Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Best Of Fort Worth. 2010 (updated to 2020)

It is 2020

We're all beaten down by the Covid and its effects
But  it did give me some time to update the Best of.

Food and Fort Worth's 

Best of Fort Worth(

(2020)






Best new retail and restaurant development: The West 7th and So7 (South 7th) developments have to be the biggest, and in my opinion the best, mixed-use development we have seen for many years. What the Target area south of Montgomery Plaza did wrong, West 7th has done right. The area south and west is developing now and adding to the whole cool vibe. Sundance Square, if I may say respectfully, feels a little touristy compared to what's going on at 7th Street.

I wrote that in 2010. In 2020, I would say that the hottest area of development is the near Southside and South Main. Restaurants, bars, coffee shops, apartments, etc. It's booming. Second to that in the "developing fast" is the number of young people moving to the Meadowbrook area on the eastside. Watch that. New start-ups like Coffee-Folk are doing very well.

Sundance Square is the realcenter of downtown since they made a formal square with fountains. It still tend to draw the corporate/tourist crowd but with the shopping, restaurants, entertainment, hotels, and bars are right there it is a great place to spend an evening
 
Best Mexican Restaurant / upscale:
2010: I still think Mi Cocina's downtown is the most enjoyable upscale Mexican restaurant, when you look at it from food quality, service, location and price. Their recent corporate problems notwithstanding, I like to go there. Cantina Laredo is a pretty close second, but doesn't have quite the buzz of Mi Cocina's. Chuy's is a step down in atmosphere, but I liked their sauces and will be returning.

2020:We still go to Mi Cocina but for the money Benito's is the best in town. Their pork verde asada is spicy and delicious. It's not in the upscale category but for good Mexican food it's our favorite. Also, Lucita's on 1st Streetat Beach is good.

Mexican Restaurant / small building.
2010: Salsa Fuego was selected 3 of 50 in the "Best Mexican" in Texas Monthly magazine and it too deserves the praise it gets. It's a long way from my house so I have been only twice. But it's good. Melis, on Vickery is good for a quick taco or burrito. And El Pollo Regio on Belnap is really good -- okay it's not going to win any restaurant design awards but I love the half-chicken with beans and rice.

2020: "Street tacos" like Fuzzy's" are everywhere. Personally, I think they're overpriced and I prefer to take my chances with the taco trucks that sell the same thing at half the price. Want good inexpensive Mexican food? Go to the grocery stores like Mi Tierra get in line with the locals and you'll get pretty good food at a great price.

Fajitas:
2010 and 2020:
The best fajitas in town, in my opinion, are at Pappasito's. Their Wednesday night two-for-one fajitas is a ridiculously good deal. Many of Pappa's dishes, including the cabrito and shrimp, are really good, as well. Uncle Julio's is a Pappasito's knock-off. It's good and well attended but it's just too noisy for me.
Still the best fajita meal in town.

Worst Mexican:
2010: Last year, I criticized the Yucatan Grill. They are, by all appearances, surviving well without me. This year we are giving the You call this Mexican food? award to Habenero's in south Arlington. It makes Yucatan Grill look good. God-awful food, with guacamole that I swear was made without an avocado. 

2020: Yucatan Grill is under new management. I'm not sure if it is being renamed.

Pizza:
2010: Cavalli's in Irving is the best in the DFW area. Il Cane Rosso, is a very close second. Patrizio's is good. Many of you like Rocco's. It's okay by me. The great thing about Cavalli's is that it is the least expensive and it is the best. Fireside Pies? Well, we won't go there for now. All of the above are southern-Italy style thin-crust pizza. The New York style pizza which I like is getting harder to find.

2020: We go to Picci Pacci. It's the best New York style pizza in town.

Bread:
Good luck. In my opinion there is not anywhere in Fort Worth that you can get an honest Artisan loaf of bread. So, I started making my own.

Burgers: 
2010: My current favorite is M&O Grill. Consistently good hamburgers. Five Guys on Hulen is new, and also one of my favorites, Smashburger is good, they are new, on University and in Arlington, and, drum roll please, In-N-Out Burger will be on 7th Street in 2011. I have not been to an In-N-Out, but everyone tells me they are good. Not new, but still good: Fred's, Kinkaids, Tommy's, Love's, Jakes. My least favorite "gourmet" burger is Dutch's and Pappas. Sorry, nothing personal, but that's the way I see it.

2020: When we want a good burger we go to Five Guys.

Coffee:
2010: Buon Giorno. New, with very good coffee. Buon Giorno roasts their coffee beans at their store in Grapevine. The Grapevine location has been operating for several years, in contrast to most independently owned coffee shops which have the lifespan of a tsetse fly. They must be doing something right. Avoca on Magnolia opens soon. Aduro Bean is a local roaster with excellent coffee for home brewing. Cafe Brazil will be coming to Fort Worth at TCU, soon. More on that as it develops. I still like McDonald's coffee in the morning. Starbucks: I have loved you, but please bring Sumatra back. Pike's Place is nasty.

2020: Coffee Folk and only Coffee Folk. The best cappuccino in DFW. I kid you not.

