People are saying that Fitzhugh is the new Henderson. I’m not really sure if I buy that yet, but I am willing to admit that Ole Fitz is definitely moving in the right direction. Maybe you’ve heard about some of the melodrama surrounding the fairly recent goings on at RedFork. Circulating rumors focused on the early loss of two of the three founding chefs (Matt Balke, formerly of York Street, and Jeff Harris, formerly of Craft), a bit of hot dish which left many questioning if this new Dallas hotspot was even worth a try. With chef Ryan Carbery at it’s helm, RedFork was determined to press on.
The question remains: can the food still hold its own? Is this place still worthy of the early buzz once surrounding RedFork’s opening? The answer, my friends, is a resounding yes.
Carbery vows to keep the menu fresh, constantly changing with the seasons and availability of local ingredients. However, I pray there is one item that sticks around for a bit, the Rigatoni Bolognese. Rarely does a pasta dish speak to me like this one did. Perfectly al dente pasta swims in a succulent sofrito of tomato, onion and carrot. A savory blend of ground pork shoulder and veal is heaped upon the bed of pasta. The entire dish is then gently decorated with rosemary, sage, and pecorino cheese. Truly, this dish is a beauty to behold. From the first bite, I found myself oddly protective of my food, fearing beyond all reason that my dining companions would dare ask for a taste. Parting with any bite of my sweet pasta would have been more than this fragile heart could stand.
To be honest, I could go on about a number of fantastic items on Carbery’s new menu. The ever-changing “Snout to Tail” trio of pork dishes, the dainty charcuterie and cheese boards, the drool-inducing fudge brownie with bruleed banana. Sources also tell me the brunch menu holds some of the finest blueberry ricotta pancakes this side of the Trinity. Not to mention (and I realize this statement has been made half-a-million times) they produce one of the finest bacon cheeseburgers in the city. And I know you love a good burger.
If Redfork is the beginning of the culinary facelift coming to the humble Fitzhugh, we have a lot to look forward to. Go now, and partake.
