Fort Worth is exploding

[DeepEastTexas 640]

8 hours ago, sportsbay said:

We stayed home Friday night.  Saturday morning we arrived early at the stadium and had a great time at the game.  We toured the campus and ate food there.  Kids loved it.

Did you get that bone in beef rib inside the hot dog bun? That thing looked huge when they advertised that at halftime! 

[fwtxbevo 91]

Wife and I went for an after drink Friday night at Toro Toro in the Worthington. As soon as we walked in I saw Casey Thompson and his family in one of the sitting areas. CDC and Hartzell were there getting their drink on. Shot the shit with CDC a couple of times. Good dude and says he misses Funky Town.

[shadow_operative2.0 15879]

I know Brazos failed miserably on the Circle, but this special looks pretty damn good. 

 

 

Quote

BBQ on the Brazos: a brisket torta on homemade telera bread with brisket, refried black beans, avocado peppercorn crema, Oaxaca cheese, lettuce and tomato. 

[Dr Fear 1268]

 

 

Edited October 15, 2021 by Dr Fear

[shadow_operative2.0 15879]

On 9/29/2021 at 7:32 PM, sportsbay said:

Does anyone go to Angelo's anymore?  

Interesting timeline. 

Quote

Here’s the list of slow but steady changes since old faithful Angelo’s opened in 1958 at 2533 White Settlement Road: Pork ribs, 1973; table service, 1974; sawdust gone, 1978; air conditioning, 1992; light beer, 1992; smoked chicken, 1994; credit cards and fountain drinks, 2008; baked potatoes, 2017.

 

And I know some of you really liked the burgers at Swiss Pastry, they gone. 

Quote

Black Forest cake has eaten the Swiss Pastry Shop.

Fort Worth’s favorite cake is so popular that the bakery is closing its dining room, adding ovens and freezers for more of the Swedish-style Black Forest dacquoise that has ruled dessert tables for 60 years. 

First in private clubs and since 1971 in a restaurant and deli, it has made late founder Hans Müller and son Hans Peter Müller famous for a light, gluten-free sliver of sugar and chocolate that dominates birthdays and holidays for old and young alike.

The last few years, Hans Peter Müller added burgers and brisket sandwiches to draw more business for the deli and bakery shop at 3936 W. Vickery Blvd. 

All the attention wound up making Black Forest cakes so popular that he doesn’t have to serve breakfasts or grill burgers anymore.

“I’m happier just managing a bakery,” he said this week.

Dining room help is hard to find everywhere. Food costs are going up. 

With holidays nearing, the restaurant was taking up space needed for the bakery. 

“We are reaching capacity during the holidays,” he said.

Swiss Pastry sells about 300 Black Forest cakes ($27-up) a week, 600 during the holidays. 

That’s an average of one cake every 10 minutes year-round. During holidays, it’s one cake every 5 minutes.

So, please forgive Müller for not selling corned beef sandwiches or cheesesteak subs anymore.

His father came to Fort Worth from Zell, Switzerland, in the 1960s to join the kitchen at Ridglea Country Club, where a generation of Swiss and German chefs and bakers were already known for the almond-and-meringue Swedish version of Black Forest cake, completely different from the cherries-and-brandy German style. 

Müller moved to the now-gone Green Oaks Inn luxury motor hotel at 6901 West Freeway, then opened his own bakery, deli and breakfast cafe.

“He opened the shop just like he would in Switzerland, with lunches and sandwiches,” Müller said.

A cousin is a baker in a similar cafe outside Lucerne. The Swiss shops serve sandwiches, but they’re primarily bakeries.

Müller worked in recent years to draw younger patrons, hosting Cane Rosso’s truck before the pizzeria opened a Fort Worth location. He later offered German dinners and added burgers, brisket and custom sausages. 

But all those new customers and their young families also fell in love with Black Forest cakes.

“It’s been all the social media and expanded attention driving the popularity,” Müller said. “As more and more people learned about us, they tried the cake.”

