Celestina Blok Special to the Business Press
Bravo! Cucina Italiana, from the same restaurant group that owns and operates Brio Tuscan Grille, will take over the 7,000-square-foot space of the former Covey brewpub at 3010 S. Hulen St.
The Fort Worth location will be Bravo!’s first in Fort Worth. Brio has two Dallas-Fort Worth area outlets, in Southlake Town Square and in Allen.
Bravo! touts itself as an upscale yet affordable option for classic Italian food, including made-to-order pizzas, flatbreads, pastas and house specialties similar to a “ristorante” in southern Italy.
The Cucina Italiana refers to the restaurant’s open kitchen, located in full view of patrons and providing live culinary entertainment for them. Menu items include gluten-free options and lighter dishes with fewer than 550 calories.
Michael Watson, leasing representative for Brixmor Property Group, Inc. which operates the Trinity Commons center, expects a July opening for Bravo!.
Old Texas Brewing Co. nears opening in Burleson Old Town Burleson, the city’s small, walkable hub for shops, a small wine bar and casual eateries like Babe’s Chicken Dinner House, will soon add a brewpub to its growing list of destinations.
Old Texas Brewing Co. will be located in an early 20th century building that once served as a pharmacy, ice cream shop and hardware store at 112 W. Ellison St. It is anticipating a soft opening in May. Owner and home brewer Rick Hazen, who also owns Burleson’s Gambino’s Pizza and a corporate pilot company, promises to carry the largest selection of beer and wine in the city, including microbrews of his own creation.
Hazen also has plans for a full restaurant serving barbecue brisket, ribs, pulled pork and sausage smoked in-house, burgers, steaks, beer battered fish and shrimp and a Sunday brunch. The brewpub will also feature a rooftop bar, which is under construction, and live music on the weekends.
The Usual now open for lunch Having “the usual” for lunch now has new meaning. The Usual, Magnolia Avenue’s craft cocktail hot spot, is now serving lunch Monday through Friday starting at 11 a.m. Catered by Fort Worth’s Holy Frijole food truck, menu items include taco salads, enchiladas suizas with green sauce and mozzarella cheese, and grilled sandwiches on ciabatta bread. Plates range from $5.99 for salads to $10.95 for vegetable lasagna.
Don’t expect to wait in line at the food truck’s window to place your order. The Usual’s server staff provides full service at customers’ tables or barstools. Cocktail guru and The Usual owner Brad Hensarling says he plans to add a weekend brunch soon, also catered by Holy Frijole. The Usual is located at 1408 W. Magnolia Ave.
Kona Grill coming to West Seventh The Hawaiian-inspired Kona Grill, a national chain based in Scottsdale, Ariz., will open its second D-FW location in West Seventh by year’s end.
To be located within the development’s third phase at the intersection of Crockett Street and University Drive, the 7,500-square-foot restaurant will offer a sushi counter and bar and lounge area along with a wide-ranging menu of daily fish specials, Asian noodle dishes, po’boy sandwiches and teriyaki-marinated rib-eye steaks. The restaurant also offers three “lifestyle” menus with dishes that meet specific dietary requirements including gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian. Vegan dishes include sushi rolls, salads and noodle bowls; gluten-free includes a passion fruit crème brulee.
Dallas’ North Park Center Kona Grill has long been popular for its patio, sake list and lengthy “designer cocktails” menu, including low-calorie “slender” beverages like the slim cosmo-rita with sugar-free triple sec and margaritas made with Splenda-based simple syrup. Kona Grill operates 23 restaurants across 16 states and the Fort Worth outlet will be the chain’s fifth in Texas.
Austin Food & Wine Festival to feature two Fort Worth chefs Two Fort Worth-based culinary superstars will have a presence at the hip-chic Austin Food & Wine Festival on April 26-28. Tim Love, an annual spotlight guest, and Blaine Staniford of Grace are among the talent that includes the likes of Andrew Zimmern, creator and host of Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods With Andrew Zimmern. Love will host multiple grilling demos including a tailgate-themed presentation and Staniford will share his noshables at the Taste of Texas Kickoff event.
The event, presented by Food & Wine Magazine, will be held at Butler Park. Passes start at $250 for two days.