My Favorite....SALAD

Arugula, Spinach, Bibb, Romaine, Iceberg….a plain, boring vegetable? Not when these Fort Worth restaurants dress them. Although these salads may not be the healthiest options on the menu, they are my favorites. For lunch, I love going to Yogi’s Bagel Café or McKinley’s, and for a date night or night out with the girls, I go to Winslows for my favorite soup and salad combo.

YOGI'S BAGEL CAFE

It may be embarrassing, but I eat at Yogi’s two to three times per week and never get sick of it! The menu is endless and serves breakfast all day. Even though the Migas ($7.89) and enormous buttermilk pancakes ($4.69) are tempting at 12:30 pm, I can’t order anything else but the Oriental Chicken Salad ($7.25). The chicken is flavored with teriyaki sauce served over romaine lettuce with chow mein noodles, feta cheese, and sesame seeds all tossed in a sweet oriental dressing. Usually I do not like hot chicken on my cold salad, but any flavor this bold can make an exception. In the winter I get the half salad/half soup combination ($6.59+for chicken) with my favorite salad and the corn chowder. The friendly staff and relaxed atmosphere make Yogi’s the ultimate everyday restaurant.

Check out the Website

WINSLOW'S WINE CAFE

Changing to a more upscale environment is Winslows Wine Café at 4101 Camp Bowie. I have met owner Joe Barry at Patrizio’s bar, his new competitor restaurant right down the road, as he was scouting out his competition. He serves one of the best salads in town. I always order the West Side Wedge ($8), a wedge of baby iceberg lettuce covered in a homemade blue cheese dressing, blue cheese crumbles, warm and crisp apple wood smoked bacon, and Roma tomatoes. I order this rich salad before splitting my favorite pizza, the Jim Bowie ($15 for 10”) with BBQ grilled chicken, smoked cheddar cheese, jalapenos, apple wood smoked bacon, and a hickory BBQ sauce. Or, if I am at Winslow’s more for the wine than the food, I will order a cup of the Roasted Tomato Basil Soup to accompany my salad. The soup is made with Roma, Beefsteak, and grape tomatoes, apple wood smoked bacon, and basil crème fraiche. I guess I can’t get enough of that apple wood smoked bacon!!

Check out the Website

McKINLEY'S FINE BAKERY AND CAFE

Located in University Shopping Center, McKinley’s bakery is perfect for a ladies lunch. Even though it has changed locations, the food is still the same, including my favorite…the Barbi Salad ($8.95). Large portions sometimes call for the downsized version ($6.50). The Barbi Salad is composed of fresh romaine lettuce, chopped roasted chicken breast, sweet sliced strawberries, toasted walnuts, crumbled goat cheese, and a light honey vinaigrette. The lively atmosphere with green and purple walls make this order-at-the counter restaurant hard to beat. And good luck getting out of there without purchasing some sort of dessert or treat!

Check out the Website

My Favorite...BBQ

Inspired by the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, I am going to talk about two of my favorite restaurants to eat at during Rodeo season. Whether you call it BBQ, Bar-B-Que, or Barbecue, I call it simply delicious. Slow-smoked with savory spices and sauces, barbecue from Texas just can’t be beat. Home to the legendary stockyards, Fort Worth along with other tourist attractions such as the rodeo can bring in visitors from all over. My pre-rodeo staple is barbecue and beer from either Railhead or Angelo’s.

RAILHEAD SMOKEHOUSE

Located just a mile and a half down the road from Will Rogers Coliseum, home to the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, stands Railhead Smokehouse at 2900 Montgomery St. Established in 1986, and owned by Charlie Geren, local celebrity and member of the Texas House of Representatives, District 99, Railhead has been serving some of the best barbecue around. They are known for their German style sausages with Texas spice and flavor and their pork ribs. My favorite is the tender chopped beef sandwich plate ($7.45), with sides of sweet sauced pinto beans and French fries (+$0.50). The flavor and texture of the meat smothered in the sweet and savory barbecue sauce makes for a mouthwatering treat. I order my sandwich without the mustard, pickles, and onions, but ask for extra barbecue sauce so the sandwich bun can be soaked in the sauce. If I am taking a group to the rodeo, I usually pull up to the drive-through and get chopped beef by the pound, packs of buns, and sides. I will have the group meet at my house and assemble our own dinner with a cold case of beer. If I ever eat at Railhead, it is usually on a Saturday afternoon and I sit outside with my family and my dog, staring at the rustic railroad tracks and signals. The restaurant has a wooden lodge feeling, with neon beer signs adorning the wall. Food and beer are ordered at the counter before sitting in the friendly and loud restaurant. Staff t-shirts promote Fort Worth pride and remind patrons “Life is too short to live in Dallas.”

