Clearfork welcomed several new restaurants recently, among them: Cru Food & Wine Bar - with 300 bottles to choose from and a bistro menu of shareable small plates and main dishes; B&B Butcher's - an upscale steakhouse with attached butcher shop; City Works - the new neighborhood pub featuring around 90 taps of beer; Clean Juice - the first Texas location of this fresh-pressed juice and smoothie bar; Fixe - Chef James Robert's menu celebrates the soul of the South; and Twigs Bistro & Martini Bar - known as much for its beverage menu as for its American cuisine.
Eagle Mountain Tavern, Brian Olenjack's newest venture, opened Dec. 5. Olenjack served as executive chef of Reata and later at his namesake Olenjack's Grille in Arlington. The Eagle Mountain Tavern is located on Boat Club Road in the former Boo-Rays of New Orleans space and serves American fare, including Olenjack's famous Shrimp and Grits.
Another long-awaited restaurant also opened Dec. 5 in the Southside. Taste Community Restaurant, the "pay-what-you-can" concept, opened in its inviting new digs at 1200 South Main St.
Michael Crain, former "advance-man" in the George W. Bush White House, philanthropist who founded the successful Foodie Philanthropy and real estate agent, adds restauranteur to his resume this month. MidiCi Neapolitan Pizza will fire up its stylish pizza ovens on Jan.19 in the Left Bank.
Tim Love added a quirky new spin to his Queenie's Restaurant in Denton last year – doughnuts hot from the fryer and served out the back door between 11 p.m.-1 a.m. He called it Back Dough and drew a late night crowd with cravings for fresh doughnuts. In December, the Back Dough craze hit his Love Shack on Exchange in Fort Worth's Northside. When the red neon sign lights up…hot doughnuts are not far behind.
The Near Southside added a big dose of Deep Ellum cool to the mix when the Twilite Lounge opened in early December. A spinoff of the original Dallas hangout, which first opened in 2013, the draw is partly its New Orleans vibe (NOLA-style cocktails and Rat Pack-era booth seating) and partly the lure of free live music talent. The menu includes po"boy sandwiches, red beans and rice, fried oysters and classic beignets.
Magdalena's, the popular Supper Club that serves BYOB dinners on weekends out of a catering space on Grand Avenue, started a brunch supper club in November. Coined "Buenas Dias Supper Club," Chef Juan Rodriguez serves a set-menu, BYOB brunch monthly. Sign up for Magdalena's emails for invites. Spots go fast.
