The bucolic, plush environs of Goat & Vine Restaurant + Winery aren’t what you would typically expect from Montgomery Plaza, which is heavy on retail and anchored by longtime sports bar BoomerJack’s. On a recent afternoon and after making the mistake of day drinking along scalding hot Magnolia Avenue, I greedily guzzled a cold glass of water and glanced over the menu in which elevated American fare mingles with Mediterranean options.
The interior is posh, blending red and green furniture and decor. It seems like an uneasy color combo, but it works somehow. Abutting nearly every table are smallish fake plants that add an upscale Garden of Eden vibe. Local gourmands may remember the location at the north end of the plaza as the past home of several failed establishments, most recently Barrel & Bones Craft Bar. Former Weekly food critic Chow, Baby wrote the definitive account of the culinary Bermuda Triangle that sunk Mac’s Steaks & Seafood, Honey Smoke Pit, M Bistro, King Crab Tap House, Bite City Grill, Monty’s Corner, and Deluxe Bar & Grille all within the past several years. No string of misfortunes lasts forever, and the newish spot (the chain’s third in North Texas) was packed on my recent visit.
The G&V Burger was a gargantuan delight. The Wagyu patty, topped with pungent slivers of prosciutto and gobs of goat cheese, was juicy, and a slathering of fig jam added a tinge of sweetness. The only veggie, sauteed kale, seemed an afterthought to the bold sammy that abounded with cured meat and funky fromage. The entree included a lovely side of thin fries dusted with Parmesan and doused in nutty truffle oil.
Photo by Edward Brown
Trading my day drinking for a somewhat more respectable indoor-dining imbibement, I ordered the Black Goat, a decadent mix of red wine, rum, and fruit juices. At $15, I was hoping for a stiff drink and wasn’t disappointed. The well-presented libation had lovely dark berry notes livened by fresh lemon juice. It reminded me of a boozed-up sangria that would likely satiate and satisfy any cocktail lover or oenophile.
One wonderful appetizer, baked goat cheese, was an exercise in simple ingredients executed to near perfection. Two large, charred pieces of white bread arrived near a bowl of rich, dense, salty tomato sauce peppered with diced rosemary, sage, and thyme. In the middle of the savory red spread was a large baked scoop of goat cheese, which, when slathered over the bread, sent my tastebuds tingling.
Photo by Edward Brown
Goat & Vine offers four desserts, and my waiter recommended an Italian classic. The tiramisu was velvety and creamy with alternating notes of espresso, cookies, and almonds. The brick-sized closer was the perfect end to a well-balanced and well-executed dining experience. The service was prompt and polite. Chow, Baby is no longer around to officially announce the lifting of the 2600 W. 7th St. curse, and perhaps it’s too soon to do that here, but this reviewer sees nothing keeping Goat & Vine from becoming a longstanding neighbor in a rich Cultural District dining community.
Photo by Edward Brown
Goat & Vine Restaurant + Winery, 2600 W 7th St, Montgomery Plaza, Ste 153, FW. 817-839-3333. 10am-11pm Sun, 11am-10pm Mon-Thu, 11am-11pm Fri, 10am-11pm Sat.
Goat & Vine Restaurant + Winery
G&V Burger $19
Black Goat $15
Baked goat cheese $16
Tiramisu $14
