The Kingpins of Cowtown

Bailey quarters up its special price

Our beloved Bailey's BBQ, which is a stone's throw from the Star-T's offices downtown, is the ultimate comfort lunch. Their daily special for $4.75 (sandwich, chips and a drink) is the best bargain in town.

Except now it's 5 bucks. This is an economic indicator of recession if I've ever seen one.

This doesn't mean people won't keep lining up for delicious barbecue, (they did Thursday), but it does mean that 25-cent tip some customers toss into the jar is a goner. Of course you could always add a Twinkie for 35 cents, and give the hard-working ladies behind the counter the rest. That's what John McCain would do.

(Hey, did anyone get the WKRP reference to Bailey Quarters in the headline?)

So long, Starbucks. I hardly used you

The Starbucks near my house is closing!!!

This would be cause for panic if  a) I drank coffee. ... or b) There weren't four more within a 3-mile radius.

The news is sure to send shockwaves across our over-caffeinated commuter culture. Look out for those latte-deprived drivers. There's no telling what they'll do.

You and your tater tots "have a blessed day!"

Several times in the last few months, I've had drive-thru food delivered to me ... along with this sendoff:

"Have a blessed day!"

Nice, I guess. ... Or is it a veiled attempt to convert me and my sausage, egg and cheese croissant!?!

Dunno, but there sure are a lot opinions on the topic. Check out this interesting discussion. And this perspective. Seems like most of the "blessing" is coming from restaurant workers. Maybe they know something we don't -- like what's actually in a McRib.

As someone who views faith as personal and private, I like my tater tots sans sermon, please.

I've been inside The Vault

Downtown workers have been hovering around The Vault for awhile now, wondering when's it going to open and what kind of treasure awaits inside.

So I decided to go all Geraldo on the joint today and poke my head in there on a whim. The mysterious-sounding new restaurant in downtown Fort Worth's Tower, which was once the Bank One tower, has been serving up dinner for a couple weeks now.

I chatted with chef Gabriel Ochoa (formerly of Kalamatas in the Worthington), whose Mediterranean-inspired menu sounds fishy -- in a good way. There's Barramundi, Alaskan King Salmon and when I told Ochoa the best fish I've ever tasted was Opa, or Hawaiian Moon Fish, he nodded and said "We've got that on the menu now." (The menu changes daily.)

The Vault's pretty swanky inside, with prices to match ($26-$35 for entrees). They've managed to incorporate those clunky, ol' columns from the bank into their decor -- something all Tower tenants have had to deal with. And the V Lounge, downstairs, looks to be an inviting getaway. Once they get their liquor license, I'll be back to try The Vtini, which the manager recommended. As for the restaurant, it's open from 6 to 10 p.m. and reservations are a good idea. No word yet on when they'll open for lunch.

Finally, some good news for JPS

The hospital's most recent restaurant inspection wasn't too bad.

If you've read the excellent investigative series on JPS hospital about some of the problems with patient care, and today's troubling story, you might be thinking twice about getting care there.

But I'm a a glass-half full kinda Kingpin, so when I came across the recent restaurant inspections, which didn't have a slew of demerits, I thought share it.

And more good news, at least for me, the Chick Fil-A on Hulen was pretty clean, too.

Stay healthy, Fort Worth.

Rage against the vending machine

This morning when I went to get my little white donuts from the vending machine, one of the most annoying things this side of paper cuts and Yanni music happened: The donuts got stuck. And I saw red. 

So I did what any honest, hard-working American who had just plunked down 75 cents for a delicious six-pack of Mrs. Baird's powdered donuts would do: I began to rock the machine like a mad man.

As I was walking back to my desk, with my donuts and the satisfied feeling that I taught that devilish vending machine a lesson, I decided, you know what, I'm never doing that again. Because who wants to end up like these poor shmoes.

But the rage you feel is real, whether it's 75 cents in a vending machine or 50 bucks at the gas pump. Hey, can you get hurt kicking one of those?

Kincaid's still at a stalemate

I was at LaGrave Field the other night, shooting some video in anticipation of the Fort Worth Cats' season opener on Thursday, and I noticed a sign for Kincaid's Burgers. Turns out the stadium sells Kincaid's by the boatload at games.

But it got me wondering ... what ever happened with the dispute over the jacked up rent at the original Kincaid's location on Camp Bowie.

And when you've got a question about restaurants in these parts, Bud "Eats Beat" Kennedy is the man to ask. Here's his update:

Kincaid's is still looking for a new location on the west side of Fort Worth. And the owner of the building is looking at options such as a gourmet to-go type restaurant that would work for the location, which doesn't have much parking. So, unfortunately for fans of the old-school burger joint, the stalemate is continuing.

Bud says Kincaid's has a month-to-month lease till August, but they could announce a new location any time. I've put in a call to Ron Gentry, the owner of Kincaid's, who just so happened to be out at LaGrave Field today getting ready for the opener. I'll keep ya posted.

Go Cats!

 

I love Twinkies

Just wanted to say that ... They've got 'em on the counter at Bailey's BBQ in downtown, and for only 40 cents, I can hardly resist.

I'm eating one right now.

And I would never do this to such a scrumptious dessert.

Ben and Jerry's goes bye-bye!!!

Say it isn't so!!!! If this has anything to do with that incident where I spilled my smoothie -- twice -- I'm sooooo sorry. C'mon Ben, Jerry, give a guy a break!

Restaurant dish: Kona Grill coming to FW?

A few more tasty morsel's about DFW dining from the divine Miss Meda:

A Sublime bakery: Pastry chef extraordinare Catherine Ruehle is putting the finishing touches on Sublime Bakery, her combo cake studio/baked goods emporium (5512 Bryant Irvin Road in the Country Day Plaza tucked behind a Valero gas station and car wash). She's aiming for a March 31 opening; don't miss her cupcakes or Sublime bars. See a full menu at www.sublimebakery.com.

Kona Grill coming: First it was going to be a California Pizza Kitchen. Now the space that was formerly home to Cafe Express in University Plaza (and more recently, The Market) is rumored to become a Kona Grill. Glancing at the web site, www.konagrill.com. it would be the first Texas location.

As the wood-fired pizza craze continues to spread unchecked through North Texas, we lament the fact that the patio at Campania in Southlake isn't more view-friendly (www.campaniapizza.com). Gazing at the roof of another Southlake Town Square building doesn't do too much for us. Pizza's not to bad, though.

-- Meda Kessler