Restaurant Review: Rodeo Goat

Yet more evidence that the Design District is the next big thing: on a recent Friday, Rodeo Goat was packed with people eating hamburgers with names such as the Mike Rawlings (Irish whiskey cheddar, candied bacon, blackberry compote) and the Brad Sham (applewood smoked bacon, tomato, jalapeños, fried onion, cheddar, pickle chutney). Randy Travis’ classic “On the Other Hand” played over the clatter. Despite a chill in the air, several people took tables on an inviting crushed-granite patio that overlooks the soon-to-open Trinity Strand Trail. We opened our tab at the bar. Rather than make our group of three close it when we moved to a table, a friendly redheaded bartendrix instead served us lunch, bouncing easily between her drink-pouring duties and our burgers. The grass-fed, corn-finished, house-ground beef came cooked just as ordered. A turkey burger, too, delighted. But the best thing on our table might have been the curry vinaigrette dressing on the side salad, by recommendation of the bartendrix, who called it her “favorite thing in the world right now.” She could have been referring to the restaurant in general. Owner Shannon Wynne—one of the first restaurateurs to the neighborhood, with Meddlesome Moth—has gone and done it again.