
5

"Set inside a thousand-person concert venue that opened in October, the Tavern feels like a step up from the British pub/live-music vibe, though when I visited a week before opening the kitchen and dining room were still in disarray and supply-chain trouble had forced the planned Nov. 1 debut to slip to Dec. 8. Love built the kitchen around New Orleans–style oysters, installing a front pass-through with an oyster-shucking station so diners can see and smell oysters coated in garlic-parmesan butter, cheese, breadcrumbs and served with garlic bread — a dish he repeatedly calls the key to the restaurant’s success. The menu leans tavern-forward but travel-inspired (the spot is named for his son) and includes a showy fried bologna sandwich stuffed with paper-thin, house-shaved mortadella; smoked crab and green chile dip with fresh pita; fresh pappardelle with wild boar ragu; a bright cold noodle salad with poached shrimp, seasonal vegetables, Thai basil and a citrus-chili-lime vinaigrette; and a standout duck confit shepherd’s pie with root vegetables and a mashed-potato crust that Love says was inspired by an Air France in-flight meal. The lounge is heavily stocked with dozens of bourbons and soft leather loveseats, the aesthetic is industrial yet warm with hand-selected wallpaper, and there’s even a walk-up for New York–style slices (cheese and pepperoni only). It is located at 122 E. Exchange Ave., Suite 200, in the Fort Worth Stockyards and will serve lunch and dinner Sun–Thurs 11 a.m.–10 p.m. and Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–11 p.m." - Courtney E. Smith