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Ghost Kitchens- don’t worry it’s not spooky at all! It’s the latest concept in food that’s made its way here to Fort Worth. Eat Fajitas is the first to open a ghost kitchen here in Fort Worth.
It’s no surprise that Fort Worth culinary trailblazer and disruptor, Chef Lanny Lancarte brings yet another news concept to the food scene with Eat Fajitas. Lancarte said. “The concept is perfect for our moment in time, delicious food delivered to your home for small groups of people that won’t have to worry about cooking or cleaning.”
You can’t eat at a ghost kitchen in Fort Worth because that’s all it is, a commercial prep kitchen – there is no dining area. The kitchen serves to fulfill orders for carry-out or delivery. The idea is simple and one that is most likely here to stay because it’s more cost-effective than running a full-service restaurant and in the midst of a pandemic it also provides a low-contact meal option.
Righteous Foods Chef Lanny Lancarte was one of the first chefs in Fort Worth to lead the way during the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Chef Lancarte shut down indoor restaurant operations and was one of the first to lead the way and offer curbside dining. He shifted his menu options and in addition to the regular Righteous Foods dishes he offered family style meals. Most prominent and popular was his Fajita Packs and to-go margaritas.
The fajita pack is a clear nod to his culinary roots. Chef Lancarte is part of the legendary Joe T.’s family. If you haven’t had fajitas and margaritas on the patio at Joe T.’s have you even been to Fort Worth?! Chef Lancarte, has blazed his own way in the culinary world in Fort Worth and beyond. And now he’s taken the most Fort Worth of dishes and given his own spin to them.
These proved to be popular and I was impressed when I ordered the fajita pack for myself. The chicken fajitas were light and delicious with grilled vegetables, warm tortillas and plenty of rice and beans to round out the pack. Everything tasted fresh and the seasonings on the fajitas rely on a mix of fresh herbs for an almost chimi-churri like flavor. The Himalayan sea salt rimmed margaritas were pre-mixed and delicious.
This model proved so successful that once Righteous Foods resumed operations and returned focus to its health conscious dishes they spun off into its own concept called Eat Fajitas. This is the first concept of its kind in Fort Worth and beyond. Lanny’s experience in fine dining translates well into this concept because he brings the same level of detail and commitment to quality as he did with Lanny’s Alta Cocina Mexicana (the predecessor to what is now a more casual, health conscious eatery in Righteous Foods). The menu is tightly edited to keep the quality level high.
“The spices of Tex-Mex have always run through my veins. For many years Tex-Mex got a bad rap as the step-child to Mexican cuisine, but I believe the time has come to wave the Tex-Mex flag with pride as one of the very few regional cuisines our young country has,” Lanny Lancarte, Owner of EAT FAJITAS said. “We believe focusing on one excellent menu item can showcase our mastery of the most fun and user friendly, shareable dish Tex-Mex has. Paired with a fresh margarita, we can deliver a house fiesta right to our customers doorstep.”
All details are considered in your order options, you can even order Lancarte’s legendary churros. I may or may not be guilty of going to Righteous and just ordering churros. What would level that up you may ask? Paletas, or creamy popsicles made with care by Melt Ice Creams and incorporating Mexican ingredients like cajeta and flan. If a box could ever contain happiness it just might be the Eat Fajitas box.
In addition to the ghost kitchen, he is bypassing the fees normally charged by third party delivery services. Orders are placed online at EatFajitas, and it couldn’t be simpler. You place your order for delivery or pick-up. It’s a model that’s here to stay.
Innovation is nothing new to Lancarte as he brought to Fort Worth the very first “pop-up” dinners when he was serving small supper club style meals out of his family’s restaurant in the early 2000’s. After testing his recipes and dishes on the well-worn patios of Joe T. he staked his claim on the bungalow on West 7th. Then he brought to Fort Worth the most exquisite food ever.
He took all the classic techniques he learned at the Culinary Institute of America and combined it with his experience working with Diana Kennedy and Rick Bayliss. This layered in with his travels throughout Mexico getting to know ingredients and techniques brought us Lanny’s Alta Cocina Mexicana. The restaurant was nothing short of revolutionary, elevating indigenous Mexican ingredients to the level of haute cuisine. Not only were the dishes new but the manner in which they were served was also novel. Chef Lancarte offered tasting menus that took you on a culinary journey through several plated courses with French, Mexican and Meditteranean influences. Can you tell I miss this place?!
With the closing of Lanny’s Alta Cocina Mexicana and the opening of Righteous Foods, once again Lancarte proved prescient in anticipating the needs of the modern food consumer Cheeky marketing and unique dishes make this a one-of-a kind spot in Fort Worth.
In addition to innovation, Lancarte and his team have demonstrated the utmost in consistency in weathering the Covid storm. They have managed to not take a single day off since they switched to a curbside model in March. The ghost kitchen concept is new but it’s not surprising the early adopters like Lancarte have taken it and given it their own signature spin. So do as the box says and Eat Fajitas!
