Fish-and-chips vote adds to fame for From Across the Pond

The little gluten-free specialty restaurant in Northeast Tarrant County came close to winning a big prize.

From Across the Pond, a British soccer pub known for serving a wide selection of gluten-free items, was on its way to a top-5 finish in a national poll for America’s favorite fish and chips.

OK, so it’s only an online poll. But it’s still remarkable that a little, locally owned pub on Bedford-Euless Road can wedge into the poll and draw more than 1,600 votes against pubs in California and Florida.

From Across the Pond is drawing both gluten-free families and British soccer fans to its newest location, in a former Chili’s.

The Herdman family took over a pub and decided to serve diners in need of a special menu. Gluten-free selections include pizza, fish and chips, burgers, sandwiches, and salads.

The British menu items are fish and chips, sausage “bangers and mash,” shepherd’s pie, beef-and-Redbridge ale stew and the veggie “bubble and squeak.”

From Across the Pond advertises that it is “smoke-free, drunk-free” and corporate-free, owned by an English family.

The service can be overwhelmed, and the dishes are handmade and simple, not fake chain-slick.

Oh, and the fish and chips features huge filets of Icelandic cod, although the beer-batter coating seemed too heavy at lunch one day this week. The platter ($11.99) is served in classic style, with hand-cut fries and mashed green peas.

From Across the Pond is open daily for lunch and dinner at 8000 Bedford-Euless Road, 817-428-2332; fromacrossthepondnrh.com.

He found La Perla

The downtown La Perla Tequila Bar & Kitchen has a new chef and new ambitions.

Chef Josh Rangel, a former Waters assistant, joins La Perla from his recent role as chef at The Dive Oyster Bar.

La Perla always featured tequilas and mojitos with ceviche, tacos and empanadas, but Rangel plans to revamp and expand the Latin menu.

La Perla is open daily except Sunday for lunch and dinner at 910 Houston St., 817-882-8108; laperlafw.com.

(The Dive, celebrating its one-year anniversary, has been adding more crab boils. It’s open for lunch and dinner daily at 3520 Alta Mere Drive; 817-560-3483.)

Morning Michaels

Michaels Cuisine, celebrating 25 years in the Cultural District, has added Saturday brunch.

Owner Michael Thomson and chef Jorge Romero are going all-out. They’re serving omelets, pozoles and lemon-ricotta pancakes, along with the Mixteco casserole (like a King Ranch chicken with eggs), and a chicken-fried steak-and-eggs plate.

Prices range from $6.50 for pozole to $16. The menu also includes ancho-chile sticky buns, Michaels burgers, bar pizzas and his original Mac’s House recipe grilled chicken salad.

Brunch starts at 11 a.m. Saturdays, and Michaels is also open for lunch and dinner weekdays (closing Sundays).

If you’ve never been to Michaels, it’s three blocks west of the West 7th district at 3413 W. Seventh St., 817-877-3413; michaelscuisine.com.

Book for Christmas

If you planned early for Thanksgiving, congratulations.

Now plan even earlier for Christmas.

So far, the only restaurants open besides the hotel chains are Ruth’s Chris Steak House and Ol’ South Pancake House in Fort Worth, Humperdinks Restaurant & Brewpub in Arlington, and Buca di Beppo in Southlake.

Hotels such as the Omni Fort Worth and Gaylord Texan will serve Christmas lunch, but not all hotels will be serving. Check one nearest you.

Del’s, Zodiac & Santa

December also brings special lunch hours.

▪ Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse will serve its special holiday lunch menu Wednesday through Friday beginning Dec. 7.

The $25 lunch features a choice of steak medallions, salmon or chicken piccata with side dishes and salad. The menu also offers Del’s burgers ($14), pastas, salads and other specials; 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. through Dec. 23. 812 Main St., 817-877-3999; delfriscos.com.

▪ The Zodiac at Neiman Marcus Fort Worth, moving Feb. 10 to the Shops at Clearfork, will add special Sunday lunches at 11 a.m. Dec. 11 and 18; Ridgmar mall, 2100 Green Oaks Road, 817-989-4650, therestaurantsofneimanmarcus.com.

▪ The 1960s Leonard’s Department Store Santa will be at the museum’s M&O Station Grill for photos with children from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 10 and 17; 200 Carroll St., 817-882-8020, bestburgerfortworth.com.

This story was originally published November 30, 2016 at 6:16 PM with the headline "Fish-and-chips vote adds to fame for From Across the Pond."