by Jim McClure
As spring progresses, so does my desire to escape the confines of my narrow windowed office and enjoy some fresh air and sunshine. After a couple of happy hour pints with a friend at the Flying Saucer in downtown Ft. Worth recently, my dinner cravings took me to Ferré for the first time.
I’d walked past Ferré Ristorante e Bar countless times on my way to various places in downtown Ft. Worth. It’s location on 4th St. behind Barnes & Noble and across from Bass Hall puts in on my path from my regular parking spot, and it’s prominently displayed wine bottles have attracted my attention each time. This particular evening I decided to make use of their sidewalk seating and take advantage of the nice evening. With their seating projected right on the sidewalk, it seems like it might be a little awkwardly placed, but the restaurant’s location is just out of the way enough that it has almost a ‘side street’ feel.
From the top down, it’s clear the menu is along the lines of many Italian-American restaurants found in any busy retail area, featuring their own take on many tried and true standard dishes. To start, I ordered the Tortelloni Fonduta appetizer. Fontina cheese filled tortellinis with a truffle butter sauce that oozes earthy goodness. The sauce is definitely on the rich and overly buttery side, but if you like that (and I do!) then this will be a hit.
For main courses, Ferré offers an appealing selection of brick oven fired pizzas, pastas, and a list of Chef Specialties that cover everything from seafood to steak. While this portion of the menu is not budget oriented, my Romano Crusted Chicken was easily big enough to feed two, offering a slab of bird about an inch thick and eight inches across. The tomato basil sauce added a nice amount of zing, making for a tasty dish. A nice assortment of wines, including several good by the glass selections, filled out the meal nicely.
If you’re looking for a good place to enjoy the sunny weather without being in the middle of a lot of foot traffic, Ferré is worth stopping in for a while. You’ll leave full, happy, and maybe a little tanner.