Italian Restaurant:
2010: My father and grandfather owned and operated an Italian restaurant. It's hard for me to get spaghetti and meatballs out even today, probably because I want to to taste my grand-pops sauce and never do. Nonna Tatta, La Piazza, Ruffino's (under new management) get good reviews. I have heard good things about Taverna, downtown.

2020: I don't even try to buy Italian food in Fort Worth.

13 comments:

Callie Salls said...

I feel guilty about commenting on a "worst of" but I COMPLETELY agree with you about Yucatan Taco Stand. I can't stand the place and I think the food has been horrible more than a handful of times. Every once in a while, I will go for a margarita (or two) sans food.

cd0103 said...

So7th-- do you mean only So7th or does that include the West 7th development?

So7th by itself is a little lame right now, but if you are including both developments- you are spot on. Amazing progress!

Sunni R. said...

Nick and I were just talking about Carshon's the other day- thanks for pushing the craving to red alert levels, Mr. S.

Incaman said...

For me, the best Carne Asada I have ever had is at Uncle Julios. And they also have the best fajitas for my taste since they use the same skirt steak and marinade from their Carne Asada (or vise-versa).

Enjoy it with their Presidente Margarita!

Francis Shivone said...

Callie -- As a margarita hang-out place, I would like it.

cd -- I mentioned 7th St as a whole later on, I do think So7 is an impressive urban design.

Sunni -- thanks for your contribution, sorry for the over-edits, the post is too long.

Jorge -- I believe Uncle Julios and Pappasitos are the same recipes. I may be wrong. Thanks. Jorge would know. I want to hear about the Ireland trip, btw.

Anonymous said...

I will go to M&O again without the kids. Food was good but seemed like it was expensive for what we got. Loved 5 guys. Took my whole brood in there a couple months ago and it was a bustling Sunday. They had tables big enough for all of us and the kid noise just blended in with the crowd noise. Burgers were great and loved the fries too.

I went to Uncle Julio's last week and it was not as good as I remember. We've been to Chuys a few times and I like it. My caution would be do not let them seat you upstairs. We went on a cold night and it was so hot upstairs because of the heat being on that I felt sick.

LaFamilia is one of my favorites.

Went to Buon Giorno with Becca last week and really liked it. I'm not really a coffee drinker but I got apple cider and I loved the quiet atmosphere. Starbucks always seems so hectic and crowded to me.

Francis Shivone said...

You might be right Liz -- Tough to beat 5 Guys for the money. Thomas and I ate at the Chestnut St / Phila. 5Guys about once a week. I like Buon Giorno a lot but Stephen told me he thinks the we are their primary customer base. They need to be busier.

Terra Mediterranean Grill said...

Jake, thank you so for for naming Terra your "Newcomer of the Year". Although we are in the process of opening a location in Austin - we did not start there. We are Dallas-based and look forward to meeting more of you in 2011!

Francis Shivone said...

CD -- concerning the West 7th and So7 development. I noticed today, while I was on 7th, that you were right and I was wrong. Can I blame it on old age?

cd0103 said...

Funny. The entire area is cool, but West 7th is definitely the showcase of the area.

John said...

First, thanks for including Horse Bits in your Best of 2010. But keep in mind that your judgment on everything else is now in question.

And now for all my me-toos.

I prefer Cantina Laredo over Mi Cocina. One simple reason why is that we go to the Grapevine location so often that our waiter knows us by name now. (As for Martin.)

Benito's is also a personal fave.

I wept a single tear when your list of favorite burgers didn't include Charlie's. IMO opinion, it is superior to the others you list. Be sure to get the #3 or, as we call it, the "barnyard burger", so named because it has a piece of virtually every barnyard creature.

I don't get coffee shops.

For fine dining, Eddie V's has yet to disappoint. And that's odd cuz I'm not a seafood guy. I've been there with parties from 2 to 40 and it has always been good. I'm a traditionalist so for steak I'll always head to Del Frisco's first. And St. Emilion (where we recently had our office Xmas party) is everything you say - good food, good service, good for a quiet couple's evening.

BBQ: I'm a Cousin's fan. Brisket and sausage combo for lunch.

I don't get Chinese food either. It's not that I don't like it, but it doesn't inspire me. I also work with a real native Chinese person who says none of what we're eating is truly Chinese and she drives to some place in Plano for truly authentic Chinese.

I don't get Apple.

For best beer, I suggest Arrogant Bastard Ale from San Diego's Stone Brewing.

I don't get Chick Fil A either and refuse to eat there because the name is stupid.

I don't get Marble Slab. Why in the hell would I want someone to beat up my ice cream? (If I ate ice cream.)

Light rail - I don't understand why we'd want something with that much fixed infrastructure. I don't understand why buses wouldn't achieve the same end results.

Thanks for providing such an exhaustive list.

Francis Shivone said...

John -- As far as my judgment goes, even I don't believe half the things I say.

I go back and forth on Cantina Laredo and Mi Cocinas

Charlies: There is always someplace I leave out that should be included. I have never been to Charlies but I need to go, and will. Thanks.

I love Apple for the same reason I love McDonalds and Starbucks. They are always at the front of innovation, they get marketing, and they integrate disparate parts on a very large scale. It just impresses me.

Light rail: I'm a city boy. I don't want to own a car. It's purely my own interest that I would like to have it.

Thanks for comments.

Trinity Bicycles said...

Thanks for the Mention!