Richard W. Rodriguez
Shōgun Taqueria's Francisco “Paco” Islas.
By the time you read this, Dos Mares, the long-anticipated coastal Mexican concept from the team behind Don Artemio, will be open. Chef and culinary director Rodrigo Cárdenas Garza, who also helms Don Artemio, says the restaurant deliberately took its time, refining both its atmosphere and its menu to honor Mexico’s shoreline traditions. He and his father, restaurateur Juan Ramón Cárdenas, spent months traveling through the country’s coastal states, cooking with local experts and gathering recipes that now form the backbone of Dos Mares’ menu. The menu leans heavily into seafood — crudos, ceviches, oysters, and signature dishes like the Tostada de Atún and Taco Gobernador — while still offering satisfying options for land-loving diners, from a butter-crusted rack of lamb to charcoal-grilled steaks. Desserts include a 30-hour flan. Looking ahead, the team plans to introduce dry-aged fish, a five-taco omakase lunch option, and a tableside botanical gin and tonic service. Weekly tuna-cutting demonstrations and DJ nights will round out the lively coastal experience. 3260 W. 7th St., dosmares.us
Shogun Taqueria, the Japanese-themed taqueria opened by longtime Fort Worth restaurateur Francisco “Paco” Islas earlier this year, recently unveiled its next-door bar, Secreto Speakeasy. It is indeed a speakeasy, accessible only by passing through a certain door inside Shogun. Like Shogun, Secreto playfully fuses east with west, with drinks such as yuzu margaritas and seasonal cocktails built around Japanese spirits and ingredients. Dim lighting, jade-green plush barstools, and cozy living-room-style furniture create a space that feels part Edo tavern, part Fort Worth lounge. Cool, cool spot. 1508 W. Magnolia Ave., instagram.com/secretofortworth
One of the city’s most well-known and popular chefs, Stefon Rishel, has turned up in a restaurant about an hour to the west: Oak & Third, the new in-house restaurant at the historic Crazy Water Hotel in Mineral Wells. His menu doesn’t veer far from his areas of Texana cuisine expertise: Dishes include pan-roasted grouper with field pea succotash and a root vegetable puree; Niman Ranch braised beef cheek; a fondue made with smoked redfish, crab, shrimp, and Gouda cheese; and PB&J wings, his signature dish from Wishbone & Flynt. Great to have him back. 401 N. Oak Ave., Mineral Wells, thecrazywaterhotel.com
The Mont, Fort Worth’s new upscale New American restaurant in the Montserrat area, is joining the ranks of other local fine dining restaurants that offer holidaymenus. On Dec. 23 and 24, the restaurant will offer five- and eight-course menus that showcase its seasonal cuisine. Dishes will include Chestnut “Cappuccino,” Loche EtiveTrout, and a whimsical Gingerbread Roulade. There will be optional wine pairings, as well. The five-course menu is priced at $75 per person, while the eight-course option is $90 — not bad considering you can’t have Christmas Eve dinner at some restaurants around here for less than $100. Reservations are recommended. Click/call themontfw.com/817-502-3400.
