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Chuy's Dinner
Chuy's Dinner
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Seven Acres BBQ
Seven Acres BBQ plate
My wife and I never really fight about the stuff other couples fight about — money, sex, kids, what to watch on Netflix. Instead, we’re at each other’s throats about something far more important: Who has the best carne guisada in town? She’s of the belief that honor should go to El Paseo. In her previous life with her previous husband, she practically lived at the location in Azle, and its carne guisada, she claims to this day, even after she’s married a handsome food writer who has taken her to every great little Mexican restaurant in the city, remains unbeatable. No slight to El Paseo’s version of beef tips in spicy gravy, but my vote has always gone to Chuy’s. Not the Austin-based chain with a Fort Worth branch, but the mini-chain owned by the local Adame family. My belief was reaffirmed recently when we checked out the new Chuy’s in Burleson. Hidden in a strip mall on the east side of Interstate 35, it’s a tiny spot, but it still has Chuy’s usual massive menu. I found the food to be just as homey and comforting and satisfying as the other locales, and that included the carne guisada, which came with rich refried beans and housemade flour tortillas, so big they stuck out of the tortilla holder; it’s still one of my favorite dishes in the city. Insert my wife’s eyes rolling. 852 E. Renfro St.
The latest venture from Fort Worth-based chef Tim Love should be open soon, if it’s not already. Going into the 70-year-old building last occupied by burger joint Thurber Mingus, in the up-and-coming area known as the River District, Gemelle will be Love’s homage to garden dining and pizza and pasta. In particular, he’s planning on spotlighting Detroit-style pizza — rectangular-shaped pies with a thick crust and crisp bottom. Other menu items will be of both the sprouty and hearty sort — a bok choy Caesar salad for lighter appetites, bavette cacio e pepe pasta if you’re starving. Many of the ingredients for his dishes will be hand-plucked from the restaurant’s 10,000-square-foot garden. The restaurant is slated to open late May/early June. 4400 White Settlement Road.
Some of the best barbecue I’ve had in a while comes from Seven Acres Barbecue, a new ’cue pop-up from local pitmaster Darrell Byers. I’ve been Facebook buddies with Byers for years (he’s a former journalist, so we go way back), and since forever he’s been posting pictures of his barbecue handiwork. But it wasn’t until recently that he moved beyond backyard cookouts. At his very first pop-up event a few weeks ago, his fatty brisket was appropriately rich, melting away at a tongue’s touch, and his handmade sausages, dotted with Hatch chiles and Oaxaca cheese, were both spicy and snappy. But I think I loved his beef cheek the most, and he served it a little differently than normal. Instead of chopping it, he served it whole in slices, which kept it moist and flavorful. I suggest you try it ASAP. Follow Byers on social to find out where Seven Acres will be next. facebook.com/7AcresBBQ
I’ve just caught wind of Pollos la Pullita, a rotisserie chicken spot somewhat similar to El Pollo Regio but much, much better. A location of the mini-franchise opened on the Northside about a year ago, but new owners recently took over and gave the building a nice refresh. Unlike at El Pollo Regio, you can watch the chicken getting cooked at Pollos la Pullita, and it’s a mouthwatering sight. While the chickens twirl above, jalapeños and onions sizzle below, creating a wonderful aroma. The restaurant also serves pork ribs, and they’re a hot commodity. Co-owner Reyna Perez, who runs the spot with her fiancé, Mario Chavez, says the ribs go fast.
“People will wait 30, 40 minutes for them,” she says. In addition to the chicken plates, which come with housemade corn tortillas, rice and borracho beans, the restaurant also serves tortas, burritos and breakfast tacos in the morning and menudo on weekends. 1600 NW 25th St., facebook.com/pullitaforthworth