Swiss Pastry will continue to make and sell chicken salad, egg salad and quiches on weekends, and it may add back a few pre-made grab-and-go sandwiches later, he said.

For customers who miss the corned beef or pastrami, Müller suggests Carshon’s Deli, another old-time Fort Worth favorite at 3133 Cleburne Road.

Swiss Pastry is taking orders for more then 20 flavors of pies and cakes during what is expected to be a busy holiday season, exacerbated by the remodeling at a crosstown competitor, the Paris Coffee Shop.

The pies (mostly $17) include apple, cherry, peach, strawberry-rhubarb and apple streusel; chocolate, lemon, banana and coconut cream; chocolate, lemon and coconut meringue; pumpkin, pecan, buttermilk and lemon chess.

Swiss Pastry’s cakes include German chocolate and an elegant chocolate-mousse cake, the Metropolitan.

The bakery opens at 7 a.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, serving pastries and coffee drinks, and closes at 5 p.m. It’s closed Sundays and Mondays; 817-732-5661, facebook.com/swisspastryshop.

[TyphoonSe7en 75]

I went to Angelo's not long ago. I've got fond memories of going with my old man when I was a kid. Pretty much what I remembered, but they changed the bun they use. I got a good old chopped sandwich and the bun had a sweetness to it that did not go well with the chopped beef and standard fixings. Not a fan of the change.

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[cafe society 2845]

When I come home for a visit I always hit up Zeke's.

[wild_turkey 3154]

Would anyone be interested in a Surly FW happy hour? Wednesdays and Thursdays usually work well for me and it’s nice weather right now for an outdoor spot.

[JOSEYWALES66 1793]

Goldee's BBQ placed #1 in Texas Monthly's yearly ranking.

I liked it but Panther City is better to me.

[Herbie Hancock 7315]

Yeah Hurtado and Brix are both better than Goldees IMO, with Panther City edging Hurtado for #1

[Herbie Hancock 7315]

Would anyone be interested in a Surly FW happy hour? Wednesdays and Thursdays usually work well for me and it’s nice weather right now for an outdoor spot.

Possibly

[NOMAAA 1696]

16 minutes ago, Herbie Hancock said:

Yeah Hurtado and Brix are both better than Goldees IMO, with Panther City edging Hurtado for #1

thats interesting.  maybe i need to try hurtado again.  went last year and it was good, not great.  zavalas is a close second to panther city for me. 

[JOSEYWALES66 1793]

20 minutes ago, Herbie Hancock said:

Yeah Hurtado and Brix are both better than Goldees IMO, with Panther City edging Hurtado for #1

I still haven't been to Hurtado, Brix or Zavala's.  

I got some work to do.

[Herbie Hancock 7315]

thats interesting.  maybe i need to try hurtado again.  went last year and it was good, not great.  zavalas is a close second to panther city for me. 

I have not been to Zavala’s. I will admit to a bit of personal bias because I know Trevor at Brix, but I do think he has some quality Q and his hot chicken sammich is fucking incredible.

[NOMAAA 1696]

have heard great things about brix.  been waiting for the weather to break for a saturday bbq bike tour.  brix is on the list.

[speed817 19167]

38 minutes ago, Herbie Hancock said:

Yeah Hurtado and Brix are both better than Goldees IMO, with Panther City edging Hurtado for #1

Hurtados is all hype.  Been twice and didn't think it was special.  Won't go back because I think Brandon is an asshole.  Goldee's, Brix and Dayne's are great but my personal #1 is Cattleack.

[wild_turkey 3154]

I kept hearing great things about Brix so finally tried it a few weeks ago and was not impressed. In fact, I didn’t finish eating and went straight to Dayne’s to finish lunch. Maybe I caught Brix on an off day.

Panther City and Dayne’s are my go-to places. I clearly need to try Goldee’s.

[DeepEastTexas 640]

Goldee's is a deserving number #1 TM BBQ Joint.  They're my favorite in FW, and it's not even close.  In addition to their BBQ, their bread is first rate.  

