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Discovering
Dining Delights As I entered Kincaid’s, a few things caught my eye: The long line to get a burger, the tables full of happy eaters enjoying their food, the many inflatable figures from E.T. and palm trees hanging from the ceiling. People standing eating their meals stood out in the bustling store, among several wooden shelves with food neatly stacked. The cashier at the old meat counter of the grocery store took down my order on a white paper bag. At the end of the counter, busy out-of-breath employees yelled out the names of the diners who anxiously awaited their food. After getting my food, I filled up my drink and tried in vain to find a spot to sit. Forced to stand, I leaned on one of the wooden shelves and started to dig into my rather delectable food. Just then a family got up from the end table in the far corner. I rushed to grab the seat for my family and myself. I dove into my juicy burger. I finished my first big bite and immediately knew that Kincaid’s was the best around. Who would have thought that an old grocery store would turn into Fort Worth’s best burger place? Kincaid’s Hamburgers started out as a grocery store in the historical district of Camp Bowie, but in 1991 the store changed into the now popular burger shop. The store opened in 1946. Then in 1967 because of his failing health Kincaid sold the store to O.R. Gentry, the manager and meat cutter since 1947. “People just started coming in and getting burgers and groceries and most of our business came from the hamburgers, so we took down the fresh vegetable area and the front office and put up tables,” Owner Lynn Gentry said. Though they converted the grocery store to a restaurant, they left the original decor. “When it was a grocery store, vendors would bring inflatables to advertise and they just stayed up on the ceiling,” Lynn Gentry said. “Then the customers would bring some in and just give them to us to hang up. Some of the inflatables are over 20-years-old.” Kincaid’s offers hamburgers, sandwiches, grilled chicken sandwiches, grilled cheese, hot dogs and corn dogs, and offers side orders of French fries, onion rings, mushrooms and fried okra. Kincaid’s is located at 4901 Camp Bowie and is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For $7.50 a person, Kincaid’s can also be rented for a minimum of 50 people to enjoy a private meal. Sarah
Krebs French-Mediterranean
cuisine offered at affordable prices Tucked away in a nook on the corner of Park Hill Drive and Forest Park Boulevard sits Sapristi!, a casual bistro serving French-Mediterranean cuisine. Sapristi!, an offshoot of country-French restaurant Saint-Emilion, has a casual atmosphere. After church one Sunday I was feeling adventurous and decided to try a new place for lunch. Panera Bread and Charleston’s were getting old, and the food seemed to all taste the same. Driving around Park Hill Drive, I stumbled upon Sapristi!, a quaint little restaurant partially hidden in the back of a shopping center. I decided to try it out. As I opened the door a multitude of delectable scents surrounded me. Smells of warm bread, exotic cheeses and fresh seafood all combined to create a Mediterranean ambiance. The small dining room contained a small number of tables, each with gleaming tablecloths, shining silverware and cuts of fresh flowers. Immediately I was greeted by a smiling waiter with a European accent and a hospitable demeanor. An appetizing basket of various breads adorned the table, along with olive oil and an extensive wine list. After I perused the brunch menu thoroughly, I ordered tomato-ginger soup, which had a wonderful tinge of spice. For my entrée I ordered eggs benedict with salmon and capers. My dish was served with Belgian fries, which is a Sapristi! specialty. After a filling meal I ordered creme brulee and a steaming cup of robust coffee. The caramel custard desert was glazed to perfection surrounded by fresh fruit and berries. I left brunch feeling that I could return with a warm welcome and a new and interesting dining experience each and every time. Owner Bernard Tronche opened Saint-Emilion 18 years ago, and added Sapristi! in June 2000 to offer an alternative to the more formal parent restaurant. Sapristi! offers diners unique and original dishes, many consisting of seafood. The bistro offers six different types of mussel dishes and creative entrees such as roasted Long Island duck and Maryland crab cakes. For the champagne brunch, choices include three types of eggs benedict, roast duck hash and various salmon dishes. Sapristi! offers 50 wines by the glass at retail prices and four premium beers on tap. Sapristi! serves as an ideal restaurant for students who are hosting their parents or impressing a date. Manager Jennifer Kornblum said locally owned restaurants may have a tough time competing with chain restaurants, but Sapristi! is keeping up with the competition. The bistro is open Tuesday through Thursday for lunch and dinner and Sundays for brunch. Todd
