What’s better than going to a restaurant for dinner? How about going to 3 restaurants for dinner! My sister, Kelly (#4), and I had so much fun doing just this on Friday at the West Seventh area in Ft. Worth.
This is such a fun area for patio sitting and people watching with plenty of restaurants within walking distance of each other. The evening began at Hacienda San Miguel for margaritas and appetizers.
Chips and salsas: 3 are better than one.
Pomegranate and Signature Don Julio Silver Margaritas
No, these didn’t taste like the mass produced, overpowering margaritas that remind you of Spring Break in college. These are made with the “good stuff”, including organic agave nectar…very nice way to begin your summer. For appetizers, we chose the Queso Fundido, which turned out to be a giant hunk of warmed cheese served with corn tortillas. It turned into a make your own super cheesy enchilada. It was a one-time thing, but it had good flavor and it was fun trying to pull the super stringy cheese out of the container. A nice interactive appetizer, but it is tough to be ladylike with cheese up to the elbow.
Queso Fundido
Then we had the Flautas de Pollo. They were okay, but nothing remarkable. You should be warned that the guacamole comes with sparse, super hot, jalapeño chunks designed to make you down your drink a little faster than planned. Good strategy San Miguel, nice way to get a few more purchases in per table.
Flautas de Pollo
All in all, a fun way to relax and kick off a meal. We were quite tempted to stay and have dinner here, especially after perusing the menu with tempting items like crab stuffed avocado salad (Aguacate Relleno de Cangrejo). However, Kelly mentioned she really liked Mediterranean food which led us to our next destination….Terra Mediterranean Grill.
Glimpse inside Terra Mediterranean Grill
A bottle of Trevinto Malbec, Argentina started us off. It was the first time Kelly tried a Malbec, but it won’t be the last. When you learn of something tasty, it’s fun to pass on the tip to others (thanks Chuck, and my Malbec at Celebration experience).
The entree course was next, but we couldn’t resist trying Baba Ghanouj first. Smoked eggplant, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil were pressed together in the form of a hummus-like paste, or as Kelly pointed out, the texture seemed more like a mud mask or paper mache paste. Not quite an appetizing description, but it was definitely worth trying. It was different in consistency than hummus, but the pita bread (or UFO’s as Kelly referred to them…see I told you she liked the Malbec 🙂 was so good that I’m sure you could smear just about anything on it and it would be not only edible, but delicious.
Baba Ghanouj
Now the entrees in order of importance:
Saffron Chicken – sauteed chicken and mushrooms in a creamy curry white wine sauce served with saffron rice (which to me seemed an awful lot like the Rice-a-Roni I remember as a kid…I mean this as a good thing, I think). Anyways, the rice was not the highlight of this dish, it was the creamy white wine sauce! I wish I was able to shrink down and swim in it! The mushrooms were also a great compliment swimming alongside the chicken.
New Zealand Lamb – served with saffron rice and roasted vegetables. Kelly ordered the lamb medium rare resulting in a perfectly browned exterior and a tender, rosy center. The roasted vegetables were crisp and well seasoned. The only downside to the entree was when she tried to share a piece of the lamb and it shot off the skewer and onto the floor. Throughout the rest of the meal I caught her regretfully eyeballing the “floor meat” with a “what if?” look on her face. It was really that good.
Kibbie – ribeye beef, wheat, pine nuts, and onions (baked) and served with saffron rice, yogurt, and tabouli salad
The Kibbie reminded me of a Mediterranean version of meatloaf. Just like meatloaf, most people aren’t very fond of it at first, but with age the flavors make us feel comfortable. The addition of the accompaniments did add depth and flavor to the dish. There were more grains and less beef. Perhaps it would have been better fried….but I’d say just go with the Saffron Chicken or Lamb Kabob instead.
Dessert was the shining star of the evening, and the whole reason I wanted Kelly to join me. See, she is an expert s’mores maker and the only one I could imagine bringing along to try the signature dessert at Tillman’s Roadhouse. Don’t let the name fool you; this place is SUPER CUTE inside. The chandelier lighting and decor are less reminiscent of a roadhouse-type establishment, and more like a trendy restaurant your girlfriends want to frequent (cool bar area as well).
Tillman’s Roadhouse
The S’mores experience is something I’d recommend for adults and children alike. These are not your typical s’mores ingredients…no Hershey’s or Graham Crackers here. In fact, the marshmallow flavors vary and the ingredients are a step up from typical campfire cuisine for sure. On the night of our visit, the marshmallow flavors were pistachio, maple, and cotton candy. I, for one, preferred the maple, which is different because I am a big pistachio lover. Kelly liked the pistachio ones best. It’s desirable to bring along people with differing tastes because that means there will be more of your flavor available!
Table Side S’mores
It was more fun than I had imagined building our individual s’mores at the table! For those of you that avoid making at-home s’mores because of the campfire smell your clothes and hair walk away with….well, this experience is for you. Nothing but melted marshmallows on chocolate here, in the comfort of the indoors.
By the end of the night, we were both covered in marshmallows and chocolate and giggling like little girls. I had chocolate on my elbow (and people say it’s impossible to lick your own elbow). Kelly had it smeared down her chin, and we both looked like we were missing some teeth when we laughed. Thank goodness it was late and few people were left in the restaurant to witness our chocolaty appearances. I snapped a hilarious picture of Kelly looking like the girl that climbs out of the well in the movie The Ring (with chocolate all over her face and making an awesome, crazy, happy face). Since posting that photo may tempt her to plot revenge, I’ll keep that one for my own entertainment and instead share one of the beautiful “Queen of S’mores”.
Kelly (#4), the Queen of S’mores
(Remember this, Kelly, I could have posted The Ring pic instead 🙂 It did help that you were instrumental in making my 30th birthday party a HUGE success….so here’s your official thank you!)
What a perfect ending to a wonderful progressive restaurant dinner! Remember, Tillman’s Roadhouse is also in Dallas, so you could do your own version in the Bishop Arts District if you prefer. But I definitely recommend going to 3 restaurants for one meal….as often as possible!
Where to Go/What to Order for Your Next Progressive Restaurant Dinner:
1. Hacienda San Miguel – patio drinks including margaritas made with organic agave nectar
2. Terra Mediterranean Grill – Saffron Chicken and New Zealand Lamb Kabobs
3. Tillman’s Roadhouse – Table Side S’mores (yes, they’re $14 and worth every penny for the experience)