Fall brings its typical flavors like maple, pumpkin, hints of nut and spice — chefs in Fort Worth use all these but also put some unexpected twists on their seasonal entrées.
by Amanda Smiley
Fall brings its typical flavors like maple, pumpkin, hints of nut and spice — chefs in Fort Worth use all these but also put some unexpected twists on their seasonal entrées. You'll want to try these before the season's end, though — winter is coming.
Pinstripes
Pinstripes is serving a few seasonal dishes all the way through March. Try the burrata salad — a bed of arugula, roasted acorn squash, a whole grain blend and burrata garnished with pesto oil, salted pumpkin seeds and, finally, a balsamic glaze. You can also order the New Wednesday Soup that combines the flavors of San Marzano tomatoes, carmelina tomatoes, fennel and a three-cheese combo of cream cheese, mascarpone and mozzarella.
Reata
The fall menu at Reata alternates daily for the next few months, serving dishes like curry pumpkin soup with smoked apples and maple cream, grilled duck breast paired with a chimichurri and cranberry and pumpkin bread pudding, and quail stuffed with cornbread on roasted acorn squash and bacon hash.
Taste Project
Taste Project is offering four select fall menu items until Dec. 11. For lunch, try the Harvest Pot Pie filled with chicken, sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots and turnips. The chicken schnitzel combines breaded chicken breast with lemon butter sauce and roasted root vegetables. The farro salad with roasted root vegetable is just what it sounds like: sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, carrots, tomatoes and farro grains, all topped with lemon vinaigrette. Lastly, the sausage and peppers served over polenta dish uses Italian pork sausage and roasted peppers to make a fall-inspired, homestyle plate.
Bird Café
Bird Cafe plans to celebrate the holiday season with fall flavors paired with bird, pig and fish. The rosemary confit pheasant, for example, comes with apple butter and toasted pepitas. Another dish, a maple-glazed pork belly, comes served with a butternut squash puree. Or, opt for the chef's favorite — pheasant and dumplings.
Grace
Grace combines typical autumn flavors with unexpected compliments. Try axis venison paired with ivory sweet potatoes, pickled pear and cider. There are also vegetarian options: sweet potato dumplings or butternut squash seasoned with Thai flavors.
Oliva Italian Eatery
Oliva Italian Eatery changes its fall specials every two weeks. This week will feature the potato gnocchi with gorgonzola cream sauce. Chef Justin Loeb says the next special will likely be the smoked brisket risotto with portobello mushrooms, caramelized onions and mascarpone cheese.
Cork & Pig Tavern
Cork & Pig Tavern is dishing up a braised short rib that's marinated overnight in a red wine sauce, served with some appropriately-fall spaghetti squash noodles with herb butter. The chefs at Cork & Pig are also serving rotating soups like butternut squash bisque.
Taverna
Taverna is offering a warm ravioli dish available from the end of November until the end of December. The Agnolotti al Plin Pesto Cream Sauce entrée includes ravioli pasta with a cheese filling, topped with a pesto cream sauce and pine nuts. Taverna doesn't offer this dish every day, so you may have to visit more than once to get a taste of this plate.
The Capital Grille
The Capital Grille's featured fall dish combines homestyle comfort with a taste of the sea. The fine dining spot sautées jumbo shrimp and Parmesan risotto in garlic sage butter. This dish will be on the menu until Dec. 3.