From the Restaurants That Shoulda Opened a While Back Department: Finally, it looks as though Ben's Triple B will be open soon, maybe by the time you read this. Local chef Ben Merritt's long-awaited sophomore restaurant will be his ode to biscuits, burgers and beer. Open morning, noon and night, Triple B will offer gourmet burgers, housemade buttermilk biscuits with both sweet and savory toppings and craft brews. Housed in a 1929 shopping center that was once home to Ashburn's Ice Cream (the cool sign is still there), the restaurant is part of the Rosedale Renaissance, an ongoing effort by Texas Wesleyan, the City of Fort Worth and Tarrant County to revitalize the historic Polytechnic Heights neighborhood, whereupon Merritt's new spot sits. Merritt is also chef/owner of Fixture on the Near Southside. 3016 E. Rosedale St., facebook.com/bens3b
Another burgers "n beer restaurant should be ready to roll soon, if it's not already. Rogers Roundhouse, from Curly's owner Bourke Harvey and Dallas restaurant consultant Tom Koons, will be a railroad-themed spot located in an old air-conditioning service warehouse behind University Park Village. Chef is Michael Spangler, a Californian who has worked at the Omni downtown and the Wild Mushroom in Weatherford. Spangler's menu will offer house-ground burgers, including an American wagyu option; a variety of tacos, with fillings such as blackened shrimp and shredded chicken; and chicken-fried chicken nuggets - that is not a typo; that is a death sentence. There will be at least 30 beers on tap. Railroad buffs will dig the killer views of BNSF's nearby Davidson Yard, one of the oldest railyards in the country. 1616 Rogers Road, rogersroundhouse.com
Ellerbe Fine Foods on the Near Southside is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year by hosting several special events. Among them is a monthly three-course dinner series spotlighting particular cuisines. For this month's dinner on April 18, chef Molly McCook will roll out her Louisiana family's crawfish recipes for an old-fashioned Cajun feast. Dishes will include crawfish pistoulette with crawfish etouffee; baked crawfish cake with paneed eggplant; and traditional crawfish bisque with housemade boulettes. Price is $40 per person; beverage pairings are available for an additional cost. Reservations are recommended. Call 817.926.3663. 1501 W. Magnolia Ave., ellerbefinefoods.com
My favorite downtown lunch spot, 203 Café, may now be my favorite downtown breakfast spot. The tiny café, tucked between the Wells Fargo and Bank of America twin skyscrapers, recently revamped its breakfast menu to now include daily specials, such as biscuits and gravy, housemade pancakes, French toast, omelettes and a croque madame. The latter has your name written all over it: made with roasted tomato, white American cheese and ham; grilled on a jalapeño cornbread sourdough; then finished with a bechamel - it's one of the best breakfast bites you'll have downtown. 215 Commerce St., 203cafe.com
Speaking of breakfast, Fort Worth is now the proud owner of a new location of Seven Mile Café, the Denton-based, mom and pop mini-chain known for breakfast and lunch items both sprouty and decadent. Located in far north Fort Worth, in the space previously occupied by Brick House Tavern, the restaurant offers a wide assortment of breakfast options, including a whopping 10 varieties of pancakes, plus a pancake sampler with buttermilk, red velvet and blueberry flavors. For the more health-conscious eater, there are numerous healthy and vegan options, including "vigas." The restaurant's take on migas is made with seasoned and scrambled tofu, crispy tortilla strips, jalapeños and avocado. Lunch includes sandwiches, salads, soups and burgers. In addition to the mothership in Denton, there are also locations in Keller and Highland Village. 6300 North Freeway, sevenmilecafe.com
Now that I don't live out there anymore, I hardly ever make it to the northeast corridor of Tarrant County, but I may have to make a special trip to Turning Point Beer. The brewery is about a year old, but it recently brought aboard a new pop-up kitchen called Bad Spanish Tacos. Billy Flores specializes in tacos made with slow-cooked meats, like brisket and carnitas, hand-pressed tortillas and fresh salsa. If I still drank like it was 1998, I'd be all about Turning Point's Dos Hermanos lager. I bet it goes great with those tacos. 1307 Brown Trail, Bedford; facebook.com/badspanishtacos