I've had Brix, and it was good.  I've had Daynes, and it was good (though their ribs were below average when I went this summer).  Panther City was inconsistent the times I've gone and wasn't that memorable for me.  Smoke-A-Holics was fantastic too, but the carryout only option detracted somewhat.  The meat wasn't as hot by the time I got to a place to eat it.

Thankfully, Heim dropped down to Honorable Mention.  They have slipped significantly since I first went there in 2015.  It's borderline bad now.

Derek Allan's is decent, but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat there. 

407 in Argyle isn't worth the drive but it was listed as Honorable Mention. 

BBQ on the Brazos slipped to HM as well.  I never liked them.  I thought they were severely overrated. 

[fwtxbevo 91]

10 hours ago, NOMAAA said:

have heard great things about brix.  been waiting for the weather to break for a saturday bbq bike tour.  brix is on the list.

I've never had a bad meal at Brix. Their brisket, pork ribs and sausage are top notch. As a bonus, they provide free Hop Fusion beer while waiting for your order.

[NOMAAA 1696]

10 hours ago, DeepEastTexas said:

BBQ on the Brazos slipped to HM as well.  I never liked them.  I thought they were severely overrated. 

incredibly.  that spot on the benbrook (weatherford) traffic circle was a joke.

[pch 1259]

44 minutes ago, NOMAAA said:

incredibly.  that spot on the benbrook (weatherford) traffic circle was a joke.

Never made it to the circle location but when he first opened inside the gas station in Cresson his work was in the top 25.  Sometimes when fan recognition and appreciation happens, the owners can become overwhelmed either by the increase in business or believing the hype so much that the quality that brought the notice slips due to the fact they stop doing the little things that separate great barbecue from that which is simply good barbecue.  Heim is an example of this effect-the continued expansion from a trailer to multiple locations has had an adverse effect on their quality.  It's still decent enough to warrant recognition, but not what it was when first opened.

That said, I hope Goldee's can handle the pressure of their success, including being named #1. Life is about to get real interesting in the coming weeks at this little place off of Dick Price road.  It was always great arriving 10 minutes before opening and getting served in less than that but I sense those days are over.  I'm willing to pay the price of waiting so long as the product remains consistently worth the wait.

 

[DeepEastTexas 640]

Agree with PCH. When the Pitmasters start to delegate, and spend less and less time at the pit, quality drops. 
 

Heim is the best example of this. They grew so big so quickly that Travis was running around 4 locations (Magnolia, White Settlement catering, River District, and Dallas) in less than 2 years and he couldn't spend time at any one pit. It was not as good. 
 

I really hope Goldee's doesn't follow down that path. That place is awesome, and the guys running it couldn't be any more hospitable. 
 

Their lives are about to change in a big way starting this weekend. 

[Hank_Hill 18615]

Yea my wife suggested we go try it this Saturday and I just laughed at her

[dmtx 159]

5 hours ago, NOMAAA said:

incredibly.  that spot on the benbrook (weatherford) traffic circle was a joke.

I had it a couple of times in the original cresson location, thought it was very good. I was excited when he made the move to the traffic circle. In three visits, I left disappointed every time.  

[dmtx 159]

26 minutes ago, Hank_Hill said:

Yea my wife suggested we go try it this Saturday and I just laughed at her

HAHAHA! grab some chairs and arrive by 6am. I hope they hire cops to run traffic control. There's going to be lots of cars parked on the road.

[bigup2dahorns 3343]

Yea my wife suggested we go try it this Saturday and I just laughed at her

Tell her to show up with a chair and text you when she orders the food. Seems like this ranking sort of came out of nowhere. Didn’t really see a lot of mentions on here previously about this place being the best of FW area although maybe I missed some of them. Overall that’s good for the DFW BBQ scene. Should spur even more competition.

[Dr Fear 1268]

Yea my wife suggested we go try it this Saturday and I just laughed at her

Same here haha

[shadow_operative2.0 15879]

Welp, another one bites the dust. Ate there last month, they were doing well that night. 

Quote

TEMPORARILY CLOSED!

