North Fort Worth is a boomtown. Seemingly every other week, another new restaurant, pizza joint, fro-yo, or smoothie place pops up. Surprisingly, a majority of them are ma-and-pa establishments. Just in the past couple of months, Buffalo Joe’s Sports Bar, Oyster Ranch Seafood Grill & Bar, and Pho King Way have all arrived. The best part? They’re all decent to above average.
A noteworthy entry among the recent arrivals is Fogata’s Cocina Mexicana. Located in a strip mall anchored by a Sunny Street Café (formerly Rise & Dine, a small chain), Fogata’s is huge, and it’s divided into two sections: a bar, lounge, and stage on one side, and an assortment of booths and four-tops on the other. The entire restaurant is stylishly decked out: Amorphously shaped ceiling panels allow the exposed ceiling high above to be seen, and on the walls are sculptures of flaming bricks and (really bad but cute) impressionist paintings of countrysides presumably of Old Mexico. The piped-in music is kept at a low volume, and while the tables and booths are packed relatively tight, other customers’ conversations don’t intrude on yours.
Diners are greeted with complimentary chips and salsa. The chips were fine, and the salsa was fresh, soupy, and full of cilantro. Order a Mexican beer, and you also receive a lime and a frosted, salt-rimmed glass, a nice touch. The queso comes with your choice of spinach or beef –– the spinach version was finger-licking-good: creamy, heart-warming, and packed with greenery.
The beef on the fajitas was only barely seasoned but nicely juicy and non-chewy. Same for the chicken: under-seasoned but melt-in-your-mouth. The flour tortillas are homemade and were warm and fluffy. The side of beans was full of fresh japaleños, but the accompanying Mexican rice was pretty flavorless.
Fogata’s veggie wrap was a home run. Packed with grilled squash, zucchini, and mushrooms, among other delights, it was big enough to serve two people and loaded with spices and flavor.
There was only one letdown, and it wasn’t trivial. The brisket torta was scandalously dry and alarmingly short on beef, which is a sin, especially considering the large –– $7.99 –– price tag. (The beef was tasty, however.) Compare Fogata’s torta to Embargo’s Dominican: a monster of carne asada, ham, cheese, grilled onion, and chipotle sauce on a pressed baguette for only $6.95. You can make the comparison, but there is none, which is too bad for Fogata’s. The place could really corner the market on tortas. The nearest restaurant that serves them is a few miles away in the Stockyards. Fogata’s chefs simply must be willing to part with more of their beloved brisket.
On one recent visit to Fogata’s, the service was a little rough –– the cooks apparently had never heard of such a thing as a vegetarian. A meat-free order had to be sent back twice. But on another recent visit, the service was prompt, friendly, and precise. Fogata’s, overall, will have to up its game to not just survive but thrive. Nearby Casa Rita’s is pricey but superb, and there’s no shortage of chain Tex-Mex joints in the area.
Being unique is one way for a new North Fort Worth restaurant to do well. Buffalo Joe’s (900 N. Blue Mound Rd., Saginaw, 817-232-5333) is a man-cave, serving up all sports on the TV all the time, skimpily dressed female servers and bartenders, and such macho man food as wings, burgers, and a delicious Philly cheesesteak. Pho King Way (6650 N. Beach St., 817-656-5464) is authentic and one of only two places in the area for pho. The small eatery’s three-meat version of the traditional Vietnamese staple didn’t chintz on the beef. The eye round, brisket, and flank were plentiful –– and succulent. And Oyster Ranch (2730 Western Center Blvd., 682-286-0003) is North Fort Worth’s answer to Yucatan Taco Stand. You order at one counter and pick up at another, and the food is fresh and homemade. The fried oysters were refreshingly salty, and the fried catfish was filling and non-fishy. (Look for a more thorough review of Oyster Ranch in a couple of weeks, once raw oyster season rolls around –– you can’t rightfully review a place called “Oyster Ranch” without sampling the raw oysters.) And much like Yucatan, Oyster Ranch also doubles as a nightclub, disco DJ and all. You’re likely to see the bar area and adjacent patio packed with people any given night of the week and especially on weekends.
Fogata’s Cocina Mexicana
5000 Western Center Blvd, Ste 100, Haltom City. 817-788-5272.
11am-9pm Mon-Thu & Sun, 11am-10pm Fri-Sat. All major credit cards accepted.
Queso $4.99
Beef, chicken fajitas (dinner) $12.99
Brisket torta $7.99
Veggie wrap $7.99
