Even in a crowded field of elevated dining options, some plates manage to stand apart. From a recent wine-pairing dinner at Don Artemio featuring all-Italian cuisine — a first for the acclaimed restaurant — to new brunch offerings at nearby Café Mirador, these are the standout dishes that have captured our attention and left us thinking about our next visit.
LOMA TXMX
1011 Nolan Ryan Expressway South
Pitmaster Brandon Hurtado recently told us that he and his wife’s dream, beyond running their popular barbecue chain, has long been to own and operate a Tex-Mex restaurant. That vision recently came to fruition with LOMA TXMX, which has taken over the former El Tiempo Cantina space at Choctaw Stadium in Arlington.
After catching rounds of team roping, breakaway roping, and other breakneck equestrian sports at The American Rodeo, we stopped by to see the sprawling new space, which pairs rustic wood furniture, terracotta tile floors, and towering ceilings with oversized windows overlooking the stadium grounds.
Our recommendation: the short rib enchiladas. Served with pillowy Spanish rice and hearty beans, the wraps featured fork-tender beef in soft tortillas beneath melted cheese and a smoky guajillo red chilẽ sauce that added richness and depth without overpowering the dish. With the level of care and attention put into our order, we imagine it would be difficult to go wrong anywhere on the new menu.
Don Artemio
3268 West 7th Street
Dozens of excited diners recently packed Don Artemio for a special evening kicking off The Italian Takeover, which runs through June 7. Guest chef Julián Martínez Bello, founder of contemporary Italian restaurant Sepia in Mexico City, is collaborating with the restaurant’s executive chef, Rodrigo Cárdenas, throughout the week-long culinary showcase, and we were invited to sample several dishes from the menu.
The evening opened with croquettes of Parmigiano Reggiano paired with beef carpaccio and caviar, then moved into Champagne risotto with foie gras and roasted figs, and a slow-cooked cabrito terrine served with cacciatora sauce. But the standout course of the night was the pasta. Made with fresh tagliolini coated in a silky blend of Grana Padano and butter and finished with black truffle shaved across the top, the rich and deeply comforting pasta dish briefly quieted the entire table.
Café Mirador
3220 West 7th Street
We haven’t stopped thinking about a recent late morning at Café Mirador. The new restaurant attached to Forty Five Ten Fort Worth recently launched a weekend brunch menu that we had previewed but had not yet experienced in person. Caught between a classic French omelette and the café’s breakfast sandwich, our server recommended the Sammy.
While we waited, Chef Manuel “Manny” Gutierrez surprised us with an off-menu delight: fried potato squares topped with crème fraîche, finely diced chives, and a dollop of caviar. We paired them with the Uni 73, Café Mirador’s lavender-hued take on a French 75. Light, floral, and bubbly, the cocktail arrived looking almost too pretty to drink.
The towering breakfast sandwich requires two hands to maneuver. We added a sausage patty and were glad we did. The brioche bun, cheddar, chili aioli, pillowy egg, and savory sausage combined for a filling and comforting breakfast — an elevated take on a familiar morning staple.
The manager and waitstaff at Café Mirador are consistently attentive and welcoming, and the food more than lives up to the restaurant’s polished surroundings.
Bricks and Horses
3700 Camp Bowie Boulevard
Bowie House and its signature restaurant, Bricks and Horses, capture the spirit of the American West. The Ranch to Table Dinner Series, sponsored this year by Lucchese Bootmaker, will bring ranchers and premium steaks from Perini Ranch to Bowie House on July 22 and 23. While their beef ranks among the best in town, we went coastal on a recent visit.
The Crispy Skin Salmon came served over quinoa chaufa and aji verde salsa before being topped with smoked trout caviar. Crisp skin gave way to buttery fish, while English peas and a vibrant pea beurre blanc added freshness and richness to the refined dish.
The Sicilian Butcher
3200 Tracewood Way, Suite 110
Note to parents out there: Visits to Pixel Jump with your kiddo will wear you out. Fortunately, we left just a block away from the perfect spot to recharge — The Sicilian Butcher. The sprawling restaurant features an in-house gelato and cannoli bar alongside a deep menu of Sicilian-style pizzas, pastas, and appetizers, but one dish immediately stood out from the rest.
The Sicilian Butcher’s Meatball Ferris Wheel transforms the restaurant’s signature meatballs into an over-the-top centerpiece, suspending multiple varieties above creamy polenta with sauces ranging from arrabbiata to truffle mushroom. The theatrical presentation made the dish nearly as memorable as its rich, comforting flavors.