Lets break down the district's name of Italebamexobesirishgrill Town: Ital = Italian at Joe's and part of Chadra Mezza; Leba = Lebanese at Chadra Mezza; Mex = Mexican at Esparanza's and Mexican Inn; Obes = Obesity at Massey's Chicken Fried Steaks and fried squash; Irish = Finn MacCool's Pub and whisky fighting hall; Grill - ONG.
Most of these places have been discussed in previous posts, but the newcomes is up today. Esparanza's (spanish for Massey's) opened up recently, in the spot between Joe's and ONG. If I'm not mistaken, this used to be the Chinese Super Buffet or whatever it was. Speaking of, Italebamexobesirishgrill Town could use a Chinese restaurant to round out the name. We'll work chop suey in there somehow.
Esparanza's is a Bakery, but with a mexican restaurant on the side. Or vice versa. I didn't go into the bakery but I was there for lunch so an enchilada croissant wasn't what I was looking for. They serve breakfast and lunch during the week, then on the weekends they all go to Joe T's to help with the weekend rush. I have no idea if that's true.
The breakfast looks delicious, according to the drool on the menu. The lunch is delicious, according to the drool on my suit. My dad and I went here recently for lunch and even had quasi valet parking (a guy stole my truck - no not really) when the host came out and pointed us to available parking and helped others work their way out of the narrow lot. The place was pretty full at lunch and it took a little while to get our food, but we were in and out in less than an hour, so no complaints there.
I ordered the chili relleno lunch special and I have to start off by saying I'm not a chili relleno fan. I never order them (except at la playa maya that one time) and I'm not sure why I ordered this one. But it was great. It came with shredded beef, a nice crispy coating, and a delicious red sauce that covered the plate. It also came with rice and beans. A very novel idea for a mexican joint.
My dad had the Cuatro, which is spanish for, an enchilada, taco and tamale (and maybe something else). He loved it. He's a tex-mex snob like myself and has spent a great deal of his life in tex-mex restaurants across the state, checking out the best and worst there is to offer in cuatros. I'm saying this because I know after the Benito's review your confidence in me is shaken. Your shaken confidence is misplaced though. I brought in reserves to prove it.
I would highly recommend going to Esparanza's. It's all part of the same Joe T's, Lanny's Alta Cocina (now serving lunch) family that runs Sundance Square (did I get that right?). So you know its Fort Worthy - that works two ways.
I forget the address, but its in the heart of Italebamexobesirishgrill Town on Park Place. We seriously need a new name for this portion of the city. Southside is too broad, next to ONG is to specific, at Eighth Avenue and Park Place is too boring. I'll put the Humorous Term Team to work on this.
Oh yeah, unlike its big brother Joe, Esparanza takes different forms of payment. How unique.
And they serve chips.
15 comments:
you were up early!
it was Ho Ho China. I'm sure you can think of a fun joke for that. Ho Ho turned into Hope(Esperanza).
The street is Park Place and the neighborhood is Berkeley if that helps you with your name brainstorming.
Wellll.... "Technically," I think the neighborhood is still Fairmount. You're right that it's just across the tracks from Berkeley, a fact which no doubt makes it "cool" and maybe a little "risky" to the residents of that 'hood.
Ho Ho was apparently not particularly good Chinese food, from what I've heard. I never went. I haven't been very happy with the quality of Chinese I've found in Fort Worth so far. Sechzuan is okay, but still not quite right for some reason.
I wish the guy who runs Royal Panda on Collins in Arlington would quit saving to put his kids through college and spend some of that money to open a location on the South Side of FW. That's some damn good, fast, cheap Chinese food!
Be sure that you still bring cash or a check to the "Esperanza's" on Main Street, though. This location (formerly on Hemphill) is the only one that accepts credit cards...
Great food!!!
So would Fairley or Berkmount be out of the question? I'm just trying to think of a name for that small area with all that diversity.
Sometimes I like to go down there at night for an even bigger risk...
I think the Fort is lacking in quality Chinese food. I'm not a big fan of Sechzuan and although I like Pei Wei, I think its run by Albanians.
You really missed the boat by not going with breakfast. I love your reviews, by the way. I always find myself laughing out lout at some point.
pete, are you a fairmount snob? a berkeley hater? say it ain't so! The berks keep ONG and all the other shops there in business so they aren't afraid to cross those tracks!
hole, please tell me you are kidding about Pei Wei. Have you tried Wan Fu?
Nah, neither one. I live in Ryan Place, which has no restaurants to speak of, unless you consider Wing Stop a restaurant. (I don't consider Luby's or Cici's to be restaurants.)
Is Wan Fu the place on Camp Bowie in the Tom Thumb center? I haven't been there but if you promise its good, I'll give it a try.
Bryan, I plan on going for breakfast in the next few weeks. Any recommendations on whats really good for breakfast? Thanks for reading.
Wan Fu is pretty good. I like Pei Wei's, since it's definitely distinct from the other styles around here. I used to eat at the Szechuan on Hulen (the one off Camp Bowie burned things every time I went), but haven't been in years.
Right now, for Buffet, I like the East Asian Buffet on Hulen & Granbury (and they have "newbie" sushi... but I'll throw myself on that bullet. It's not "real" sushi, but it tastes good). For Mongolian grill, Chan's Mongolian Grill (off Precinct Line). And Phat Dat for their $4 lunch specials.
Between those 5, I'm happy. Chan's has great food cooked with your choice of ingredients (including the oils & spices you add at the end), East Asian has all sorts of different things (and seafood on the weekends), Wan Fu for the entrees and more sedate eating experience, Phat Dat for awesome hot & sour soup (plus the lunch specials), and Pei Wei to eat quickly with friends.
Oh, and the original Esperanza's is one of the unsold jewels. It was funny - the first several years I went, I was the only non-hispanic inside, and had to remember my high-school Spanish to order. Now the menus are in English, and it's a pretty mixed group of diners. But the food is still excellent.
If I have them and El Pollo Palenque, I'm set for Mexican. Not tex-mex. Mex.
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Actually, I think you're all wrong... the restaurants you speak of are in Mistletoe Heights.
Esperanza's breakfast is the best.
You're right about that corner being a melting pot. Why is Finn's a "whiskey fighting hall?" I thought they were nice there, no?
had breakfast here on your recommendation. for a guy just moved up here from south texas, it was a welcome find. good call!
Lub your blog. I have been searching for exactly this. I would have been satisfied with just a list of places that are just Fort Worth (non-chainy), but this is soo much better.
By the way not that this is anything new, but Esperanza's on Main has a delish breakfast. Have to have horchata (sweet rice milk) on the weekends, but be prepared to wait on Sunday mornings.
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