This Waters Fort Worth Restaurant Review is an extended version of a new “Dinner and a Show” column I’m writing in partnership with Metropolitan Arts Media, Inc., the nonprofit organization that runs the award-winning arts journalism sites TheaterJones.com (performing arts) and the forthcoming ContextDFW.com (visual art) in Dallas/Fort Worth.
Waters Fort Worth
Owned by the beloved Chef Jon Bonnell, who runs the successful Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine and regularly gives his time and talent to local charities, Waters is one of the newer upscale dining arrivals to Sundance Square in Fort Worth, Texas. Originally opened in 2013 in the West 7th area, Waters relocated to the corner of Main and 2nd Street in 2017.
The interior at Waters in Sundance Square is simple and classy with subtle decor choices, like touches of blue and green plus oyster shells in metal containers.
Wine enthusiasts will enjoy the restaurant’s wide and careful selection of wines from around the world, which complement the Waters cuisine. Chef/Owner Jon Bonnell is a long-time wine educator with over 15 Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence, and the Waters wine list reflects this experience.
For shellfish enthusiasts, the world is your oyster at Waters. The dinner menu includes oysters on the half shell, a flight of premium oysters and fried oysters “Texasfeller” as an appetizer. Other starters include shrimp, tuna tartare, calamari, crab cake, gumbo and a shellfish tower that serves two to three people.
Favorites: Waters Fort Worth Restaurant Review
I stopped in recently and ordered several items from the Waters dinner menu. Normally, I’d opt for a shrimp or calamari appetizer, but I decided to step out of my appetizer comfort zone with the Ahi Tuna Tartare. That was a REALLY good decision.
Made with a layer of avocado topped with ahi tuna topped with a green tomato cucumber relish and micro greens, it’s a beautiful balance of flavors and textures. They could have stopped right there, and I would rave about this menu option. But they didn’t, and so now I will rave loudly about it. Tortilla crisps, with just the right touch of salt, are served with the tuna tartare, along with a small bit of red pepper aioli. If they bottled that aioli, I would have bought a jar to take home with me. Note to anyone eating gluten-free (and a special thank you to the server who informed me of this information): you can ask for the crisps to be made with corn tortillas instead of flour.
I skipped a salad so I would have room for a full entrée, but salad options include: crab and avocado, heirloom tomato and fried goat cheese, caesar and a house salad.
Entrees on the main dinner menu range from crab cakes to Cajun scallops, salmon, shellfish, crab legs, a creole arctic char and more. For turf lovers, a filet mignon and a chicken option are available. Shareable sides include a Maine lobster macaroni and cheese, bacon wrapped asparagus, dirty rice, roasted red potatoes and more.
I opted for the Creole Arctic Char. If you’ve never had char, it looks similar to salmon with a taste somewhere between salmon and trout (closer to trout). The entrée is made with fresh char and topped with fresh crawfish ravigote, served on a bed of arugula and a citrus vinaigrette. The ravigote looks creamy, but it’s an aoili-based sauce not cream or dairy, which was music to this dairy-allergy-girl’s heart!
The char was seasoned perfectly and was slightly crispy on the outside. With each bite of fish, I decided that was my favorite part of the dish … and then with each bite of the crawfish, I decided that was my favorite part. In the end, they tied, and I would absolutely order this entree again. My only caution to other diners is simply a matter of taste. The citrus vinaigrette was a little heavy on the vinegar for me, but I know friends and family who would love that. Either way, it’s easy to minimize or maximize how much you get with each bite.
For a side, I enjoyed the bacon wrapped asparagus.
I ended with an espresso, which I savored while daydreaming about the desserts I simply didn’t have room to enjoy. On the dessert menu when I visited were: crème brulee, a lemon icebox cheesecake, spiced carrot cake, a bourbon street brownie and vanilla ice cream.
Address: 301 Main St in Fort Worth’s Sundance Square
Website: www.waterstexas.com
Ring in 2019 in Fort Worth’s Sundance Square
If you want to ring in 2019 in Sundance Square, Waters will be offering all its regular dinner options plus a special Cowtown-inspired menu on New Year’s Eve. Their last dinner reservations will be for seating at 10:00 p.m. (call 817.984.1110 as soon as possible for reservations).
If you’re up for it, you can top off your New Year’s Eve in Sundance Square Plaza (a really short walk away from Waters), where there will be live music starting at 10:30 p.m. and a countdown to 2019.
