‘Waffles are my passion,’ says chef at new Pinky’s Waffle Bar

You’ve tried chicken and waffles.

Now try waffles and ice cream.

A new boutique waffle shop has come to Fort Worth, tucked into a walk-up stand in a quiet corner of Ridgmar Mall.

Former Houston fine-dining chef Maritza Sepulveda is the talent behind Pinky’s Waffle Bar, serving seven flavors of waffles with fresh fruit and local superpremium Henry’s Homemade Ice Cream.

She cooked in Eddie V’s in Houston and here. But to launch her own venture, she picked something closer to her heart.

“I love waffles — waffles are my passion!” she said this week, closing the waffle iron on a red-velvet waffle.

“Kids, families — everybody eats waffles. I’ve always wanted to do this. I’ve worked up recipes forever.”

Pinky’s is a walk-up counter near Dillard’s at street level in the mall’s northwest corner.

Her bestselling waffle so far is the “blue waffle” ($8) a yeast waffle with local blueberries, blueberry syrup, house-made lemon curd and toasted almonds with ice cream.

Besides red velvet, other varieties include a strawberry-Nutella (maybe a Valentine’s shopping treat?), banana nut, raspberry cheesecake, the “Greek” and a cinnamon-roll waffle.

They’re featherlight and perfect topped with Henry’s, a Plano-based ice cream served mostly in fine-dining restaurants and at the Great Outdoors Sub Shop.

Pinky’s has about eight Henry’s flavors ready to serve separately or to make frappes.

Pinky’s also serves ice cream sandwiches, strawberries-and-cream with a rich, house-made cream, and house-made lavender lemonade.

Sepulveda, from Spain, had starred in Houston restaurants until she moved here last year.

The Ridgmar location is the first of three Pinky’s planned, she said.

Look for it inside Ridgmar’s northwest door between Dillard’s and J.C. Penney. It’s open from 10 a.m. weekdays and Saturdays, noon Sundays until the mall closes; 1710 Green Oaks Road (but really facing Alta Mere Drive, Texas 183), 682-438-2328, facebook.com/pinkyswafflebar.

Belly up

Buffets are back.

Buttons Restaurant now serves a lunch buffet weekdays along with its popular Sunday buffet, and downtown, the new Mercury Chop House now serves a Sunday buffet.

Buttons is known for chef Keith Hicks’ Southern cooking. The lunch buffet will feature rotating choices such as fried catfish, chicken, black-eyed peas, mac-and-cheese and greens for $12.

There’s also a limited menu with items such as chicken-and-waffles, salmon or salad; open for lunch and dinner at 11 a.m. weekdays and Sundays, noon Saturdays at 4701 West Freeway, 817-735-4900, buttonsrestaurants.com.

Mercury Chop House’s new location now offers the only Sunday buffet downtown outside the hotels.

Omelets are made to order, or serve yourself eggs Benedict, cheese grits, chicken-fried-chicken-and-waffles and peach cobbler.

It’s $20, opening at 11 a.m.; 525 Taylor St., 817-336-4129, facebook.com/mercurychophousefw.

Of course, Heaven’s Gate Restaurant has inexpensive daily lunch buffets and weekend breakfast buffets.

For Valentine’s Day, Feb. 11-14, Heaven’s Gate will offer two steaks with baked potato, the complete buffet, soup and salad for $29.99.

Heaven’s Gate is a simple family buffet at 3820 N. Main St.; 817-624-1262.

Think global

More late Valentine’s ideas:

Steakhouse tables are tough to come by, unless you dine early or late.

But depending what your sweetheart likes, consider something more global than steak.

Blue Sushi, Cannon Chinese Kitchen, Howard Wang’s, Mesa Veracruz, Piranha Killer Sushi or Wild Salsa, all pretty and contemporary, have tables available. Or try Byblos or Prince Lebanese, or an Indian restaurant such as Tandoor.

Traditional restaurants Buffalo West, Lucille’s, Redrock Canyon Grill and The Tavern all have tables available. Same for modern bar-and-grills such as HG Sply Co. and Cork & Pig Tavern.

Neighborhood Italian restaurants such as Aventino’s, Bella Italia, Mancuso’s, Piccolo Mondo and Piola have tables available and handmade Italian dishes.

(If a national chain is OK, Brio Tuscan Grille in Southlake and cousin Bravo Italian in Fort Worth have Valentine’s specials.)

This story was originally published February 6, 2017 at 5:07 PM with the headline "‘Waffles are my passion,’ says chef at new Pinky’s Waffle Bar."