bringing back the chicken & sausage gumbo and pumpkin spice cake for a limited time.

First Watch, the breakfast and lunch chain, launched a new seasonal menu featuring cinnamon chip pancakes, double crunch breakfast tacos, and a stay golden cinnamon roll glazed with lemon cream cheese icing and gold sprinkles. The latest fresh juice is the Red Medicine, featuring pomegranate, cranberry, black tea, honey, and cinnamon.

Turkey club Meat Board Turkey club sandwich from the Meat Board.Meat Board

Thirsty Lion the upscale gastropub chain has a new seasonal menu available through November 27: Medjool dates stuffed with Gongonzola cream cheese and almonds wrapped in bacon; BBQ pulled pork sandwich -- exclusive to the five Thirsty Lion locations in Texas; Wagyu beef & bacon jam burger, shrimp & butternut squash linguine, black cherry BBQ pork tenderloin, parmesan panko crusted halibut, Mediterranean chopped chicken bowl, and cinnamon sugar churros & ice cream with Abuelita Mexican chocolate. New drinks include Karbach Love Street Kölsch blonde ale, La Marca Prosecco IT, Gerard Bertrand Cote Des Rosés FR, and Michael David Freakshow CA; plus nonalcoholic refreshers including Blood Orange Ginger Iced Tea.

Dog Haus has a new partnership with YouTube star-turned-boxer Jake Paul who will become a 25-unit franchisee, beginning with four restaurants in Texas, including Dallas. Paul and his advisor Nakisa Bardarian are also joining Dog Haus’ Board of Directors.

Dunkin' has new festive flavors from the returning peppermint mocha and toasted white hot chocolate lattes to the cookie butter cold brew and donut. Plus, an almond croissant and a hash brown brisket scramble bowl. The menu starts November 1, and the return of Free Donut Wednesdays starts on November 6.

Panda Express is bringing back spicy Wagyu beef dumplings, featuring The sweet and savory American Wagyu beef and veggies wok-tossed with kale and onions in a sweet and spicy sauce that has an extra kick from Fly By Jing’s Zhong sauce, available at locations in Dallas, McKinney, Frisco, Mesquite, Allen and Rowlett. They’ve also brought back the plant-based Beyond The Original Orange Chicken to select locations in Dallas, including Frisco, Richardson, and Plano.

Whataburger has a new limited-time white chocolate peppermint shake, available as a shake or in a hot or iced coffee, available starting November 5.
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Teresa Gubbins contributed to this story.

news-you-can-eat pizza

In Today's Bun News

Fun Asian restaurant in Fort Worth smashes together burgers and ramen

Sumo Smash

Cute buns at Sumo Smash

A restaurant combining two buzzy food groups — burgers and Asian fare — has just opened in north Fort Worth: Called Sumo Smash, it’s an innovative mash-up of smash burgers and ramen, all under one roof at Presidio Towne Crossing, in the former Char’d space at 8901 Tehama Ridge Pkwy. #137.

Founder Binh Ngyuen says they opened in September. He previously owned a poke concept called Poke Stop, which he opened in 2017 with Dat Bui of My Lan Vietnamese. He sold his share in that restaurant to turn his attention to Sumo Smash.

"The concept was inspired by a friend who wanted to do smash burgers, and I have experience in ramen," Nguyen says. "We decided to put the two together."

On the burger side, there are half a dozen options, most featuring 5-ounce Angus beef patties, served on a buttered hamburger bun and topped with fun Asian and foodie ingredients such as:

Sumo Pro topped with fried mozzarella cheese stick, potato crisp, and onion ring
Tokyo Lights, topped with pork belly, fried egg, spinach, tomato, onion strings, and enoki mushrooms

There's also a mushroom burger and veggie burger made with Beyond Meat, done classic style with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and vegan mayo.

Other sandwiches include a half dozen sliders, served on fluffy, white steamed bao buns including soft-shell crab and lemon pepper tofu; and sandwiches on baguettes including shrimp katsu and a Korean peppersteak with Hellman's mayo, no less.

Five varieties of ramen include spicy miso; black garlic tonkotsu; and yuzu shio, a vegetarian option in a clear salt base broth with tomato, mushrooms, and corn.

They even offer chicken tenders, a Cobb salad, and roti wraps in choice of chicken, beef, or tofu. Their fries are curly fries, and you can get them in a loaded-style dish called Sumo fries topped with crumbled beef, American cheese, and a fried egg. Prices range from $5 for a bao slider to $15 for a bowl of ramen.

Sumo Smash serves no alcohol but they do have a huge selection of shakes in 16 options such as vanilla Oreo, pumpkin spice, strawberry & cream, sea salt caramel, and matcha.

Nguyen has so far done little marketing — his Instagram page has yet to see a post — but diners in the area have already discovered this fun mixed-up fusion place.