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One of first spots I put down on my itinerary for Texas was Lonesome Dove Western Bistro located in Fort Worth. In fact, it was smack dab with the Fort Worth Stockyards (well more like on the on the edge, but you get the idea). Hence, it was the perfect place for us to grab dinner after a day of exploring the sights and sounds of the Stockyards. Now, one would question why BBQ was not the first thing I would jot down on any eating list for Texas. Well, much like any Texan will tell you, there is more than BBQ in Texas!
Besides, we were here to try Lonesome Dove because of Chef Tim Love (another Top Chef connection, albeit Top Chef Masters). For appies, we began with the Blue Corn Lobster Hush Puppies with watercress butter. These were lightly crispy on the outside, yet pretty wet on the inside. In terms of flavor, the briny sweetness of the lobster came through as well as the sweet pop from the peppers. The creamy and buttery sauce exhibited a background bitter brightness. Viv and I also shared the Butter Lettuce with applewood smoked bacon lardons, spiced pepitas and chili buttermilk. Generally, butter lettuce can be overly soft, but this one had a decent amount of crunch. The tanginess of the jalapenos added zip to a spicy and creamy dressing. Fatty and smoky, the lardons provided depth and body while the crunch from the seeds was a nice textural contrast.
My daughter wasn't extremely hungry, so we got her an order of the Texas Red Chili garnished with fried tortilla strips and cheese. As evidenced in the picture, the chili was rich and meaty. For those who aren't aware, authentic chili does not contain any beans. Hence, this had a stew-like quality to it where there was depth from the spices while not being too spicy. There was a level of smokiness to go with the natural meat flavor. My son decided on the Chicken Fried Steak with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes, grilled green beans, pickled peppers and creamy gravy. Although the beef was a tad chewy, it wasn't overly so. The batter was well-seasoned and crispy while the gravy had a nice silkiness and spice. Smooth and creamy, the mash went well wit the gravy. Lastly, the beans were crunchy and very garlicky.
For myself, I had the 9 oz Roasted Garlic Stuffed Beef Tenderloin with western plaid hash and syrah demi-glace. Being their signature dish, I found the plating rather odd (I did cut the steak in half) with the asparagus border. No matter, the steak was freakin' awesome! The picture doesn't do it justice as there was a plethora of garlic stuff inside that created a tasty aromaticness. As you can see, the steak was perfectly prepared medium-rare. It was super tender and juicy. Viv again shied away from pork and beef products going for the Colorado Rainbow Trout with chorizo sweet potato hash and cilantro orange butter. Exhibiting wonderful crispy skin, the trout was well-season and moist. The hash was mostly sweet with some savory elements, especially from the chorizo. Bringing it all together was a nutty and aromatic butter.
For the table, we added the White Truffle Mac n' Cheese topped with fried artichoke hearts. Made with orzo, the dish was notably cheesy with a slight sharpness. The white truffle was there, but retained enough so it wasn't overpowering. By adding fried artichokes on top, there was a crunchy counterbalance to the soft pasta. For dessert, we shared the Authentic Mexican Churros with chocolate, caramel and raspberry dipping sauces. These were hot, crunchy and sweet. I particularly enjoyed the dark chocolate dip as it was smooth and rich with some bitterness. The raspberry was tart with the right viscosity while the caramel was buttery and smoky sweet.The Good:
- Refined comfort food
- Excellent service
- Proteins done right
The Bad:
- A little rough around the edges, but that's the charm
- On the pricier side
