Eats
Don’t let leisurely service keep you from Spazzio’s eggplant medallions.

Spazzio Out

This newish Arlington eatery does Italian right.
LAURIE JAMES
Spazzio’s Italian Cantina seems to be suffering from an identity crisis. The original name, Spago Pizza and Vino, apparently infringed on a Wolfgang Puck trademark. Despite the confusion, this newish family-owned eatery has q...


Courtesy California Pho & Grill's Facebook

California Dreamin’

This new pho and grill offers some inventive Viet, Thai, and Chinese fare.
JIMMY FOWLER
On a recent Sunday afternoon visit to Arlington’s California Pho & Grill — just north of the super-busy Parks Mall complex — we were surprised by what we found: a hip, minimalist, dark wood and sherbet-colored dining ...



Belly up to East Hampton’s Fried Chicken + Jack, a Southern-fried cutlet with pepper jack cheese, bacon, avocado mash, and greens. Lee Chastain

Fancy Sammies

The fare isn’t cheap at East Hampton Sandwich Co. but sure is tasty.
LAURIE JAMES
The meet-cute story about East Hampton Sandwich Co. is that Dallas native Hunter Pond apparently conceived of his business while daydreaming in law school. Pond subsequently dropped out and now owns three East Hampton stores (t...


Sophistication is the name of the game at Zambrano.

Fine Vintage

Cef Zambrano’s downtown bar and restaurant has withstood the test of time – and road construction.
LAURIE JAMES
Former Chow, Baby columnist Christy Goldfinch had a well-documented crush on restaurateur Cef Zambrano, who opened his eponymous wine bar/restaurant downtown in 2007. But the tides of fortune — and the ebb and flow of road co...



The fare is tasty and plentiful at Pho District. Lee Chastain

Go, Pho District

Kenzo Tran’s newest eatery recalls the staples of his Southeast Asian youth.
JIMMY FOWLER
With all those exotic sushi rolls that chef Kenzo Tran made famous at his Piranha Killer Sushi locations, you might wonder if he’s also going rogue with the Vietnamese chow prepared at Pho District, his latest venture. Tran, ...


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Best Of Good Grub 2014

FORT WORTH WEEKLY STAFF
All-Star Barbecue Appetizer: There are many ways to get your barbecue “pre-game” on in North Texas. The BBQ Ranch (10250 Western Oaks Rd) serves up a formidable starter — the Ranch Rattler. What better way to begin your m...



El Balconcito’s mojarra fritta is “a tasty example of coastal Colombian cooking.”

From the Top

El Balconcito (“The Little Balcony”) does Colombian fare exceedingly well.
EDWARD BROWN
Sausage links, pork cracklings, fried eggs, and steak are popular Southern comfort foods, but they also happen to be staples of Colombian cuisine. Chef Sonia Chaux, a Colombia native, recently opened El Balconcito (“The Littl...


As Pegaso’s namesake enchilada indicates, there’s a whole lot of food here. Lee Chastain

Pegaso: Flying High

In the wilds of Bluebonnet Circle, this fresh Tex-Mex eatery soars.
LAURIE JAMES
It would be easy to assume the new Pegaso Mexican Diner, on Bluebonnet Circle, is just a reconfiguration of restaurateur Monica Greene’s original Pegaso Diner in Dallas, which opened and closed a decade ago. Greene, who has c...



BBQ Ranch owner Mike Fisher, left, and pitmaster Donald Phillips run a family-friendly place. Lee Chastain

Roadblocks

A bridge construction project puts a local business owner’s dream in peril.
EDWARD BROWN
The opening of The BBQ Ranch last year marked a personal milestone for owner Mike Fisher. Three years ago, a family tragedy nearly ended his lifelong dream of building a barbecue eatery on his family’s ranch outside Loop 820,...


Mo’s pastrami sandwich is “packed to bursting.” Lee Chastain

Eat at Mo’s

This deli/Italian/Middle-Eastern joint isn’t fast, but it sure is tasty.
JIMMY FOWLER
To be honest, Mo Zaben was a little grumpy last Saturday morning when he unlocked the door to start the business day at Mo’s Best Eatery, his deli carry-out and Italian/Middle Eastern spot in South Arlington. His place has st...