Black’s, Kreuz coming to BBQ Showdown at festival

The Texas barbecue world is coming to Cowtown.

Lockhart barbecue legend Kreuz Market has joined the roster for the Fort Worth Food & Wine Festival BBQ Showdown on March 30, the greatest lineup of pitmasters ever assembled in the city and maybe North Texas.

Barrett Black of Black’s Barbecue in Lockhart will also return, and for the first time the BBQ Showdown also will feature old-school Fort Worth favorite Angelo’s.

The current local barbecue royalty, Emma and Travis Heim of Heim Barbecue and also John Sanford of Cresson’s BBQ on the Brazos, will be there. Also on hand at the Watt Arena at Will Rogers Memorial Center will be Lockhart Smokehouse of Dallas, opening a new Arlington location.

Did I mention Cousin’s, Hard Eight BBQ and Meat U Anywhere, all for a $60 ticket (early entry $75)?

“It’s been great to watch the festival grow, and the more barbecue, the better,” Black said by phone this week from Lockhart.

He’s the great-grandson of the family that started Black’s in 1932.

“We like coming to Fort Worth because most of our customers are tourists from DFW or people making a side trip,” Black said.

“We want to thank people for coming to see us so often.”

Festival director Russell Kirkpatrick of Reata is from Lockhart, so local connections helped line up the pitmaster legends.

“It’s a bigger lineup and a cool vibe with the arena dirt under your boots,” Kirkpatrick said.

Tickets for the showdown cost $60-$75, or $400 for the entire weekend of wines, a brunch, a luxury dinner, burgers and late-night desserts; fortworthfoodandwinefestival.com.

Little Lilly returns

Little Lilly Sushi has made its triumphant return, polished again after repairs from a kitchen fire.

Danny Liu has added some items, but reviewers always zero in on spicy sushi like the “devil’s breath” roll with ghost pepper, habanero and Sriracha sauce.

Little Lilly is open for lunch and dinner daily; 6100 Camp Bowie Blvd., 817-989-8886, littlelillysushi.com.

Meatballs and more

Campisi’s Restaurant, known for great meatballs and pizza, now has a new meatball pizza special.

The “Mystic Meatball” won a diners’ contest for the best combination. It’s a meatball pizza with onion, olives, tomatoes, garlic, oregano, basil and provolone, on sale throughout March, at 6150 Camp Bowie Blvd., 817-916-4561; campisis.us/fort-worth.

Chicken for lunch

Quincy’s Chicken Shack in Coppell, a much-talked-about new flash-fried chicken restaurant from the founder of Twisted Root, will begin lunch service next week in time for spring break.

Quincy’s is open for dinner this weekend, then lunch and dinner daily beginning Monday; 505 Houston St., Coppell (off Bethel Road about 2 miles east of Bass Pro Shops), 469-251-9080, quincyschickenshack.com.

Another Quincy’s is planned for next year in downtown Mansfield.

Cheese and beer, please

If you’re making early plans for St. Patrick’s Day dinner, the Melting Pot fondue restaurant in Arlington has an idea.

Couples can dine on a special menu of Irish aged-cheddar fondue, salad, entree and mint-chocolate chip green fondue. The price: two for $69.

Green beers will be $3. Reserve at 817-472-9988, or use the code “STPATTYS” if booking online; 4000 Five Points Blvd., meltingpot.com.

This story was originally published March 8, 2017 at 2:55 PM with the headline "Black’s, Kreuz coming to BBQ Showdown at festival."