Grace Fort Worth is an upscale restaurant on Main Street in downtown Fort Worth. The first time my husband and I had dinner at Grace was for his company Christmas party. We sat in one of the private rooms in the back of the restaurant, which are set up to accommodate up to 60 people and have multimedia capabilities. The second time several weeks later we failed to set up a reservation on a Saturday night but were able to get a small table in the corner of the bar. While much louder than the main dining room, we thoroughly enjoyed the refined but comfortable atmosphere of Grace’s bar.
One of my favorite things about Grace’s menu is the large selection of wines by the glass and the bottle. We’ve tried several different wines on our visits to Grace and have always been pleased. If you prefer cocktails to wine, Grace also offers some unique drinks (like the French Tart made with organic cucumber vodka) as well as classics (like the Manhattan and the gimlet). If you’re unsure about what to order, ask your server. Both servers we had were not only incredibly friendly but were also very knowledgeable of the wine and cocktail menus.
For me, Grace is all about the steaks. While they do have several seafood options, the steaks are hard to pass up. My personal favorite is the Meyer Ranch filet cooked medium. At medium, the steak comes out hot pink all the way through (not lighter on the edges and darker in the center). There are several options for toppings on your steak, but again my favorite is the classic béarnaise. They also offer an espresso horseradish or chimmichurri sauce or you can top your steak with black truffle butter, Maine lobster, or Foie Gras. Whatever you choose, you are sure to be delighted by the absolutely exquisite steaks prepared by the chefs at Grace.
The sides at Grace are served family style, but the portions are not overly large, so make sure to order several for the table! My personal favorites are the potato gratin, the crispy fried potatoes, and the grilled asparagus. The potato gratin is made with sharp white cheddar cheese and has a wonderfully soft consistency without being mushy. The crispy fried potatoes are sliced incredibly thin, fried, and sprinkled with salt and thyme. The grilled asparagus is topped with a poached egg and béarnaise sauce, giving depth to an otherwise simple vegetable. We tried the mac n cheese and the baby spinach and loved both of them, though they were far outshone by the other sides. Our server also recommended the potato skins, but we’ll have to go back yet again to get the chance to try those!
Finally, make sure you’ve saved room for dessert. Grace has some of the most delicious deserts I’ve found yet in Fort Worth. One they are particularly famous for is the pain perdu – brioche French toast topped with grilled bananas, salted caramel, and butter pecan ice cream. All the flavors balance and complement each other perfectly to take a simple breakfast dish to the dessert level. The warm chocolate pudding with vanilla bean ice cream is comfort food by definition and is perfect for the chocoholic. The red velvet cake, while delicious, is not for those who crave tons of icing on their cake. While every aspect of the cake was perfectly executed, I do prefer much more icing on my cake than comes on this one. A new addition to their menu is the espresso-chocolate sundae, served in a giant sundae glass with a shot of espresso on the side. It is a large brownie topped with homemade chocolate marshmallows, almond gelato, toasted almonds, whipped cream, and hot fudge with the espresso to drizzle over the top. I’m not usually a fan of espresso, but trust me when I tell you that the espresso is a MUST on this dessert, taking the flavors to a whole other level. Finally, if you prefer to drink your dessert, Grace offers a chocolate walnut milkshake, which is homemade vanilla ice cream, Nocello ,and dark crème de Cacao served in a martini glass. The flavor is reminiscent of Nutella, so anyone who likes the chocolate and nut combination will be wowed by this dessert.
Grace Fort Worth is a perfect celebration spot (or date night if you’ve got some money to blow!) The food and service are both impeccable, the setting is elegant but relaxed, and the location in downtown Fort Worth is absolutely ideal. However, if you intend to have wine or cocktails with your meal, expect to spend about $100 per person for your evening out. I’m an avid couponer and a strict budgeter, but trust me when I tell you that Grace is definitely worth the splurge!
