Summer 2005: new location, same great food! Chef Lanny Lancarte II, literally grew up working in his family's world famous Joe T. Garcia's Restaurant (more than 50 years pleasing folks on the North side of Fort Worth). When Lanny graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in New York City about a year ago, he intended to open a restaurant in a big city back east. His family convinced him to come home to Fort Worth and create his own kitchen and dining room within the vast estate of the family restaurant. Joe T's can seat over 1000 people in various party rooms and on outdoor patios and is famous to the ends of the earth.
Guarded by Our Lady of Guadaloupe, the dining room is a festival of pleasure. Now with some outdoor dining space, Lanny selects his own menu, plans the shopping, ordering and even grows of some of the vegetables. Reservations are completely required and far in advance at that. His mother Jody keeps a firm hand on the reservation book.
Far ahead my husband and I with a group of 13 very good friends booked Lanny's kitchen for the first Sunday evening in May. We arrived at Joe T's to find the usual line snaking out the front door and down the street. Our reservation with Lanny gave us a cut of the line (don't think the other folks stared at us rather unhappily!)
Each of the seven courses was served in turn with appropriate dishes and a complete change of silverware. The elements of the food service were very Japanese in quality and art form. Our menu included the following served tapas-style (little bites):
Ahi tuna ceviche with guacamole and jimama salsa, pepita crusted sea bass with key lime beurre blac, home raised lettuces, garlic crostini with goat cheese. . . take a breath to enjoy!
Continuing with quail napal cactus and morel risotto, seared lamb chops with cilantro mint chumichurri and asparagus, and three desserts. Yes, three desserts: chocolate cake served with a kahlua and cappuccino milk shake, Mexican wedding cookies, churros, and dulce de leche and then coffee. Perhaps that's five desserts. We also had coffee. Several people ordered a selection of wines to go with each course.
The result: an amazing meal of unrivaled quality, atmosphere, service and hospitality. An experience of a lifetime that we will be fortunate to be able to enjoy more than once. Lucky us! Lucky Fort Worth that Lanny has come home.
With wines and coffee, cost per couple of about $220 tip included and worth every penny. This is the top of the market for Fort Worth, but worth every penny. It is more than dinner. It is a long evening of education in foods, pleasure in the company of good friends with good wine and a fine gentleman host/chef.