ANGELO’S

Angelo’s Barbecue is a Fort Worth childhood memory for many who grow up in the area. One thing that sticks out in my memory is the mounted bears that are found all around the restaurant. The one shown above is the welcome bear, as people line up to give their order. Angelo’s was established in 1958 by Angelo George who sold well-seasoned beef brisket and ice cold beer at 2533 White Settlement Road. The seasonings and barbecue sauce are so famous that they are sold to the public at the restaurant and select grocery stores in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. My favorites are the rib plate ($12.95) which is served with ribs, sauce, beans, potato salad, cole slaw, pickles, onion, and bread. As a friend once described, “the beer is better at Angelo’s” because of the frosted schooners. The layout of Angelo’s is very casual and can accommodate large groups. The process of ordering begins with serving yourself various soft drinks and water out of a refrigerator and picking out cold sides and chips. The food is served cafeteria style on trays, and visitors seat themselves in the large wooden building. Menu items are served until they run out, so I recommend eating early to get what you want.

My Favorite....SUSHI

BLUE
Omaha based sushi restaurant, Blue, opened its Fort Worth location in September of 2010. The new restaurant, led by Executive Chef Ped Phommavong and run by General Manager Perry Parrigin is located in the hip museum district at 3131 W. 7th St. The lively blue and red toned contemporary eatery is great for a group, date night, or just drinks in the full bar that they call the “Sake Bomber Lounge.” My favorite starters are the sweet and savory Coconut Crab Soup ($6) which resembles a corn and crab chowder and the spicy Mango Crab Rangoon ($8). My favorite specialty Maki, or rolls, are the Cali King ($11) with king crab, avocado, and cucumber and the Snow White ($10) roll with crispy sea bass and avocado topped with a spicy sauce. If I’m feeling adventurous, I will get the house sake ($11.50) served hot. Blue offers 80 options of cooked and raw sushi and 17 Asian inspired entrées and small plates.

PIRANHA KILLER SUSHI
Chef and Owner Kenzo Tran opened Piranha Killer Sushi in Arlington in 2001. The restaurants popularity grew and by request Tran opened a second location in Sundance Square at 335 W. 3rd St. The orange glow from inside and the modern furniture give the sushi bar a warm and energetic atmosphere. I cannot eat at Piranha’s without getting my favorite signature rolls, the Marry Me Roll ($12.95) and the Wasabi Crusted Salmon Roll ($10.95). The Marry Me Roll hold most of its ingredients outside of the rice, as it is a plain shrimp tempura roll topped with sliced avocado, fresh tuna, and sweet strawberries. When I’m not in the mood for sushi, I choose the Chicken Teriyaki with Grilled Vegetables ($12.95) or the Vegetable Yaki Udon ($10.95).

SUSHI AXIOM
In 2001, Sushi Axiom opened on Hulen behind Central Market as a whole in the wall sushi restaurant. Fort Worth caught on, and the restaurant now serves some of the best sushi in the area and has opened five other locations, with one more coming soon. My favorite is the location in Montgomery Plaza at 2600 W. 7th St. Axiom is the perfect location for entertaining a large group any night of the week. Their clever menu changes among locations, but signatures such as the ever popular Colonial Roll ($9) and Tower of Pisa ($13.95) are Axiom staples. The names of items on the menu pay homage to Fort Worth: Colonial Roll and TCU Roll ($11.95). The Colonial Roll is an ordinary shrimp, crab, avocado, and cream cheese roll but is sautéed tempura style and then cut into pieces. This filling roll competes with the Tower of Pisa, a layered stack of spicy tuna, crab, avocado and cucumber, and sushi rice. Dinner cannot be complete without their famous Martini Axiom, a fruity pomegranate mixture.