One of Fort Worth’s best ramen chefs opens 2 new restaurants — 1 is a ‘ghost kitchen’
Arlington has the star chef city leaders wanted, but he opened a tiny ramen bar.
Chef Jesús García made a name for sushi restaurants across Dallas and Fort Worth, but his new home is Kintaro Ramen, 101 E. Abram St., in the fast-developing downtown.
Cane Rosso nearby isn’t open yet. But nearly 20 other restaurants are, and they’re all offering specials this weekend as part of a downtown “Restaurant Rally” for local, independent restaurants June 4-7.
The new draw is Kintaro, a ramen bar and “ghost kitchen” offering García’s flavorful ramen for dine-in, takeout or delivery.
It’s the first of several Kintaros. (A second location in west Fort Worth is a true “ghost,” serving delivery customers only.)
With low overhead and staff costs and inexpensive pricing, Kintaro is a model restaurant for hard times in a downtown market hard hit by sports cutbacks and dropoff in college attendance.
This weekend, Kintaro will offer a family dinner for four: $50 buys a choice of four ramen, an appetizer and four drinks or beers.
“I was attracted to the downtown Arlington development as soon as I saw it,” García said.
It’s squarely in the middle of downtown, 11/2 miles from the sports stadiums.
“I think the comment I’m most surprised by is when people say they can’t believe a restaurant this good is in Arlington,” García said.
He named some of the neighbors: Hurtado Barbecue, Cane Rosso, Inclusion Coffee and longer-standing restaurants such as Tipsy Oak and Babe’s Chicken Dinner House.
He said he wants to “make Arlington a culinary stop, not an afterthought.”
His menu offers not only mild or spicy ramen — the miso ramen ($11) comes mild or spicy with habanero or reaper peppers — but also pork dumplings, Japanese fried chicken thighs and edamame.
There’s one entree, panko-crusted shrimp with rice and cabbage slaw ($15).
The Fort Worth delivery kitchen, on a branch of Camp Bowie Boulevard near the Ridglea Hills neighborhood, also offers sushi rolls from $4 up to the “Demon Slayer” with jalapenos and habanero aioli ($13) or the “Funkytown’s Finest” with spicy tuna, pickled okra and a sweet-spicy miso ($14). A tuna tower is $13.
The Fort Worth store is one of the city’s first delivery-only “ghost kitchens” along with Lanny Lancarte II’s new Eat Fajitas delivery startup.
García was busy with onlne orders the first few days.
“It allows me the ease of quickly accepting and making the food,” he said.
It’s also safer.
“It also limits the amount of time we interact with non-employees, or having to handle cards and cash directly,” he said.
The Kintaro in Arlington is open daily for lunch and dinner and until midnight Thursdays through Saturdays; 817-538-5344, kintaroramen.kitchen.
The Fort Worth location takes orders for lunch and dinner daily except Sundays; 817-489-5055.
Saving local restaurants in Arlington
Arlington’s “Restaurant Rally” June 4-7 is a promotion to draw customers to downtown’s eclectic, small restaurants.
Residents are asked to order takeout or dine out at least once a day this weekend at restaurants like the historic Candlelite Inn, old favorite J. Gilligan’s Bar & Grill, burger hangout J.R. Bentley’s English Pub or newer downtown restaurants like Grease Monkey Burgers or Hurtado Barbecue.
Some specials:
▪ Hurtado Barbecue, 205 E. Front St.: $30 for “El Jefe,” 1/3-pound brisket, pork, ribs, and pork-belly burnt ends plus a sausage, quail and small side dish; or $65 for dinner for four with 2½ pounds of meat, four side orders, tortillas and sauce.
▪ Inclusion Coffee, 101 E. Abram St.: $13.40 for two lemon-blueberry hand pies and two lavender-lemonades, or $18.50 for two peach-pecan hand pies and two ice-cream iced lattes.
▪ J. Gilligan’s Bar and Grill, 400 E. Abram St.: $19.99 for a family pack dinner with cheeseburgers, fries and drinks for four people, or $23.99 for double cheeseburgers.
▪ Mavericks Bar and Grill, 601 E. Main St.: $14.95 dinners for two people with entrees, burgers or sandwiches and drinks.
▪ Urban Alchemy, 403 E. Main St.: A $50 “Alchemist picnic”” for two people includes wine, meats, cheeses, fruits, veggies, garlic-herb dip and brownies.
For more, see downtownarlington.org.
This story was originally published June 1, 2020 at 5:45 AM with the headline "One of Fort Worth’s best ramen chefs opens 2 new restaurants — 1 is a ‘ghost kitchen’."
