New brews, healthy eating, charcuterie and more DFW restaurant news

Patrons can “praise the pig” at Great Scott, a swanky new restaurant in Grapevine focused on charcuterie, fine wine and French cooking techniques. Opened last month by husband-and-wife duo Matt and Danielle Scott, the restaurant and bar is in the long process of drying and curing its own pasture-raised pork in-house in small batches. But it is serving meticulously sourced charcuterie now along with various foie, including torchon, terrine and escabeche, along with duck paté and rabbit rillette. Small plates include lobster strudel, PEI mussels and duck confit, while larger, shareable items include brick oven pizzas and heritage chicken with ricotta gnocchi. Matt previously ran beverage programs at Abacus and Jasper’s in Dallas before studying charcuterie with famed Detroit chef Brian Polcyn. “It’s really something we don’t see here,” says Danielle of the concept, adding that the name Great Scott came from her nickname, “the great Mrs. Scott.” 1701 Cross Roads Drive, Grapevine, 817-717-7701, www.greatscottrestaurant.com.

Eating healthfully in a hurry can be a snap thanks to Snap Kitchen, a new one-stop healthy meal shop now open in Fort Worth on West Seventh Street. The Austin-based retailer offers grab-and-go meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, packaged with nutritional information and categorized by portion size. Small meals range from 200 to 300 calories, medium meals, 300-400, and large meals, 400-500. Almost everything is prepped in-house (from sauces to sides) and organic, minimally processed ingredients are used. Menu items include gluten-free almond butter and maple pancakes, bison breakfast sausage bowls, non-dairy chicken and green chile enchiladas, and Paleo, grass-fed lamb lasagna. Meals may be heated in the on-site microwave, or at home or the office. Cold-pressed juices and meal plans are also available, as are catering and curbside pickup. 2828 W. Seventh St., Fort Worth, 817-717-7009, www.snapkitchen.com.

“I want people to come together, eat together and share a unique experience,” says former Reata chef Juan Rodriguez, who last year launched Magdalena’s Cocina Mexicana Local, a catering service named for his grandmother. Rodriguez has kept busy with private events and weddings, but will start a supper club this month where guests can dine at his hidden north Fort Worth kitchen overlooking the downtown skyline. Dining events will take place several times a month, Rodriguez says, and will vary in format from dinner to brunch. The first supper on the calendar is Aug. 20, when Rodriguez will serve lobster esquites with yellow corn, yuzu juice and epazote along with shrimp in blue corn sopes served with bone marrow salsa ($40 plus tax and gratuity per person). Events will be BYOB or paired with complimentary wine or cocktails. 502 Grand Ave., Fort Worth, 817-296-8215, www.magdalenastx.com.

’Tis the Hatch Chile Season

Pepper lovers know August kicks off Hatch chile season, and there’s no bigger local celebration than the Central Market Hatch Chile Festival, to be held Aug. 10-23 at all stores. More than 125 tons of the piquant peppers will arrive from Hatch, N.M., for the two-week event, which will feature Hatch-infused entrees, appetizers and even desserts. New items not to be missed this year include Hatch chorizo, brisket and cheddar burger, salami and even Hatch chile lime poundcake. Cooking class topics cover roasting, cleaning and freezing Hatch chiles, Hatch tamales, meatless meals with Hatch and a couples cooking class in Fort Worth featuring lobster with Hatch. It will take place Aug. 20 (5:30 p.m., $150 per couple). www.centralmarket.com.

Add HopFusion Ale Works to Fort Worth’s growing craft brewery scene. Founded by former home brewers and biking buddies Macy Moore and Matt Hill, the spacious brewery and taproom is set to open this month in the city’s Near Southside after more than a year of construction. Signature brews, which will eventually be sold in cans, include four core varieties: Feisty Blonde, brewed with orange blossom honey, Mexican vanilla and raw brown sugar; Hairpin, a rye pale ale; Steampipe, a black rye IPA; and Fur Slipper, an imperial milk stout. Look for the brews now on tap at nearby Pouring Glory Growler Fill Station & Grill. 200 E. Broadway Ave., Fort Worth, 682-841-1721, www.hopfusionaleworks.com.

Tailgating for a Texas Rangers game or preseason Dallas Cowboys game might sound downright miserable during the sweltering summer nights of August. Visit R Bar & Grill inside the nearby Hilton Arlington before the game instead. Chef Marcelo Vasquez has launched cool new menu items just in time for late summer’s heat wave. Dishes include jumbo blackened scallops with jalapeño cheddar grits, a chilled Italian salad of salami, pepperoni, mozzarella and fresh basil, and a lobster club sandwich with citrus-infused watercress on jalapeño cheddar bread. Vasquez, a Chilean native, rotates his menu regularly to put an elegant, seasonal spin on Texas and Southern favorites. With comfortable seating, a spacious bar and plenty of TVs, patrons are welcome to sit, stay and even cheer awhile. 2401 E. Lamar Blvd., Arlington, 817-640-4711, www.rbarandgrilltx.com.

