Lately, I find myself exploring the entirety of North Texas during my work week and every weekend. This tends to happen when you live in Arlington and work in Fort Worth, but your boyfriend lives in The Colony and your best friend is in Dallas. There are good eats and drinks to be found all around. Predictably, here are eight ideas.
1.) From 6pm to 8pm Fri, come to Rack Attack BBQ in Burleson (6620 Storm Cat Ln, 682-410-4442) for Tamale Night. The $11 price includes three tamales — one brisket-jalapeno popper tamale, one smoked pulled pork, and one turkey — and a side of ranchero beans. There will also be live rock music by Brittany Oviedo.
2.) Every Wednesday thru May 5 from 6pm to 7:30pm or from 8:30pm to 10pm, you can become part of a scientific/social experiment by Dining in the Dark at the Fairmont Dallas Hotel (1717 N Akard St, 214-720-2020). According to some eminent psychologists, 80% of people (supposedly) eat with their eyes. Eliminate the sense of sight, and, if the theory holds, your senses of taste and smell will take over and elevate your meal to a whole new level. Tickets are $80 per person — tips and tax not included — at bit.ly/DiningintheDarkDFW.
3.) From 9am to 1pm, Saturday is the kickoff of the season for the Denton Community Market at Historic Park of Denton County (317 W Mulberry St, 940-268-4326). Like all the other farmers markets we know and love, this one boasts local artisan goods, food, produce, and more. For more info or a list of vendors, visit DentonMarket.org.
4.) Because we haven’t covered Easter brunch enough (that’s sarcasm, kids), here is another happening in Fort Worth. From 11am to 3pm, head to Gemelle (4400 White Settlement Rd, 817-732-9535) for Easter Sunday Gospel Brunch on the outdoor courtyard featuring live music by Sheran Goodspeed Keyton and the Joe Rogers Trio.
5.) Mark your calendars. Not this weekend but next, Traders Village in Grand Prairie (2602 Mayfield Rd, 972-647-2331) is hosting its annual Big Mamou Cajun Festival Sat-Sun, Apr 10-11, from 11am to 5pm. Live music by Zydeco — known for “swamp pop” and Cajun music — starts at noon. Louisiana favorites, including shrimp etouffee, shrimp gumbo, and hundreds of pounds of spicy boiled crawfish, will be available for purchase. The event is free, and parking is only $5.
6.) Every Saturday of the year, Four Seasons Markets hosts the Los Colinas Farmers Market (7701 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving, 972-884-0680) to promote the sale of artisanal goods. From 10am to 2pm, enjoy the spring weather and stock up on local produce, regional cheese, Texas nuts, and more. For a complete list of vendors, go to FourSeasonsMarkets.com/Events.
7.) From 10am to 1pm Sat at Kroger Marketplace in Mansfield (3300 E Broad St, 817-435-5417), 95.9-FM, The Ranch hosts a food donation event called West-O-Plex Tour: Cans, Coats & Cash for a Cause. All proceeds will go to the Tarrant Area Food Bank. For donating, you will receive a voucher for free food at Whataburger and be entered for a chance to win up to $1,250 in Kroger gift cards.
8.) From 8pm to midnight Thu, the Pour Shack in Keller (250 S Main St, 817-562-1523) is the place to be for Bike Night. This neighborhood bar and grill has daily drink specials and a food menu chock full of apps, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, and wings, plus live music throughout the week. To see the daily schedule, go to Facebook.com/PourShack.
