Good Enough to Eat

BBQ at Rahr's leads 5 best food & drink events in Fort Worth this week

Brisket U will host its last class at Rahr & Sons this week.

Brisket U/Facebook

There are some tasty learning opportunities this week, including a brisket smoking class at an iconic brewery on the move, a class on hosting a cocktail party with paired hors d'oeuvres, and (mothers, take note) a floral arranging class paired with vodka. Speaking of mothers, find our list for best Mother's Day dining here.

Wednesday, May 7

29th Annual Great Taste of Grapevine
To be held at the Grapevine Vintage Railroad train depot, this sip-and-stroll tasting event will feature bites from more than a dozen Grapevine area restaurants, bars, and wineries. Participants include Mi Dia From Scratch, Loveria Caffe, Winewood Grill, Son of a Butcher, and more. Tickets are $40 and include all sampling plus a glass of wine. The event will run from 5–8 pm. Proceeds benefit the Women's Division of the Grapevine Chamber of Commerce school supplies program and the Christmas spirit program for local seniors.

Friday, May 9

TX Whiskey Presents: Rattlers at the Ranch at Hotel Drover
The Texas Rattlers are Fort Worth’s PBR home team, and to celebrate one of the most exciting weekends of the year, there’ll be a party at Hotel Drover sponsored by TX Whiskey. The event will feature signature TX Whiskey cocktails, light bites, live music, and a meet-and-greet with the Rattlers themselves. Admission is free and the event will run from 3–7 pm. Note that registration is required.

Cocktail Party at The Cookery
Spice up your Thursday night with this cocktail party mixology class at The Cookery. Participants will learn how to shake up classic martinis, margaritas, old fashioneds with candied oranges, caipirinhas, and the iconic Ramos gin fizz. Paired hors d’oeuvres will range from warm crap dip crostini to tuna poke with avocado wonton bites. The class is $125 and will run from 6:30–9:30 pm.

Saturday, May 10

Brisket U at Rahr & Sons Brewing Company
It will be the last Brisket U class at the Rahr & Sons as the pioneering craft brewery will close its current location this month in search of new digs. Learn everything about smoking the quintessential Texas brisket, from choosing the beef, trimming techniques, wood selection, timing, and slicing the final product. Class is $139 ($129 for additional participants) and will run from 9 am–12 pm.

Mother's Day Sip 'N Bloom at Rusty Nickel Ice House
Learn how to create the perfect floral bouquet arrangement – to gift or to keep – during this hands-on class paired with a Tito’s Vodka cocktail. Tickets are $40 and the event will run from 12–3 pm.

barbecue event-planner

Biscuit News

Great Biscuit & Spice brings homey breakfast and lunch to Saginaw

Great Biscuit Co.

Saginaw has a sweet mom-and-pop cafe and market serving breakfast, lunch, and meals to go: Called Great Biscuit & Spice Co., it's located at 100 S. Hampshire St. #100, in a former florist shop near the library west of Saginaw Boulevard.

Great Biscuit is from husband-and-wife Jon Julien and Malinda Julien, who dedicated a year to renovating the tiny 1,100-square-foot space, including installing a commercial kitchen.

Malinda, a former private investigator, is the chef. She learned to cook at an early age from her grandparents and housekeeper. Menu mainstays at the cafe include biscuits & gravy, biscuit sandwiches, blueberry biscuits, and a $10 breakfast plate with eggs and sausage or bacon.

Lunch options include chicken salad sandwich, a BLT, a burger, and a rice bowl with choice of chicken or beef tips.

They also offer packaged meals to go with stick-to-your-ribs items like pot roast, meatloaf, pork ribs, chicken alfredo, and rosemary chicken with garlic mashed potatoes and broccoli, priced from $10-$20.

"I guess you would just call it home cooking," Malinda says. "It's not Texan. I'll throw some Mexican in there. We'll throw in some South Carolina."

She's also an accomplished baker who makes bread, cinnamon rolls, cookies, and occasional desserts like bread pudding.

“We really felt like there was a need for just some solid food that didn't have a lot of preservatives and stuff that was ready and affordable for people to take home,” she says.

The space boasts a warm, homey vibe, with pine wood cabinets, a wooden community table and chairs, a black-and-white checkered tile floor, and a metal baker's rack painted a cheerful yellow.

“Diners come in and say, 'This is like my grandmother's house,'" Malinda says.

There’s about 500 square feet of dining space, initially set up as a waiting area but now ready to accommodate dine-in patrons. Next door to the cafe is a photography studio that the Juliens own, called Julien & Lambert. Malinda hopes to use that space to host tastings, cooking classes, and other events.

“We just really want you to feel emotionally and physically nourished when you eat here,” she says.

breakfast openings