Eazy Monkey Sea, Eazy Monkey Do

Chef Andrew Dilda takes dip into entrepreneurship by fusing styles at ocean-themed restaurant.

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Local chef Andrew Dilda has spent more than a decade in some of Fort Worth and Dallas’ top restaurants. His culinary résumé includes such places as Reata, CBD Provisions, and Lonesome Dove just to name a few.

Now, he's taking a step out to open his own spot.

Dilda and his partners, which include chef Andrew Chen and Sonali Kumar, have taken over the location at 401 W. Magnolia Ave. as the new home of Eazy Monkey. The menu consists of a mixture of food genres that lean toward Asian-inspired cuisine with what Dilda calls a “Latin twist.”

“I’ve always wanted this space,” Dilda says. “So, I just sat back and waited to see if it would become available.”

Dilda’s opportunity presented in November when Chef Ben Merritt announced that he would be closing Fixture because of increased labor and food costs, and a steady decline in business.

“After I saw [Merritt’s] post that Fixture was closing, I jumped on it,” Dilda says.

The interior design element and menu, he says, were inspired by T&C Surf Designs out of Hawaii.

The theme of this more than 3,000-square-foot eatery is an homage to the ocean, which includes surf and skate culture. But the walls weren’t the only things getting the beach treatment. The menu also boasts this motif, which includes such offerings as catfish bao, vegan friendly corn ribs, and cucumber tea ice noodles.

Dilda, who now lives in California, says he wanted to combine elements of California cuisine fused with Texas cuisine to highlight both places on a plate.

“That’s when I thought it would be cool to take some Latin roots and Asian roots, and create a menu,” he says.

This works, he says, by taking the basic tenet of a dish, or technique, and riffing on it with a different style from another cultural aspect. For example, the corn ribs, which are cooked like a rack of ribs, have a flavor reminiscent of traditional Mexican elote.

Another collaborator in all of this is chef Shawn Malik, a veteran of 20 years in the kitchen. Malik, along with Dilda, is currently working on the to-go menu, which is has a story all its own.

“One of the things we found lacking in many of the restaurants we’ve worked at over the years has been the pay-no-mind approach of to-go food,” Dilda says. “Like it was an afterthought.”

To combat this notion, Dilda and Malik decided to up Eazy Monkey’s to-go-order game by presenting the to-go dishes the same way they would be presented in the actual restaurant.

According to Dilda, Eazy Monkey’s menu is still in a state of flux although there are already several plates to choose from. In fact, Dilda says he’s adding three new “fork-and-knife” menu items this week. Besides the food, Eazy Monkey also has a full-service bar with a full-time mixologist on staff. However, the licensing for this section of the restaurant is still being processed.

As for the ambiance, Eazy Monkey has three separate dining areas that include a bar and spillover area, a covered back patio and an “ocean room” equipped to host large parties or meetings. The artwork that adorns the walls are all homages to the music and lifestyle Dilda and his wife have always been a fan of — skate culture and '90s music.

“I wanted this space to feel like you are coming into my home and seeing the things I enjoy,” he says. “I wanted it to feel welcoming, like this place has always been here. I didn’t want it to feel like a new restaurant where everyone is scared to sit down and make a mess.”

Dilda says he is optimistic Eazy Monkey will be fully open by mid-September. 

However, Dilda and his team are offering a few dishes on the menu for take-out only. He's using the opportunity to do a bit of research and development on refining the menu.

“Because Fort Worth shaped me into what I am today, I wanted to give Fort Worth a bit of a chance to help shape this company,” he says. “This way Fort Worthians, have a say in what we offer and take off the menu.”