It\u2019s time for the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo again, and that means we\u2019re seeing Fort Worth restaurants send out PR emails promoting rodeo-inspired specials. I\u2019ll give you a warning now, the urge to use gratuitous cowboy puns is strong, so I intend to lean into it.<\/p>\n
When I think of cowboys, the first food that comes to mind is chili, closely followed by steak, and both are among the dishes in this week\u2019s culinary roundup. So, if you\u2019re planning to get a posse together and grab some bites before taking in the festivities, there are a couple spots around town barrel racing for your attention.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the spirit of this also being the 136th anniversary of the Fort Worth Stockyards, I\u2019ve made sure to kick off this column with a Stockyards eatery.<\/p>\n
Rodeo Burger at Provender Hall<\/p>\n
Provender Hall on East Exchange Avenue is going classic with the Rodeo Burger, which sees a one-third-pound patty topped with jalapeno, bacon, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles and a \u201chouse secret sauce,\u201d according to a PR email.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Their focus is American comfort food, according to their website, \u201cwith a playful menu spanning grilled trout to chicken gumbo to steak frites.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Loaded nachos, cornbread, crispy okra and deviled eggs appear in their appetizers<\/a> section, followed by salads and chicken and andouille sausage gumbo. The Rodeo Burger shows up among sandwiches like their chopped beef with barbecue sauce and a smoked turkey club on sourdough.\u00a0<\/p>\n The rest of their menu is available online<\/a> and includes gluten-free options.<\/p>\n 122 E. Exchange Ave., Fort Worth; 817-782-9170<\/p>\n Fred\u2019s Texas Cafe dishes out chili, lamb stew<\/p>\n For a red chili flavor, Fred\u2019s Texas Cafe is serving up some ground beef chili with cheddar cheese, onions, jalapenos and corn chips. Because including beans in chili is a hotly disputed topic statewide, their PR proudly states that they\u2019ve left out the legumes. They\u2019re also brewing green chili lamb stew using Australian lamb, green chiles, potatoes and carrots.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fred\u2019s has both a regular menu<\/a> and their Buckboard Menu<\/a>, which showcases limited-time specials. The latter menu features dishes like sourdough-battered hot honey chicken tenders, an egg sandwich with bacon and American cheese, and an apple crisp served in a skillet with vanilla ice cream and caramel drizzle.\u00a0<\/p>\n Regular items include lots of burgers and chicken-fried steaks, as well as shareables like onion rings, candied bacon, pimiento poppers and queso fries.<\/p>\n 7101 Camp Bowie W. Blvd., Fort Worth; 817-332-0083; Cowboy Ribeye and duck at Clay Pigeon Food & Drink<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a regular Dish reader, you\u2019ve heard of Clay Pigeon, which offers seasonal menus using local ingredients and is now open all week.\u00a0<\/p>\n The house nod to the stock show is wood-grilled duck breast accompanied by roasted mushrooms, fennel soubise and cherry jus, as well as steaks from Austin-based Lone Star Meats. The oak-grilled options include the Cowboy Ribeye, according to a PR email, which is cooked over live fire and \u201cfinished simply to let the quality of the beer shine.\u201d<\/p>\n If you prefer your meat beyond rare, Clay Pigeon\u2019s current menu<\/a> shows prime beef tartare among the starters, made with shallot, chive, aioli, smoked egg yolk and crostini. For a seafood option, there\u2019s smoked salmon rillettes with lavash crackers and pickled mustard seeds.\u00a0<\/p>\n They also have an apple and walnut salad, housemade pasta, a soup of the day, pork shank and sides ranging from mac and cheese to mushrooms.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2731 White Settlement Road, Fort Worth; 817-882-8065<\/p>\n We\u2019d love to hear from you! Send your restaurant tips and hot takes to erin.ratigan@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2731 Western Center Blvd., Fort Worth; 817-232-0111<\/p>\n