New owners at Fort Worth-area cheesesteak grill offer lots of flavor, less sarcasm
What’s a legendary Philly cheesesteak stand without an outspoken owner?
Denton Highway is about to find out.
New owners have taken over the regional legend Burger & Philly Shack from founders David and Charlotte McCurtain, retired from a career where David was described by social media commenters as “hilarious” and a “character” who backed up his menu promise: “Free Sarcasm With Every Meal.”
Construction company owners Fred and LeaAnn Gonzales bought the Shack, known for homestyle cheesesteaks with provolone or Cheez Whiz on authentic soft Amaroso bread from Philadelphia.
The Gonzales’ task: To make the Shack more welcoming for diners who avoided McCurtain but not lose the hole-in-the-wall character of the small, nondescript retail space at 6016 Denton Highway (U.S. 377), 1 mile north of Loop 820 near Watauga Road.
It’s their first restaurant. They’re repainting the place and refreshing the decor.
But the staff remains in place, and nothing is changing about the cheesesteaks, burgers or the popular fried catfish.
“I told my husband that maybe I need to work on being a smart aleck,” LeaAnn Gonzales wrote jokingly in a message.
She described McCurtain’s sense of humor as “different” but added, “We don’t get offended easily.”
At lunch one day this week, nobody said anything salty at all.
A Philly with Cheez Whiz ($6.99-$10.99) was an honest example of the great sandwich from the City of Brotherly Love, filled with caramelized onions and peppers and gooey, drippy cheese. It was a welcome change from the sanitized version usually found in bad Texas mall stands.
(Most Phillys here are way too tidy. Never trust a Philly if it doesn’t even drip.)
A catfish sandwich on the same bread ($7.99) exceeded expectations. The catfish is so popular that the Shack also sells a separate platter.
The burgers ($9.99) have a solid reputation in a neighborhood with tough burger competition, including OC Burgers down the street and Chef Point Cafe and Tex’s Star nearby.
The Shack is open for lunch and early dinner daily except Sunday; 817-605-7900, facebook.com/burgerandphillyshack.
This story was originally published September 13, 2022 at 5:45 AM.
