Somewhere up Preston Road, past the point where the restaurants start repeating themselves, a tavern called Bit of Grub is having more fun than anyone else on the strip. The menu alone earns the visit before a single plate lands.
Consider the nachos, which come in two competing philosophies. The ADHD Nachos are a gloriously unruly pile of chips, tots, or fries buried under queso, chili con carne, taco meat, and everything else within reach. The OCD Nachos are the same idea arranged in neat, symmetrical triangles, each one topped individually, for diners who need order in their lives. A kitchen that understands both camps understands people.
Bit of Grub calls itself a Texas craft kitchen and tavern, and the menu backs the claim with a long roster of comfort food, a Tex-Mex section, and enough appetizers to make dinner unnecessary. The Infinity Platter gathers taquitos, flautas, quesadillas, a Bavarian pretzel, onion rings, fried mushrooms, and every dip in the building onto one tray the menu suggests will feed eight mortals or one person with the munchies. The Firecrackers, seasoned saltines with whipped pimento cheese, are pure Texas grandmother.
The comfort section runs the canon: chicken fried steak and chicken fried chicken with cream gravy, steak fingers, and a chopped steak under brown gravy, with a jalapeño poblano gravy lurking on the sides list for those who know to ask. The sandwich board holds a smash burger, a proper patty melt on Texas toast, the Grubsteak cheesesteak with queso standing in for whiz, and the Uh-Oh Burger, which stacks ghost and chipotle pepper spices, grilled jalapeños, and habanero pickles into a name that doubles as a warning label.
Then there are the family dishes hiding in a section called Unique Grub. The Bolognese Marco is an Italian sausage recipe the menu says was adapted over years of chasing perfection, and Pasta Angela pairs a parmesan cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes. Dishes named after people usually mean somebody’s actual relatives are in the recipe box, and the banana pudding made daily from a family recipe supports the theory. Finish with the Happy Accident, a hot skillet brownie under vanilla bean ice cream and sizzling bourbon butter sauce.
Bit of Grub is at 19129 Preston Road, Suite 100, open daily for lunch through dinner, with happy hour specials for the neighborhood smart enough to claim it first.
