June Naylor

(That’s Dutch Meyer, above center, who put TCU on the map long before there was an ESPN.)

The big ESPN circus hits town today and we better be ready.

The arrival of ESPN GameDay’s crew on the TCU campus today, continuing with the hoopla that surrounds the set tomorrow and the downright insanity that takes place before and during Saturday morning’s broadcast and lasts through Saturday night’s game, brings attention to Fort Worth unlike anything we’ve witnessed here.

Yes, we get national press here for the Colonial. Trust me, this isn’t like the PGA. I’ve been to the ESPN GameDay set in Austin before a UT game and in Tuscaloosa before an Alabama-LSU contest. This is a whole new level of crazy.

Not only will the nation’s football fans be watching us, so will everyone else who wonders, “What the heck is a Horned Frog? And how did that little ol’ team get so hot? And where are they again?” Most of all, big companies like ESPN will be watching our humble Cowtown to see what we, the people, bring of interest.

Remember, ESPN and a lot of other very big, attractive fish are studying our environs right now to decide where to camp during the 2011 Super Bowl, which is a mere 14 months away. So yes, we need to wear purple on Friday, as Mayor Moncrief asks. And we need to be excited about the Frogs’ new uniforms, making a national debut Saturday as part of Nike’s new Pro Combat line.

And, of course, we need to show up Saturday morning and look like we deserve to be at the big show. On top of all that, we need to show ESPN how much fun Fort Worth is, and for a lot of those folks, the fun starts with where to eat and drink.

So here’s where the ESPN folks – and everyone else, from the BCS, Super Bowl, Pasadena, Sugar Bowl and other important committees – should be spending their food and beverage bucks today through Sunday. These aren’t the fanciest places in town, but they’re in easy reach of TCU and offer a lot in the way of Fort Worth personality. See if you agree with me.

Fuzzy’s: This dive open from early until late, and it’s usually a great for tempura-fried shrimp tacos and shredded garlic beef tortas. There’s beer here, but I’d skip the icky margaritas here and go to Old Rip’s , just behind Fuzzy’s, for drinks and socializing in the company of fabulous artwork.

Dutch’s:  The burgers are astoundingly good (get the bacon-blue cheese), the fries are addictive and the beer’s cold. Plus there’s all that great TCU lore inside, free Wi-Fi, and plenty of sports on TV.

Silver Fox: Yes, the steaks are probably better at Del’s, but the Fox does a lovely NY strip and all the sides are included, including great smashed potatoes and a good veggie platter. The bartenders there make a terrific dry martini, too.

Pour House: Just reopened in new digs on Seventh Street, here’s a rocking bar with loads of food and live music. Tortilla-crusted shrimp and deluxe nachos make good starters, and the barbecued pulled pork is a good sandwich. King Ranch chicken is a favorite lunch special, and the plate of migas enchiladas holds good hangover-busting properties.

Hoffbrau: The low-brow steakhouse still has a little of its original Austin-bred vibe and for a skillet-fried steak – done with plenty of garlic – you probably can’t find better value for the price. Sports can be seen on TV from every seat and those brau chips with ranch for dipping – pure carb heaven.

J&J Oyster Bar : Another of the great Cowtown dives, you better show up at off-hours or cool your heels. Ask the barkeeps to keep your pitcher of Shiner cold and full and they’ll help you out. Fish tacos are the great surprise here, but you’ll be good with oysters on the half-shell, a plate of crawfish sausage, a fried shrimp po-boy and a pile of those fries and hushpuppies.

Grady’s: For a taste of cowboy cooking, this is your go-to spot. (Full disclosure: I wrote two cookbooks with the owner, but I go there anyway, on my own nickel.) Quail tostadas make a good starter and the chicken-fried steak is killer. The wild card you can always bet on is the grits. Yum.

Fred’s Texas Café: Here’s a place with live music on the patio and an owner known as the Outlaw Chef – what more can you say about a place with big personality? The burger has won legions of fans, and rightfully so, particularly if it’s the Diablo version. But don’t overlook the Portobello tacos, either, with guacamole on the side. If a steak in some chile treatment is the evening special, please, please get that. You will thank me.

Railhead Smokehouse: The debate continues about whether this or Angelo’s is really better. Railhead’s a little closer to TCU, so it wins this round – and it’s just insanely good for ribs, fries with onion strings and icy-cold beer.

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 2:42 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.