I often feel pretty lucky to have landed in Fort Worth. It’s a great city with great people. The grilling culture here is exceptionally strong, and a lot of the local fare focuses on it. There is great food here. There are great restaurants. Love Shack is one of those.

Two Love Shacks, one Fort Worth

Recently, a second Love Shack opened up the city. Now, I have the convenience of one by my office and one by my home. Tim Love: I appreciate how thoughtful you’ve been here. You have my continued support.

Love Shack Stockyards is the original. It fits its surroundings. If you haven’t been to the Stockyards in Fort Worth, it’s a tourist’s view into the west. They run longhorn cattle down the street twice a day. There is a native american that stands on the size of the street with a painted horse. He says things like “feel free to take a picture, we just work for tips.” Love Shack Stockyards is not out of place here. It’s awesome, and it’s all patio so you get to take in your environment completely.

Love Shack So7 is in an opposite location. It’s just outside downtown in an area of Fort Worth that is being redeveloped in a luxury-living sort of way. The So7 location is ritzier, it has a different crowd, but it’s not a completely different feel. More, it’s a shifted feel.

I’m going somewhere here. These two locations are Tim Love. It’s clever but not overly contrived. Chef Love is western, but urban. The Shack locations are western and urban. Burger and a beer or burger and a cocktail. Regardless of location, it’s a hell of a burger.

Dirty Love Burger

This burger is magnificent. It’s a mix of cuts, always cooked medium on a flat-top or griddle. The combination of brisket and tenderloin results in a tender, juicy burger that I can only best describe as burgery in the best of ways. It works. It’s complimented with American cheese, which just fits the end compilation as rustic and honest. Bacon adds to the heartiness, and a quail egg creates delicate sophistication. The bun gets a bit of Love Sauce, a mystery recipe that I’d imagine has a base of ketchup, a little mustard and mayo, and some Worcestershire to start. It is complex and light. It works well on the burger.

Alternate Attractions

I’ve eaten at the Stockyards Love Shack at least 20 times. The burger is always the same. Always great. I know what I’m getting into. I’d give the same to the Crazy Good Onion Rings. The fries and fresh chile parmesan chips seem like a 50/50 to me; they’ll either be passable or great. The chips seem to suffer from the wildest inconsistencies, and they’ve been nearly soggy more than once. It’s easy to forgive that though, based on my experience with the other menu items.

I’ve been to So7 a few times recently and something on the menu has been catching my eye. Last Saturday morning – after a particularly eventful Friday night – I decided to get adventurous and went for the deviled eggs. They were exactly what I wanted them to be – basic deviled eggs with a little smoke and bacon on top. Very nice.

If you have the chance, go to the Love Shack and get the Dirty Love Burger. Either Fort Worth location will do. You may see the man himself. Two days ago I walked by the Stockyards location and saw Chef Love outside. I was on my way to the Lonesome Dove for one of my favorite BLT’s in the world, but I’ll save that one for another day.

• Chef Tim Love
• Love Shack

[Header image source.]

Homemade ketchup is an easy example. You might even have everything you need in the cupboard or pantry already. It generally starts with kosher salt, olive oil, cracked pepper, tomato paste, brown sugar, an onion, and cider vinegar, and pureed tomatoes. From there you can add things like chili peppers or a strong herb to take it whatever direction fits the rest of the meal. There are a ton of variations on this, so find the one that suits you best and try it this weekend.

Let me know what you find and how it goes. I just want to plant the seed…

[Header image source.]