At first glance, Boozie’s Brewery & Gourmet Sandwiches is not what you might expect. From the exterior, the restaurant at 6473 Camp Bowie Blvd. looks unassuming and, quite frankly, like others in the neighborhood.
The lunchtime crowd is steady, but not overwhelming.
Shannon, the friendly brunette behind the bar, welcomed us to two available seats and guided us through the vast laminated menu. I’ve been caught up in my quest to support and find more non-Instagram popular food establishments that serve good food and drinks and I’m happy Boozie’s funny name enticed me on this cloudy Tuesday afternoon.
A quick search on its website yields the following results:
“Boozie’s Brewery and Restaurant Group presents a remarkable scratch kitchen with mouth-watering food selections crafted by Celebrity Chef David Hollister and a selection of creative and unique beers brewed by multi-award-winning brewmaster Bobby Mullins. With our variety of menu items that are sure to satisfy all your cravings, house-made brews to quench your thirst, and uniquely crafted cocktails combined with daily drink specials, we strive to be the G.O.A.T!”
And indeed a G.O.A.T was found! In the 20 minutes or so that we sat at the bar, Shannon shared that the restaurant recently had gone through a name change and revamped the menu somewhat. So if you frequented the spot when it was Wild Acre – and beer and burgers led the way – then you may be surprised by some of the slight changes.
I was not familiar with the menu before so I can’t compare the two, but I can say that Chef Hollister’s menu development – he was also the chef at Wild Acre – is both ambitious and impressive. At first glance I assumed it was slightly German-influenced; however, once beyond the appetizers my eyes danced to the eclectic mix of gourmet sandwiches, each of which had its own distinct flavor profiles not at all associated with Germanic roots.
For example the Croque Madame, Turkey and Salami Hot Club and Chicken Fried Chicken Pimento each offered different breads, and I eagerly “settled” on the house-baked bun that accompanied the latter. Also if you’re a vegetarian or just opting to nix the meat, Boozie’s does offer a substitute Beyond Meat option for any of the sandwiches for an additional $4 added to the price of any sandwich you select.
Dish with Deah
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The sides come separately but at reasonable prices. We ordered yuca fries with basil pecan pesto, and they were dynamite. I loved the creative Texas nod to the traditional Italian pesto, which is typically a flavor-packed green sauce composed of crushed garlic, basil leaves, olive oil, pine nuts and a grated hard cheese such as Parmigiano.
Yuca, to those curious, is a root vegetable commonly found in the tropics. It’s naturally fat-free and loaded with vitamins A, B and C – and is higher in calories, protein, and carbs than its tuberous cousin the potato.
For appetizers we chose the “wagyu beef stuffed chiles” and loved them.
I’m not certain if the pimento cheese is housemade, but it did taste outstanding – sharp cheesy flavor balanced with the perfect amount of pimentos. The fried chicken was battered and seasoned in a good ratio and the bun was soft and buttery, yet still firm enough to withstand the weight of the ingredients.
My “test” is if I bite into the sandwich and it doesn’t fall apart, that’s a winner. My companion ordered the chef’s favorite Reuben and said that it was good, but he still preferred my chicken sandwich.
For drinks, the menu still featured Fort Worth-made Wild Acre, as well as an assortment of other blondes, ales and stouts.
A second location is in Fairview, north of Allen in Collin County, and features a slightly different menu that is heavy on entrées, with fewer sandwich options, but the same creativity.
Back in Fort Worth, some things I am intrigued by and can’t wait to try are the butter board – yes butter – and smoked salmon bruschetta. And yes, I will definitely repeat the chicken fried chicken pimento sandwich.
There’s also an intriguing happy hour.
Have you visited Boozie’s yet? What are your favorites?
Call 817-353-2074 with questions or stop by during posted hours.
Deah Mitchell writes about more than food. You can email her at deah.mitchell@fortworthreport.org.
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