After months of delays, the second location of Billy's Oak Acres BBQ will hopefully, maybe, knock on wood, fingers crossed, be open by the time you read this, at 7709 Camp Bowie Blvd. West in a former nightclub. The menu will include "cue staples found at the original Las Vegas Trail locale (which owner Billy Woodrich recently closed after severe weather caused extensive electrical damage), plus Woodrich's spectacular chicken-fried steak, along with weekend specials such as prime rib. Woodrich is also planning a breakfast menu.
Poke has been popping up on local restaurant menus and at grocery stores such as Central Market. But the city now has its very own restaurant devoted primarily to the popular raw fish and rice dish. Manned by longtime chefs and pals Dat Bui (whose family runs Vietnamese hot spot My Lan) and Thai Nguyen, their recently opened Poke Stop at 8605 North Beach St. offers a half-dozen signature poke bowls or a build-your-own option with ingredients such as mango, kimchi, fried garlic and asparagus. The tiny spot has a big menu, also offering sushi, five types of ramen and a half-dozen appetizers such as chicken karaage and squid salad. pokestopdfw.com
The team that brought us Americado - then took it away, then gave it back - has opened a new restaurant/coffee shop/bar combo on the Near Southside. La Zona takes over two historic buildings on Magnolia Avenue for its unique, split-personality concept. The larger of the two structures, built in 1924 and most recently home to a barber shop, serves small plates and appetizers such as Neapolitan-style pizzas, salads and light sandwiches. Next door, in the smaller building that used to house a used car lot office, house-made churros and coffee drinks are on tap; both buildings went through extensive and attractive nip/tucks. In between the two is a patio area where owner Tyler Casey says old films will be shown when the weather's nice. "We want it to be a cool little hangout," he says. "Come have dessert, a light snack, hang out and watch a movie. Just a real laid-back, cool place." 1264 W. Magnolia Ave., lazonafw.com
The Left Bank development scored the first Fort Worth location of Taiwanese bakery 85C Bakery Café, named after chain founder Wu Cheng-Hsueh's insistence that 85 degrees is the best temperature to brew coffee. So, of course, there are coffee drinks such as a sea salt latte, along with sweet-and-savory European and Asian-inspired pastries, breads and sandwiches. 628 Harrold St., 85cbakerycafe.com
Enchiladas Ole on the city's east side will celebrate its fifth anniversary in February. To commemorate, owner Mary Patino Perez says she's introducing new menu items throughout the month. A big anniversary shebang with door prizes and menu specials is happening Feb. 28. enchiladasole.com
Tickets to the 2018 Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival are now on sale. This year's fest kicks off April 5 with a new event, a tacos and tequila tasting at BRIK. The barbecue competition that typically starts the four-day fest will now close it, on April 8, at the Heart of the Ranch at Clearfork. For tickets and a full list of events, visit fortworthfood-andwinefestival.com
M Bistro, one of several restaurants to fall in the cursed Montgomery Plaza corner spot, wasn't the last we heard of local chef Steve Mitchell. He's opened a new restaurant downtown called 3rd Street Bar & Grill, in the old Frankie's Sports Bar at 425 W. Third St. Name says "bar and grill," but menu says "sounds better than bar and grill food." Dishes include salmon piccata, a tobacco onion Reuben and red snapper with crawfish beurre blanc. Those opposed to eating things they can't pronounce can go for the nachos, chicken-fried steak or pizza. Live music on weekends – a plus. thirdstreetrestaurant.com
Some sad news in the local barbecue world: Angelo "Skeet" George, owner and pitmaster at Angelo's, passed away in December. The long-running barbecue joint now rests in the hands of his son Jason, himself an experienced pitmaster, having grown up working in the restaurant. George's father, Angelo George Sr., opened Angelo's in 1958. He passed away in 1997.
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