A new adult playground is opening just in time for Labor Day, a new dumplings restaurant is worth knowing and there are plenty of treats in store for Mexican Heritage Month. This is the latest Fort Worth restaurant news you need to know.
Fort Worth only continues to grow as a food city — and if you want to dine right, it’s important to keep up.
Cidercade Mania
Bishop Cider bought Fort Worth’s Wild Acre brewing in May, with plans to expand its presence in Tarrant County. Now, the Bishop Cider team is opening up two new Cidercade adult arcades. One is taking over the former Legal Draft space in Arlington and is expected to open before the end of the year. The other new Cidercade is at Fort Worth’s 1813 West Bowie Street, just past TCU at the juncture of Berry Street and Cleburne Road. It just opened on Tuesday.
Fort Worth’s first Cidercade brings artisan pizza along with dozens of hard ciders and hard seltzers on tap. With all the brews made by Bishop Cider of course. Sodas and other non-alcoholic beverages are also available.
This new Cidercade is also the largest location yet, measuring in at more than 25,000 square feet. Cidercade Fort Worth is filled with nearly 300 classic and modern arcade games that are free to play once you pay the $10 daily admission fee or the $15 monthly membership fee.
Cidercade is family-friendly until 8 pm ― then guests must be 21 and over. This place is dubbed an entertainment buffet for good reason. In addition to the arcade games, you can shoot pool, play skeeball, basketball, air hockey, foosball, shuffleboard, DDR, Guitar Hero and bubble hockey.
The Pantry
The Pantry opened in a snug Magnolia space this week. You’ll find the new Fort Worth restaurant at 713 Magnolia ― that’s the space that used to home to Hot Damn Tamales kitchen. Conceived as a dumpling house by owners Hao Tran and Natasha Bruton, The Pantry serves bahn mi sandwiches, cold vermicelli noodle salads, and oh yes, delicate lemongrass and pork dumplings.
The new restaurant has four communal six-top tables and plans to serve lunch and dinner to start. The Pantry is currently openFridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am to midnight.
Housemade chili oil is for sale at the counter along with a rotating selection of baked goods, including some crispy bacon chocolate chip cookies.
I got the chance to dip into The Pantry during the soft opening hours. The tender pork atop my vermicelli salad was some of the best I’ve ever eaten. It’s worth a return visit for that alone.
Mexican Heritage Month Treats
September is Mexican Heritage Month. While most of us are very accustomed to Cinco de Mayo celebrations, the official Mexican Independence Day is actually celebrated September 16. Which makes September a very important month.
Central Market will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by showcasing a collection of top Hispanic brands and products from around the world. There will be themed cooking classes at the Fort Worth Central Market’s in-house cooking school too, as well as at all Central Markets across the state.
What’s there to look forward to eating?
Chorizo de San Manuel began in 1975 in Edinburg, Texas. The Flores family has produced its famous pork chorizo in the Rio Grande Valley ever since. Other ingredients of note include octopus sourced from Spain, fresh guava paste, fruity traditional paletas, Spanish Manchego cheeses and Mexican wines. Stop in any Central Market to join the festivities.
Fort Worth’s newish Mexican restaurant Don Artemio is also putting on its own Festival del Chile en Nogada. Beginning September 1 and running through October 16, Fort Worth diners can nibble on this classic dish. A stuffed poblano pepper is draped in nogada, an almond cream sauce, and dressed with fresh pomegranate seeds. All together, it reflects the three primary colors of Mexico’s red, green and white flag.
The unique dish has been lovingly researched and recreated by Don Artemio’s head chef Juan Ramon Cardenas, whose son Rodrigo helms the Fort Worth kitchen. It is served warm but not hot, as the delicate sauce would break. The filling and spices hint at the Spanish and Moorish influences in the long history of Mexico. Apples, pine nuts, pears, peaches and plantains are seasoned with cloves and cinnamon in the ground beef and pork filling. The dish is perfected by its sherry and almond cream sauce.
Chile en Nogada is a seasonal dish in Mexico. Catch it while you can at Don Artemio.
