cafe modern

food spa. my husband and i have lived in fort worth for eight years and discovered cafe modern early on; it quickly became a favorite for special occasion or romantic dinners. (my husband found the lobster to be the best he'd ever had when it was a menu choice for a valentine's dinner.) we also often meet here for a fast lunch date when my husband's work schedule gets hectic. the area is beautiful and relaxing, we never have to wait for a table, and theserviceis always efficient and superb. chef dana has been recognized for her commitment and creativity in using locally produced ingredients. my favorite is the morrocan chicken salad while my husband usually chooses whatever fish is in season. the contrast of fresh, crisp romaine, breaded cold chicken, and a tart lemon vinaigrette make the morrocan chicken salad amazingly delicious. (this dish is especially refreshing on scorching texas days.) the desserts rotate a bit, which can be frustrating if you crave a particular treat. the coffee is fantastic and i always have second cup. my only complaint is that the iced tea could be improved upon; i have found it to be rather weak and prefer water when dining here. recently, when i was having a "me" day, i decided to treat myself to lunch at cafe modern. when i mentioned this to the staff, they went out of their way to make sure i had even more wonderfulservicethan usual, pampering me without crowding me. bravo!

sunday brunch. location and view - spectacular.service- harried, (i would not work there - too many snoots), and slow. food - not up to hype or price. select carefully from the menu but you just can't beat the dramatic background for a light snack or drinks. go at least once.

great ambience, interesting food, uneven service. it is worth extending a stay in the cultural district to stop by cafe modern, if just for a glass of wine. the cooly sparse decor and the restaurant's elliptical shape make it appear to float over tadao ando's sparkling lagoon... a very pleasant place to rest on a simmering summer day. the seasonally changing menu is inventive, featuring locally sourced ingredients with various ethnic influences. the moroccan chicken salad is a standout, as is a mushroom risotto which appears on the menu in colder months. i was recently very pleased with the curiously named beet "carpaccio," actually a sliced yellow and red beet salad garnished with microgreens, local chevre, pistachios and citrus vinaigrette. the restaurant has an excellent list of wines by the glass. once a moderately priced restaurant, cafe modern has gotten a bit costly, and the price increases should have come with improved service. at a restaurant of this caliber, i expect professional waitstaff, yet on multiple visits, theservicehas been very slow and waiters appeared to be untrained college kids. their communication skills are poor, and waitstaff often confuses orders. i've found that the best mealserviceconsistently comes from the always busy bartender at the tiny bar in the back of the dining room.

overrated, overpriced. lately, i went a couple of times to the café modern, at the modern art museum of fort worth, to have a decent meal. according to the café's website, gourmet magazine rates them as: "…one of america's best restaurants". perhaps. lately, i went twice to the café and the result is mixed. last week, i came for lunch and had a bánh mì sandwich which was very, very good. today, sunday, i had eggs benedict (only available for sunday brunch) i had been looking forward to. they were kind of disappointing: the apple wood smoked ham was salty, as were the house-made english muffins. the breakfast potatoes were definitely too salty; i left most of it untouched. no comparison to brennan's (in new orleans) eggs benedict.servicethis sunday was pleasant and polite, but pretty slow, even though i had arrived before the after-church crowd. the beautiful view of the museum and roxy paine's "conjoined" trees compensated for the unexceptional impression of the café. at this time, i feel the café is overrated and overpriced.

awful service. the last 3 times we have been to cafe' modern, theservicehas been horrible. it takes the servers a long time to make their first visit to the table, and when they leave to get your drinks, it takes another 10 minutes before they get back to take your order. there is absolutely no sense of urgency. it took about 30 minutes for a table next to us to get bussed. it isn't pleasant to dine when there's a table full of half eaten food right next to you. the food is wonderful and very creative but theservicewill probably be the factor that makes us not want to go back. it'll be a long time before we have brunch there again.

modern art and lunch!. art has always been one of my main reasons for traveling. i'm writing a review about café modern because it was a pleasant surprise in an already exciting day at the museums. here is what i did with a full day in fort worth. i started out first thing in the morning at the modern art museum of fort worth. i was excited to see the landmark building designed by one of my favorite architects tadao ando almost as much as the collection. growing up and being schooled on the east coast, i wondered why in my art history books so many works were listed in texas of all places. a good friend tapped me on the arm and said "oil". "they have oil money there." since then i've made trips all over texas to see some of the best collections in the entire country!

café modern sits quietly inside a glass curtain wall surrounded by reflecting pools. sitting at a table and looking outside you really do feel like you are floating in the water. the menu has choices for those who want a lite lunch as well as more substantial plates for the famished. i went with the potato parsnip soup and the moroccan chicken salad. the chicken was encrusted in a coating of almond and pistachio and the lemon vinaigrette was perfect. all of the dishes i saw coming from the kitchen were beautifully presented adding to the atmosphere of being in a museum. theservicewas relaxed yet attentive. i was pleased enough with lunch to order the pumpkin spice cake with a caramel milk sauce for desert just to be able to have a few more minutes looking out the window. take your time in the museum and enjoy. if you have the opportunity and the time, walk across the street to the world renowned kimball art museum designed by architect louis i. kahn and you'll see another reason people keep making pilgrimage to experience art and culture in texas.