G. Clower Benito’s
provides authentic Mexican food and environment There are no talking Chihuahuas at Benito’s. No rock music blaring, no waiters in polo shirts. Benito’s Mexican Restaurant has been quietly serving authentic Mexican food from its West Magnolia location for the last 22 years. When I arrived 2 p.m. Sunday, most of the lunch-hour rush had died down. The decor looked more like someone’s kitchen than the brightly colored Mexican chain restaurants I am used to. I was seated immediately and attended to quite well by the wait staff. The dining rooms were worn but comfortable and peaceful in the late afternoon. Instead of popular music blaring from a sound system, Tejano music plays softly in the background. A massive indoor tree greets diners in the doorway and colorful piñatas dangle from the ceiling. Mexican blankets hang from the windows and the tables are covered with chile-pepper print tablecloths. The menu is in both English and Spanish and includes useful Spanish phrases allowing the customer to order beer, coffee and tea. I suggest you only attempt Spanish if you are really confident, as the waitress, dressed in a Mexican blouse, chuckled at my poor pronunciation as I ordered my meal. A meal at Benito’s includes a bowl of pico de gallo, a tomato-based tortilla soup and corn or flour tortillas in a sombrero-shaped basket. Menu items include such adventurous Mexican fare as menudo and ceviche yucateo. More conventional dishes are also offered such as tacos, enchiladas and tamales. Items such as enchiladas and tacos are also available a la carte or as combo meals. I chose the enchiladas con mole rojo, or chicken enchiladas with red mole sauce. The dish came with a side of rice and refried beans. The tortilla soup was excellent but I thought the rice could have used more seasoning. I also learned that I do not like mole sauce because of the slight chocolate taste. I was disappointed to find that the menu did not offer sopapillas, as the only dessert available was flan. A modest selection of wines and margaritas, as well as an extensive selection of beer, is offered. Competition with chain restaurants hasn’t been much of a problem, Manager Arturo Gonzalez said. “Good food, good service, good prices, and we keep our restaurants clean. Those are the keys,” Gonzalez said. Business must be good because seven months ago, Benito’s opened its second restaurant at 2516 N.E. 28th St. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Lunch
specials are offered 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday —Friday for $5.79.
Jessica
Sanders Edelweiss
features German food, polka music and dance floor After driving down Camp Bowie and seeing the endless array of chain restaurants, I felt a little adventurous and turned left on Alta Mere. I still do not know how I stumbled across Edelweiss German Restaurant, located at 3801 Southwest Blvd. Edelweiss serves classic Bavarian fare along with some adaptations of American and Italian dishes. During my first trip to Edelweiss, I ordered the Vienna-style Schnitzel. The meal came with a dinner salad with the house dressing that is a tangy vinaigrette. My Schnitzel was promptly brought to my table with sides of sauerkraut and German-style potatoes. Schnitzel is pan-seared pork smothered with a rich, dark sauce that has hints of a mushroom flavor to it. There was more food than I could eat at one sitting. I had no intentions of ordering desert until the table next to me ordered a piece of the Black Forest cake. I had to give it a try. The chocolate cake was very rich and moist and the cherry and whipped cream layers were superb. The wait staff was courteous and had a German flair, wearing broom skirts and peasant tops. It was a nice change from the typical jeans and polo shirt uniform of chain restaurants. Edelweiss has its own house band that performs on Friday and Saturday nights. There is a dance floor where guests can polka, chicken dance or even join in on the elephant dance. The band takes requests and diners can enjoy a version of “Over the Rainbow” played on a saw. Of course the title song “Edelweiss” is played several times a night. On following trips to Edelweiss, I tried the Bratwurst and Spaghetti. The spaghetti is anything but traditional. It has a very rich meat sauce made with veal; it is very filling. Edelweiss is open 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday —Thursday and 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Blair
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