Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine in Ft. Worth, Texas is the restaurant that I have been searching for.  Texas is a state known for its food.  However, most of the foods Texas is known for are casual fare.  Chef Jon Bonnell has reinvented what Texas cuisine is and takes it to the next level.  Chef Bonnell uses locally sourced ingredients from Texas ranches, farms, and dairies.  He is a confident chef, proud of his craft, and has no secrets.  Ask him where the ingredients come from and he tells you.  You want one of his recipes? Email him and he will send it to you.  He goes against the grain, throwing out the old ways of kitchen secrets.  He was a science and math teacher before going to culinary school and believes that educating people about food is important. I couldn’t agree more.

            What Chef Bonnell is exceptional at is his wild game.  Eating at his restaurant is a true culinary safari.  The great thing is that he has sampler plates where you can try a variety of items and this includes appetizers.  For appetizer we had venison carpaccio with peppercorn dressing, fried quail legs with a southwestern buttermilk dressing, creamy grits with shrimp and andouille sausage, and mini elk tacos. Each item was a burst of exquisite southern flavor. 

            The main course featured another wild game sampler and included wonderfully tender Elk tenderloin that melted on the tongue and had us yearning for more. Buffalo tenderloin was also featured and was as tender and juicy as any filet.  Chef Bonnell flavors the meat by grilling over Pecan wood which gives a great Texas style smoke flavor. Next was grilled pheasant with a hint of sage. Sage always reminds me of Thanksgiving, and I would be more then happy to serve this delectable bird at my next family affair.  A wild boar chop was also included and satisfied every taste bud.  Last but not least of this meat lover’s nirvana, was andouille sausage.  Chef Bonnell of course makes his own from pork shoulder and various Cajun seasonings. It packs a bit of a wallop and would go great with some eggs in the morning. 

            The wild game is surely fantastic enough to send you into convulsions and have you salivating like a wild coyote, yet there is more.  The richness and creamy goodness of the roasted green chile cheese grits will nearly bring you tears of joy. Grits you might say? I have often enjoyed a truffled mac and cheese at some of the best steakhouses. These grits were just as good as any mac and cheese with a rich creamy cheesiness and a little zest from poblano pepper and pico de gallo.  Paula Deen would surely be envious.  Yes, there too were vegetables on the plate if you could make it past the glory of the meat.  Grilled cactus was served with red peppers. We are in Texas after all! 

            Last but not least arrived dessert, as if there were any room left.  Chef Bonnell has taken two of my personal favorite desserts and combined them into one by serving a tres leches crembrule.  The dessert is as rich as any Texas oil man and is a perfect finish to a perfect meal. 

            Chef Bonnell stopped by and talked with us at the end of the meal.  He was happy to talk to us about his ingredients and methods.  He was excited and proud of his cuisine as was I. Chef Bonnell just finished taping a segment that will air on the food network in the coming months.  He has been featured previously cooking with Bobby Flay and has also cooked at the James Beard House in New York.  Above all, he seemed to be a nice down to earth guy.  Next time you go to Ft. Worth, Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine is a foodie stop you can’t miss!



Me outside Bonnell's Fine Texas Cuisine



Wild Boar, Elk, Buffalo, Pheasant, Grilled Catus, and Green Chile Cheese Grits. Yum!

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