As of Oct. 19, Rufus Bar & Grill will be closed for the foreseeable future. 

If you’re looking to place a catering order, please call 214-325-3279.

We are currently accepting offers to buy the restaurant. All interested parties must be able to pass a background and credit check. For more information contact Zandy Willems at 214-325-3279.

Supposedly Billy wants to move to Cisco to open a bar & grill, but that’s third-hand info. 

[TornACL 7690]

I'm shocked that Rufus lasted that long. Must have been 2 years? My first and only experience there was incredibly poor.

[DeepEastTexas 640]

Ate there in September, it was average.

 

[JOSEYWALES66 1793]

I ate there occasionally.  I didn't mind it.  I like to go there when I'm craving BBQ and I don't want to wait very long.

I thought his sides were good.

 

[Dr Fear 1268]

Bud Kennedy just posted on FB that Fred's sold their place and are moving to the old Buffalo West.

[shadow_operative2.0 15879]

That sounds poor. 

[Herbie Hancock 7315]

Motherfucker

[shadow_operative2.0 15879]

Again, more third-party shit, but supposedly Terry, the ‘Outlaw Chef’, is moving to Costa Rica.

That property was always desirable, so maybe he finally took it. 

[JOSEYWALES66 1793]

Love me some Fred's.  Going to miss the place.

[dmtx 159]

RIP Fred's....

I just saw, the first person in line at Goldee's, showed up at 5am.

[dmtx 159]

Goldee's did a Franklin. Went down the line and surveyed the line. Announced they are sold out 

[pch 1259]

2 hours ago, dmtx said:

Goldee's did a Franklin. Went down the line and surveyed the line. Announced they are sold out 

How many people were behind the guy holding the last man standing sign at Goldee's?  Channel 5 had an interview this morning live from there so I'm sure it was a shitshow by the time they opened.

[Dr Fear 1268]

5 minutes ago, pch said:

How many people were behind the guy holding the last man standing sign at Goldee's?  Channel 5 had an interview this morning live from there so I'm sure it was a shitshow by the time they opened.

https://www.nbcdfw.com/entertainment/the-scene/fort-worths-newly-named-top-bbq-joint-in-texas-draws-beyond-capacity-crowd-friday/2781802/

 

[TornACL 7690]

On 10/21/2021 at 10:52 AM, Dr Fear said:

Bud Kennedy just posted on FB that Fred's sold their place and are moving to the old Buffalo West.

So I assume it becomes a parking lot?

[dmtx 159]

1 hour ago, pch said:

How many people were behind the guy holding the last man standing sign at Goldee's?  Channel 5 had an interview this morning live from there so I'm sure it was a shitshow by the time they opened.

If I wasn't watching a dog with a big ass cone around its head, I would have gone and arrived before 9. They announced around 10am they were sold out. I also read a dude was line by 9:15, had food by 12:15.

[shadow_operative2.0 15879]

Startle-gram articles on Rufus & Fred's. 

Quote

Pitmaster Billy Woodrich will be reopening his own barbecue restaurant in Fort Worth after an operating agreement fell apart at a southwest side bar-and-grill, he said this week.

Woodrich said he will be looking for a location to reopen his much-traveled Billy’s restaurant, originally Billy’s Oak Acres BBQ when it operated at two west side locations.

Since April 2020, Woodrich has served his barbecue, chicken-fried steak and burgers at Rufus Bar and Grill, a racing-themed bar that opened last year in Cityview Centre amid the pandemic lockdown. Rufus is temporarily closed.

“I’m getting back into my own place,” he said.

Woodrich made his reputation at a back-road restaurant off Loop 820, serving barbecue, pork chops and one of the city’s best chicken-fried steaks.

He discussed locations on East Belknap Street and on North Vacek Street before moving to a former nightclub on Camp Bowie Boulevard West that became known by the nickname “Billy Oaks.” That location is now Poppin Fresh BBQ and Soulfood.

 

Quote

One of Fort Worth’s most iconic restaurants is closing its original location and relocating.

