The February Hit List: Clay Pigeon, Neon Kitten, Wicked Butcher, and More

As the Fort Worth Stock Show continues its annual run into February, there’s hardly a better place to unwind and regroup than here, just a rodeo’s throw away from the festivities. At chef/owner Marcus Paslay’s ode to scratch-made classics, expect expert steaks and starters that make you swoon, especially the grilled bone marrow (with sourdough for dunking) and the prime beef tartare. Yet, virtually everything shines on the seasonally inspired menu. A recent Hungarian mushroom soup masterfully toed the wintry line, managing to be both rich yet buoyant, and there’s never a wrong time to order the pork shank, riding high above luscious, smoked gouda grits.

Late-night dim sum never tasted as good as it does in this newish Deep Ellum hideaway. Inside the cocktail lounge from Bhuvanesh “Bob” Khanna, morel shrimp dumplings commingle with shrimp siu mai and curry chicken puffs, while poke and sushi try to steal the spotlight. (Try the Salmon Banzai with shrimp tempura and seared salmon or the Avocado Fry with fried avocado, asparagus, and spicy aioli.) Meanwhile, the signature cocktails capitalize on the theme, with Japanese whisky, mandarin orange liqueur, and aged miso adding to the fun and giving major speakeasy-like vibes.

This all-day café is as comfortable as your favorite cashmere sweater but tastier, starting with breakfast tacos in the morning and moving to the gyro and fries and quinoa salmon power bowl for lunch. Weekdays from 3 to 6 p.m., bottles of wine are half-off, as are shared plates — of which you’ll want to order at least 20. There’s wagyu beef sliders with white cheddar, shoestring kimchi fries, and prosciutto bruschetta. Dinner also entices with a small-yet-sturdy menu of brisket pate and glazed pork belly starters, plus a knockout wagyu flat iron steak with chimichurri and pommes puree. You’ll want to partake of all of it at Parterre.

In the resurgent East Quarter, National Anthem is continuing to reign supreme, with a menu that has us pledging allegiance. The restaurant from Nick Badovinus (Town Hearth, Neighborhood Services) has all of his hallmarks. There’s an outstanding burger (the Prime Double’s got brisket, short rib, and chuck, topped with American cheese and a secret sauce), an ode to seafood (the Raw Bar has chilled shrimp “My Way” and oysters on the half-shell), and an overall playful use of ingredients. You didn’t have steak tartare served with a stack of salt and vinegar Pringles on your Bingo card, did you? A bevy of beverages is along for the ride, from house-mixed drinks that skew strong (the Mezcal has the liquor conspiring with cherry, orange, lime, and mint notes) to stronger (vodka hi-balls), all in a laid-back setup that stands up to the up-and-coming district.

Sister is, well, the new sister restaurant to Design District-heavy The Charles. But this baby is hardly naive, with an Italian- and Mediterranean-inspired menu that aims to “seduce the senses and be a little edgy while still approachable,” all in a location that once housed the legendary The Grape. Yet this offering from Duro Hospitality hopes to vibe more as neighborhood eatery than fine-dining establishment. From the lobster and burrata and beets and avocado small plates to larger format offerings like the crisp daurade with red tabbouleh and the grilled lamb collar, the kitchen is reimagining the delicious in an already-delicious cuisine.

This modern Brazilian restaurant from notable chef Junior Borges (Uchi, FT33) is still smokin’. Expect to be delighted — starting with the bread. Yes, bread. Pillowy clouds served with marbled butter, whipped ‘nduja, ricotta, and green garlic relish, the starter sets the bar for your meal, which gets even more inventive. Just on the “snacks” part of the menu alone, there’s also a tapioca Brazilian cheese fritter and Beach Cheese on a Stick, the stuff of cheese dreams, while the sesame garlic pancake piques palates across the dining room. Larger plates riff into further greatness, from the wagyu picanha with an eggplant caponata to whole grilled octopus with more of that green garlic, plus a chile vinaigrette.

This downtown Fort Worth restaurant in the Sinclair Hotel is continuing its reign, especially during this month’s Stock Show. The all-day venue’s menu spans from chicken and waffles to hamachi crudo, yet the restaurant bills itself as an American steakhouse, with the butcher cuts taking prime real estate on the menu. The real decisions come down to the sauces: do you top a 32-ounce Tomahawk chop with a black peppercorn sauce or chimichurri? Or will you choose herb, Worcestershire, or lobster butters? Other innovative nods include the tuna pizza appetizer and the corn crème brûlée dessert, all to be enjoyed in a glossy dining room that complements the architecturally forward, yet mod, building.

(Top) Chef Tiffany Derry’s latest foray is a welcome sight in Farmers Branch, a quiet enclave that seems to leave the big openings to other ‘burbs. But Derry’s “homage to modern Southern cooking” has a vibrant menu that spans from fried shrimp and grits to My Mother’s Gumbo, not to mention jerk lamb chops paired with black-eyed peas. The family-style duck fat fried chicken is a nod to Derry’s other venture, Roots Chicken Shak, and it proves the chef can do wonders with minimal ingredients — kinda like on that TV show on which she earned kudos.

This three-year-old Uptown destination, which marries Tex-Mex standards with interior Mexican fare, has proven its mettle amid a competitive Uptown dining scene. From the classic (tortilla soup and chile rellenos) to the surprising (hickory grilled ribs, chicken Milanese), the food is approachable in a slightly swanky setting. Happy hours are fierce, from 2 to 6 p.m. daily, with drinks to match, like the Fiero Spritz (orange vermouth, sparking wine, Topo Chico) and the Batanga (reposado Tequila, Coke, lime, and salt). And speaking of Tequila, check out Las Palmas’ menu, which features dozens of options.

Equidistant from both the Stock Show and TCU, this new food-and-pickleball concept is well situated to thrive. Add the fact that chef Christian Lehrmann’s menu is full of shareable concepts to complement the world’s fastest-growing sport, and well, it’s a perfect match. Healthy eaters won’t mind the quinoa power bowl with its Mediterranean-style garnishes, and heartier appetites already are devouring the Funky Town HOT Chicken, a crispy chicken thigh with celery root slaw and housemade pickles. Even bigger eaters can tuck into the steak frites and carnitas enchiladas — all the more reason to work it off on the court.