When David McMillan quietly departed from his role as executive chef at Bird Cafe and moved out of state, his young apprentice and sous-chef, Scott Curtis, quickly took the reins. A Bird Cafe staffer since opening day in 2013, Curtis is now leaving his mark on the popular Sundance Square restaurant with a few new items that slightly depart from Bird’s adventurous norm. New dishes include grilled Texas quail, bone-in pork chop and chicken-fried sweetbreads. Before taking flight at Bird Cafe, Curtis earned kitchen cred at Dallas’ Meddlesome Moth and Four Seasons properties in Denver, Vail, Seattle, Whistler and Vancouver. 155 E. Fourth St., Fort Worth, 817-332-2473, www.birdinthe.net.

Trial lawyer-turned-brewery owner Greg McCarthy says Texas is still behind the curve when it comes to the amount of local craft beer available. So he spent six months learning everything he could about the business, hired a classically trained brewmaster, and opened Legal Draft Beer Co. with longtime pal and neighbor Curt Taylor in a former car dealership service department in Arlington last month. “I thought there was plenty of growth opportunity,” McCarthy says, adding that Texas lags behind popular craft beer states like Oregon and Colorado. Legal Draft is offering five core beers to start, including gold and amber lagers, an IPA, a hefeweizen and a stout. “We plan on expanding into more styles, about 10 or 12 total,” McCarthy says. Folks can find Legal Draft beers on tap at Brewed and Proper and in cans at Sleepy Panther Bottle Shop, all on West Magnolia Avenue, or at the brewery 4-7 p.m. Thursday and Friday or noon-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 500 E. Division St., Arlington, 817-962-2210, www.legaldraftbeer.com.

Lowdown on Lo-Lo’s

No longer considered a mismatched pairing, chicken and waffles are now mainstream. But the wildly popular Lo-Lo’s Chicken & Waffles, which recently opened its first Texas location in Southlake, offers new ways to try the the classic soul food dish. Think smothered in gravy and onions, paired with grits and eggs, or served with wings, legs or thighs. The lively Phoenix-based chain, founded in 2002 by Larry “Lo-Lo” White, combines comfort cuisine with kitsch thanks to playful names like Malaysia’s Focheezy Juicy Hood Burger and DVZ’s Ghetto Mess of saucy wings served over white bread. The spacious restaurant includes a full-service bar, breakfast all day and a lengthy menu that goes beyond chicken and waffles. Shrimp mac and cheese, fried catfish and red velvet cake are among Lo-Lo’s signature favorites. 1201 E. Texas 114, Southlake, 817-251-2663, www.loloschickenandwaffles.com.

Notebook

Blaze Pizza, a fast-casual pizza chain where patrons can customize pies to their liking, is now open in Fort Worth’s new Waterside Shopping Center. Pizzas are fast-fired to crisp perfection in 180 seconds. Toppings include applewood bacon, arugula, Gorgonzola cheese and a variety of sauces. Customers can also choose from nine signature pizzas to keep things simple. 5925 Convair Drive, Fort Worth, 817-731-5069, www.blazepizza.com.

The 19th annual DFW Restaurant Week runs Aug. 16-21 and as late as Sept. 4 at some participating locations. The event gives diners a chance to enjoy three-course dinners at dozens of fine-dining venues for $35 to $45, and proceeds in Tarrant County benefit the Lena Pope Home. Some of Fort Worth’s best restaurants are on the list, including Grace, Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, Max’s Wine Dive and Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine. Receive a complimentary fourth course at select restaurants with a voucher from Central Market, free with a purchase of $25 or more only while the vouchers last. www.dfwrestaurantweek.com.

Blue Mesa Grill’s 20th annual Hatch Chile Festival is now under way through the end of September or until the chiles run out. All restaurant locations are offering Hatch chile-infused menu specials, including braised short ribs with Hatch tomatillo sauce, Hatch chile-wrapped Oaxaca cheese bites, and even cheesecake topped with candied Hatch chiles. Patrons can also take a pint of Hatch chile salsa home for $4. www.bluemesagrill.com.

Grace will host a wine dinner featuring Martinelli Winery & Vineyards, with special guest Regina Martinelli, on Aug. 12. The five-course meal will feature Alaskan king crab, Columbia River sturgeon, heritage pork, rib-eye and Texas goat cheesecake. Each course will be paired with a different Martinelli wine, including chardonnay, pinot noir, syrah, zinfandel and muscat. 6:30 p.m., $195 per person plus tax and gratuity. 777 Main St., Fort Worth, 817-877-3388, www.gracefortworth.com.

This story was originally published August 3, 2016 at 2:11 PM with the headline "New brews, healthy eating, charcuterie and more DFW restaurant news."