Where to Eat in September: Fitzgerald, Sassetta, Goodbye Horses, and More

This newish seafood startup from local upstart Ben Merritt, located on the city’s west side, is hitting its stride. With its Gulf Coast-inspired menu and stylishly comfortable dining room, diners are taking note. Meals get off to a great start when hush puppies, lobster corn dogs, and a luscious hot crawfish and shrimp dip are among the appetizers. Main entrees resemble those from the area’s best steakhouses, from the Cheshire pork Delmonico to the wagyu New York strip. And sides soar, especially the poblano cheese grits, garlicky green beans, and crispy waffle fries.

This innovative Trinity Groves entry, from Julian Rodarte (Beto & Son) and named after his wife, Alexa, has a distinctly feminine feel, and food that knows no bounds. Take the whole red snapper, partly tempura-fried and partly roasted, accompanied with not one but two sauces — the house aioli and a citrus beurre blanc. Or the filet mignon served alongside a luscious brick of scalloped potatoes topped with fish roe. And, in the restaurant’s infancy, few so far have been able to pass up its signature cocktail, the High Tea, a Tequila cocktail mixed with chai tea, coffee, and CBD, and served in teapot with dry ice “steam.” All of which is even more enjoyable from a perch along one of Lexy’s velvet banquettes – date night, indeed.

Call 214-833-4175 for reservations.

From just the duck boudin to the crab butter appetizers, Misti Norris’s Stepchild has us enthralled with its cool Cajun concept. And with the pop-up recently rumored to be extending its stay through the end of the year at this new venue, we say, laissez les bons temps rouler. The daring menu features a spectacular five-day-aged koji-spiced chicken for four to six people ($200), served with all the fixins, by which we mean pork confit potatoes with whipped goat cheese, trout roe, and braised seasonal greens. But other items also beckon, including the charred okra with jasmine rice and tri-tip with smoked yolk butter. And save room for the pickled peach tart, a perfect summertime capper.

At Press, as the locals call it, virtually everything on the menu is someone’s favorite. It’s certainly a neighborhood mainstay, although Clearfork is a particularly buzzy sort of neighborhood, with its growing mix of upscale multi-family residences, Neiman Marcus and other assorted ritzy shops. But Press builds on the nearby action and then some, thanks to the deft touch of restaurateur Felipe Armenta. The small menu here focuses on light bites such as the Medi dip, which pairs well with a refreshing cocktail, such as the Armenta margarita or the espresso martini. Check out the Trinity River view from the rooftop patio, which complements the Texas Monthly-lauded Cafe Burger (with Huntsman cheese and caramelized onions!) to enjoyable effect.

After a two-year hiatus, Sassetta is back, with a sparkling new location inside the gem that is downtown’s Joule Hotel. The latest iteration focuses on Italy as a jumping-off point, but casts a wider net into Mediterranean waters, with an accessible menu that aims to lure back Sassetta regulars. An experience here can begin on a transcendent note with the wagyu beef tartare, which is served diced and mixed with Parmigiano, parsley, olive oil, and lemon juice, and an unlikely yet authentic-to-the-Veneto horseradish garnish. Other dishes similarly highlight locally sourced ingredients, like the grilled octopus with gigante beans, fennel, and kumquats and the ricotta agnolotti with Calabrian peppers and pecorino.

Hugo’s has moved on up to Uptown, in summertime news that anyone familiar with the Irving standby was happy to hear. The excellent menu, all-natural with an emphasis on organic ingredients, kicks up traditional preparations with thanks to a distinctive culinary voice, from the tomato and mozzarella salad (topped with a baby cactus relish!) to the Crackling Pollo entree, paired with lemongrass rice. Seafood doesn’t escape special treatment, especially the scallops with corn trufa main dish, incorporating sautéed huitlacoche, tomato relish, and sweet yellow corn coulis, and sending the shellfish to revelatory new heights.

Who doesn’t love the Hudson House? Think of this popular entry with four locations (plus ones in Fort Worth, Houston and Beverly Hills, Calif., in the works) as at the crossroads of chic and cheeseburger. Deriving culinary inspiration from the Hudson Valley, the American bistro’s menu spans seafood towers and tuna tartare to popcorn chicken and, yes, an amazing cheeseburger. But the skinny frites alongside the steak, of course, and an irresistible lobster roll are hard to pass by. An excellent oyster and bar “programme” draws happy hour enthusiasts and others ready to celebrate, no matter how small the occasion.

It makes sense that at this brainchild of Julian Barsotti (Nonna), the food is hardly an afterthought. The unassuming SMU-area bar has better-than-standard-issue fare, from elevated smash burgers to what the chef calls “crispy and airy” Rhode Island-style pizza. Nonna’s chef, Ryan Ferguson, created the menu here, which also features a Chicago-style hot dog, Texas-style queso, and stellar onion rings. Bartenders are generous with drink pours, all of which means this new addition has giddy-up and go, if you know what we mean.

Call 469-372-1110 or find more info here. (Pro tip: Turn your volume down before you click.)

This upscale take on new American food is a welcome addition in the Preston Center. Literally translating to “third place” in French, Au Troisième aims to be a destination for patrons, other than the home or office, owners Bobby Pollette and Jeff Acol say. The Hawaii natives pay homage to their roots with island-style influences throughout their lunch, brunch, and dinner menus. From the grilled swordfish with fried rice and eggs and the ono crudo on the brunch menu, to blackened tuna with Asian noodles and the coconut adobo escargot, the fare features global influences. Standout “handheld” sandwiches like the spicy mochiko chicken and the kimchi Reuben round out the proceedings quite nicely.

Nobody puts Cane Rosso sibling Zoli’s in a corner, most of all anyone who knows anything about Italian food and/or terrific pizza. At this Jay Jerrier joint venture, there are square pies and round pies, and even Thunder Pies (Detroit-style cheesy-crusted behemoths), plus waffle fries. That would be enough, but there’s more: zucchini fries, warm garlic knots, an expertly made chopped salad, plus pastas and brisket lasagna available on Fridays and Sundays. Decadence knows virtually no bounds here, especially since the Fort Worth location also has a Cow Tipping Creamery window where ridiculously good concoctions reign — look no further than the Swiss Pastry Shop Black Forest cake-infused sundae.