***please read to the end! that’s where the magic is!*** (ok, skipping forward is acceptable, but you’ll miss something!) when my wife and i go out to blow out for special events like our anniversary, we take on a money is no object, live life large mentality. this lead us to the lonesome dove western bistro by renowned chef tim love in fort worth. with a price point of $$$$ on many web sites and foodie related apps, finding it along main st. adjacent to the fort worth stock yards might at first seem out of place. i don’t want to give too much away too soon, but trust me on this… it was worth every red cent. unassuming for what is absolutely fine dining, the location along main street in north fort worth would be easy to miss if it weren’t for the valet parking out of nowhere. we entered the lonesome dove about 15 minutes before our reservation. *pro-tip* don’t arrive to your reservation early. be as close to as on time as possible. once we entered and was met by our host, we noted a well appointed bar taking up the entirety of one wall. being as well appointed as it was, anyone else that was early to their reservations was already enjoying a spot. there were a few diners that were enjoying their meals seated at the bar as well. the reason i say to “not” show up early, is that standing room is very limited and with “social distancing” being the norm, it could potentially be awkward. while at the front of the restaurant, we were able to see the “cowboy chefs” flying around the intentionally displayed kitchen in the back among servers and small *poof*s of flame from time to time. the room we entered was dimly (appropriately) lit with couples seated at tables across from the bar. little did we know, that there was a huge dining area on the other side of the wall behind the bar. this also included an outside seating area through open double doors where we were seated. the décor was spot on texas class and the whole layout allowed a nice flow of servers and guests alike to move in comfort. ok… now that we got the “boring” stuff out of the way. lets get into the real reason you are still reading my review. chris, our server, was “all business” when getting us seated and taking care of our initial drink orders. he allowed us to go over the menu and answered any questions when he returned to the table. we finally ordered 2 appetizers. the bbq duck spring rolls with hoisin sauce and the blue corn lobster “hushpuppies”. i will start with the latter, the quotation marks around “hushpuppies” is accurate. it’s actually how it is on the menu, and for good reason. forget your ideas on some chain restaurant filler that comes with your fries and whatever “fest” is going on for the month. these are fork and knife flavor bombs! the outside is a flavorful shell of fried blue corn flour and spices, but the magic is in the middle! i honestly cannot tell you what exactly the filling was, but the sauce that accompanied the lobster pieces was delectable. i highly recommend this! the duck spring rolls are a horse of a different color if you are expecting your traditional asian fare. they are perfectly fried so that the wrapping expands, and the filling and associated duck is juicy and perfectly seasoned. the hoisin sauce was a perfect fit and added a little more moisture to the rolls, but they were able to completely stand on their own. now hang on folks… i have to start a new paragraph for the main course. it was a masterpiece! we ordered the wagyu tomahawk ribeye with grilled langostinos, wild mushroom-truffle orso and roasted asparagus as our main course. it may seem pricey, but when you see it serves 2, and then you see what you get when it comes out in all of it’s glory… like i said before. worth every cent! this brontosaurus chop of a bone on wagyu beef tomahawk presented on a bed of rice, wild mushrooms, and a sauce i cannot adequately explain, served with halved prawn and roasted asparagus was a meal fit for royalty! chris, our “all business” server, kicked back and allowed himself to become a part of the continued preparation at our table as well as our evening of celebration as he expertly cut the steak and portioned everything on to our plates for us. that… first… bite… look, there is no way to maintain your professional and culinary appreciative integrity by ever putting “omg” into a review. so i will simply say this. as a man that believes in jesus christ as his personal lord and savior, if ever i was given the chance to treat him to dinner, i would take him here. i don’t say that lightly! this ribeye was cooked to culinary perfection at medium at the recommendation of chris. the marbling was absolutely perfectly rendered adding a softness and flavor i have yet to have experienced anywhere else! expertly seasoned, picking up the rice, sauce, and mushrooms with each bite of the wagyu was absolutely interplanetary (read out of this world)! the prawn was succulent and certainly drove me to prioritize when to eat what, saving as much as that steak and rice to the last bite! chef love and his crew at the lonesome dove have created a masterpiece with this dish so much so that i simply cannot wait to share this meal with my friends and family. i rarely end a review like this because it simply sounds like shameless gushing, but… thank you to all of the lonesome dove family for truly giving us a night to remember!
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