Fred’s Texas Cafe will close its Currie Street location on Dec. 31 and reopen a new location at 7101 Camp Bowie in 2022. The new location will sit between Alta Mere Drive and Irene Street near a Golden Corral Buffet and a CVS.

The burger and beer landmark has been at 915 Currie Street since 1978. It was previously known as Ken’s.

It has remained a family-owned and local institution through a partnership of long-time friends and co-owners Terry Chandler, the son of original owner JD and Gari Chandler, and Quincy Wallace.

“The decision to move Fred’s is a hard one, but the right one if we want to keep making great food for great people,” Wallace said in a release. “I’m gonna miss going into that building every day like a lot of our loyal regulars.”

JD and Gari Chandler are retiring from the restaurant business and selling the building.

“What JD and Gari created is more than a building,” Wallace said. “It is a family of people who come in for a great meal surrounded by their neighbors and community. Fred’s has that foundation as part of its legacy. Terry, myself, and the entire Fred’s team want to thank them for their hard work and support throughout these years! They are the reason Fred’s is a success and has this great opportunity to expand. This isn’t a goodbye. Instead, it is an opportunity to bring what we’ve created together to new people across Fort Worth.”

The new West Fort Worth location is expected to open in early spring 2022 with an extended patio, bigger indoor dining space, and event stage.

The owners plan to bring signature design elements and some of the decor from the original location, including booths, the hallmark truck outside, and a “few elements from the grill to ensure the flavor of Fred’s isn’t lost.”

The new location will include an extended covered outdoor patio equipped with garage doors that can be opened or closed depending on the weather.

Fred’s opened a second location at 2730 Western Center in 2011. A third location was briefly opened on Bluebonnet Circle near TCU in 2013 but closed in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

[Herbie Hancock 7315]

In 8 months Fred’s new location will be closed. Guess I’ll go say adios in the next few weeks

[Hank_Hill 18615]

Delucca is a nice experience for those who haven’t been. Used to go to the one in Dallas pretty frequently. The pizza isn’t a world beater but the variations are interesting and a pretty good replication of the gaucho pizzerias they have in Brazil according to the wife.

Edited October 24, 2021 by Hank_Hill

[TornACL 7690]

On 10/22/2021 at 11:05 PM, Herbie Hancock said:

In 8 months Fred’s new location will be closed. Guess I’ll go say adios in the next few weeks

I'll do the same, but that place has been dying a slow death. I know the service industry is struggling to get good labor, but I think the waitresses at Fred's all have IQs below 40. I am a patient customer but it's been a beating in there lately. 

[TyphoonSe7en 75]

I love Fred's. I've been eating there for years. The decline started before COVID and all the service industry troubles.

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[pch 1259]

Just now, TyphoonSe7en said:

I love Fred's. I've been eating there for years. The decline started before COVID and all the service industry troubles.

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk
 

I remember when the seventh street corridor was nothing but abandoned car lots and a few bars when Fred's was about the only going interest.  Always had good food and the staff was always outstanding.  Sad that as you say the decline was very noticeable before COVID and will likely lead to the end of a great FW eatery if it continues in the new location.

[TyphoonSe7en 75]

I remember the first time I ever ate there, probably 98 or 99. Great food, great service. Live music on the old patio. You felt like you were somewhere kind of hidden because like you said, the area was not what it is today. I used to get up early on Sundays, hung over af just to get the SOS biscuits and gravey. I loved stopping in for a burger and call the audible to get whatever special was on the board - bowl of chili with onions, jalapeños, and fritos, or cheese enchilada burger.

I miss old Fred's. I hope the move works for them.

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[Dr Fear 1268]

I remember when the seventh street corridor was nothing but abandoned car lots and a few bars when Fred's was about the only going interest.  Always had good food and the staff was always outstanding.  Sad that as you say the decline was very noticeable before COVID and will likely lead to the end of a great FW eatery if it continues in the new location.

Me and Typhoon used to frequent Bronx Zoo. They didn't even have drywall in half the place.