Fort Worth’s “eat healthy” restaurant promotion ends Thursday.
But even when the FitWorth Healthy Restaurant Crawl Week ends, you can still dine on healthful, natural dishes at about 30 participating restaurants.
We’re not talking rabbit food here. The FitWorth menus this week include rack of lamb at Grace, sole Francese at Del Frisco’s Grille or portobello steaks at Ellerbe Fine Foods.
FitWorth is Mayor Betsy Price’s shape-up campaign. A sold-out crowd was set to ride with her Tuesday night on a “bicycle crawl” for hummus at Kent & Co. wines, tabbouleh and vegetables at Chadra Mezza & Grill and a poached-pears dessert at Max’s Wine Dive.
Some of the FitWorth menu items are sold year-round, such as the tofu-brown rice bowl at Hoya Korean Kitchen, whole-grain veggie wraps at Z’s Cafe or chicken kebabs at the Zoёs Kitchen chain.
Others are menu specials, so go this week for lavender chicken at Sera Dining & Wine or the chevre-stuffed portobello at Ellerbe.
Chef Lanny Lancarte II’s Righteous Foods healthy-organic cafe is represented, of course, with Himalayan red rice and also a banana-dark chocolate dessert.
Even burger-centric Shaw’s Patio Bar & Grill joined in, offering an open-face grilled portobello on whole-grain bread with roasted red peppers, spinach and feta.
Price will give prizes Friday in Sundance Square to restaurants generating the most social-media chatter about healthy dining, encouraging Texans to shape up, slim down and help keep down healthcare costs.
The fitworth.org website lists walkable or bikable self-directed “crawls,” including a West 7th circuit to American Food + Beverage for crispy cauliflower, Kona Grill for seven-spice ahi tuna, Texas redfish at Bite City Grill and fruit pops at Steel City Pops.
For more information, see fitworth.org; 817-735-5093.
Veggies and peppers in Southlake
Along the same lines, VertsKebap has arrived.
If the name isn’t familiar, the food will be.
Basically, it’s pitalike sandwiches, wraps or salads topped with fresh grilled vegetables and döner kebap, which is a Turkish version of shawarma, gyro or even pastor.
VertsKabap became an Austin food-truck sensation for its veggies, peppers and sauces, including a house yogurt-dill, a yogurt-cayenne or a habanero sauce.
Basically, it’s a shawarma sandwich (chicken or beef-lamb) but with grilled bell peppers, mushrooms and jalapeños if you’d like, and lots of fresh flavor.
Recommended favorites are the original with lettuce, red cabbage, tomato, cucumber, yogurt-dill and yogurt-cayenne sauce (as a sandwich, wrap or salad), or a “Texan” or “Red Hot” with jalapenos and hot sauce, or hotter sauce. Side dishes include fresh french fries.
VertsKebap gained fame in Austin for operating the “World’s Smallest Food Truck” in a Smart car.
The Southlake-Keller location is open daily at 2310 W. Southlake Blvd., near a bank and grocery on the corner at Randol Mill Avenue; 817-431-0203, vertskebap.com
Bud Kennedy’s column appears Wednesdays in Life & Arts and Fridays in DFW.com. 817-390-7538
Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/living/food-drink/article13190048.html#storylink=cpy
About FitWorth Healthy City Initiative:
FitWorth is a family-focused initiative of Mayor Betsy Price and the Fort Worth City Council launched in September 2012 to address the growing trend of childhood obesity in the city. In 2014, FitWorth became an independent program of Foundation for Wellness, Texas, tasked with promoting health and active lifestyles through an individualized and sustainable approach to community wellness.