Eats Beat: A change of seasons, style at Modern

Change is coming next week at Café Modern.

New chef Denise Paul Shavandy’s first menu will debut Wednesday.

She guesses it’s 90 percent new.

“That’s the seasonal change, what they always do,” said Shavandy, a former Eatzi’s executive chef with a local background at Central Market and long-ago work at Pegasus and Spice International Cafe.

Some of it is typical: moving to walnuts, apples, sweet potatoes and butternut squash as fall ingredients.

But some of the changes reflect Shavandy’s background in international cuisine, particularly Mediterranean and south Asian.

Expect a tandoori chicken salad sandwich and other Indian flavors familiar from Spice.

There’ll be plenty of Texas dishes, too, such as a Texas Caesar with cornbread croutons, avocado and pepitas.

The new dinner menu will start Oct. 16, with brunch changing Oct. 17.

(If you want one last helping of the peach pancakes or the french fries in Thai panang curry, go this weekend.)

Meso hungry

We know a bit more now about two new restaurants from the owners of El Fenix and Snuffer’s Burgers.

Meso Maya, a well-reviewed “modern Tex-Mex” restaurant with two Dallas locations, will replace a sports grill in the Kress Building in downtown Fort Worth, according to a building permit.

Tortaco, a new Firebird Restaurants concept, will go in on Currie Street, off West Seventh Street near Fred’s Texas Cafe, instead of a Snuffer’s.

A new Snuffer’s is close to opening in Colleyville: 4717 Colleyville Blvd., snuffers.com.

Pink at Piranha

The Komen Greater Fort Worth Dine Out for the Cure event continues next week with new charity dinner offers from Piranha Killer Sushi and Righteous Foods, along with a monthlong special from Grace.

Ellerbe Fine Foods also continues a wine special, donating $1 to Komen for every glass of selected Napa wines ($12-$15).

About 30 restaurants in Fort Worth and Southlake are offering special menu items or a percentage donation. For the full list, see komengreaterfortworth.org.

Pizza news

The Olivella’s pizza in Ridglea is still on track for a winter opening, according to a publicist.

Blaze Pizza will open in the new Waterside shops on Bryant Irvin Road, along with a Taco Diner.

This story was originally published October 7, 2015 at 4:12 PM with the headline "Eats Beat: A change of seasons, style at Modern."