Cowtown Diner Opens in Fort Worth’s Sundance Square
Diner Inspired Comfort Classics Get New Twist as Fort Worth Native
Scott Jones Opens Restaurant in Plaza Hotel Building

FORT WORTH, TX – Jan. 14, 2010 - A new decade brings with it the best foods of years gone by – comfort classics, if you will – in the form of a chic new diner opening today in Sundance Square. Cowtown Diner, a new concept from restaurant visionary Scott Jones, himself a Fort Worth native, is about coming home to all the foods you love, only much, much better than you have ever experienced. Created in the true spirit of the diner, Cowtown Diner is about hearty, familiar fare with a culinary twist, and environments stylish enough for the executive lunch meeting but casual enough for a late-night chicken fried steak after hitting downtown Fort Worth nightlife.

“This is the kind of place where you can see yourself becoming a ‘regular,’” said Jones. “We envision the wait staff getting to know people on a personal level, how they like their coffee and what sports their kids play. This is the place that you can always count on for excellent comfort food and a relaxing atmosphere early in the morning, for lunch, or even late at night. It’s all the best food and sense of community that a good diner can provide.”

Cowtown Diner is located at 305 Main Street in the historic Plaza Hotel Building in Sundance Square, in the heart of downtown Fort Worth. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Cowtown Diner will be open for a variety of crowds, from early risers to business executives to night owls, and everyone in-between. Hours are: Sunday through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Friday and Saturday, 6 a.m. to 4 a.m.

Diner Comfort Classics with Premium Twist

On the menu at Cowtown Diner are classic recipe favorites, from Roasted Chicken Pot Pie to Fried Catfish Basket, reimagined with bold, unique flavors and a fresh flair. Sweet Potato Lasagna is a delicious concoction of layered sweet potatoes with pasta sheets, caramelized onions, ruby chard, ricotta, parmesan, smoked mozzarella and toasted walnuts. The Smothered Pork Porterhouse is Cajun-seared with peppers and onions, slow-cooked to perfection with buttered parsley rice. Not to be outdone is the Shrimp & Sausage Jambalaya Risotto, blackened shrimp and spicy sausage cooked with tomatoes, onions, peppers and spices “risotto-style” with Arborio rice. The Steak Finger Basket (an affection ode to DQ), is four large crispy steak fingers with hand-cut French fries, Texas toast and country sausage gravy.

With its early-morning and late-night hours, Cowtown Diner encourages guests to start the day off right with a hearty breakfast. From traditional favorites with fun monikers such as Hold Ya Til Supper, two eggs any way you like it with choice of two meats; and That Boy Can Pack Some Groceries, three eggs, sausage, bacon, cheese grits, hash browns, biscuits and gravy with pancakes – a virtual breakfast smorgasbord; to new twists on Mexican breakfast favorites, such as Breakfast Tostadas with chorizo, refried black-eyed peas, fried eggs, salsa and cheddar cheese; or southern favorites like Hash, this one served with your choice of smoked trout, smoked brisket or roasted chicken. Brunch, served Saturday and Sunday, pulls out all the stops with unique specials such as Crawfish Cake and Eggs, spicy crawfish cakes, creamed mustard greens, eggs over easy and tomato Creole sauce; Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread French Toast, battered cornbread griddled to golden brown, country sausages, maple syrup, butter and fresh berries; and the Garden Strata with eggs, broccoli, asparagus, roasted peppers, onions and spinach baked over garlic bread with blue cheese and chives.

Waistline-friendly options include a low-carb Shepherds Pie featuring braised beef short ribs, carrots, celery, pearl onions and spices in beef gravy with mashed cheddar cauliflower crust. Low-fat favorites on the menu at Cowtown Diner include Lite Macaroni & Cheese, King Ranch Chicken and Spaghetti & Turkey Meatballs.

Desserts to tempt you include: Sweet Potato Donut Holes, marshmallow-pecan cream and Texas honey; Caramel Apple Brown Betty with dulche di leche and currants; Rocky Road Ice Cream Sliders with chocolate chunk sauce; Buttermilk Cream Brulee with candied fruit; Grilled Fruit and Poundcake and a Cupcake Trio with berry sauce. Decisions, decisions….

Jones is known for his innovative concept creations, including Dallas’ long-time favorite southern Italian concept, Cafe Italia, and the hip Screen Door Cafe in downtown Dallas’ One Arts Plaza. Jones, a proud Cowtown native, has wanted to do Cowtown Diner in Fort Worth for many years, and snapped up the

“This is the right time for a concept like Cowtown Diner,” said Jones. “People want comfort, something familiar – but they also demand a high level of quality and imagination in their food. They will find that here, along with an atmosphere that feels like home.”

Terrific Texture

Just as particular attention was paid to the development of a menu with depth, the atmosphere of Cowtown Diner has many chic layers. As soon as you rest your eyes on the fabulous faux crocodile on the entryway’s walls, you are immediately drawn to the brown and white wooden tile texture on the floor. As your eye glides quickly down the chrome accents on the diner bar, you can’t help but want to touch each and every bar stool or the granite slab that greets you with its wide, shiny expanse as you come in. In fact, it’s tough to resist running your hand over every inch of the restaurant to feel each and every textured element.

Cowtown Diner’s 5,100 square feet on the ground floor of the Plaza Hotel Building combine myriad layers into one cohesive design: comfortable and chic, Cowtown Diner welcomes its guests at every turn. From the comfy booths to the pistachio tufted chairs, cotton-themed wallpaper and tile floors to wooden ceiling beams, Cowtown Diner has a comfortable country lodge atmosphere. There is no mistaking its diner DNA, however, as long bars with stately stools (with foot rests, of course) line the length of the restaurant. The shaded outdoor patio beckons for enjoying the often-lovely Texas weather, and a special front room with a window onto the bustle of Main Street can be reserved for private parties.

Art is the proverbial icing on the cake at Cowtown Diner, with a special series of notable North Texans lining the walls. Each has a hat hung in his or her honor, as if Texas celebs from Ann Richards to Amon Carter and Van Cliburn call this diner home. It’s easy to imagine them here.

Jones and business partner Carter Wilson have teamed up with Glenn Comtois of Arch 2 Graphics to create an environment reminiscent of the classic diner with strong traditional design cues. Classic and friendly, guests will be impressed with the relaxed, sophisticated country lodge atmosphere of Cowtown Diner.

Home Cookin’ to Take Home

In traditional diner slang, “Give it shoes,” means to wrap it up to go. With a dedicated gourmet deli/take-out market serving salads, sandwiches, prepared entrees and casseroles, Cowtown Diner will be the place to “swing by” on your way home for that perfect “home-cooked dinner.” And the staff swears not to tell.

Cowtown Diner will cater personal or corporate events with gourmet diner flair, and also offers a home delivery family meal program via its Cowtown Diner mobile – a funky delivery vehicles decked out in Cowtown Diner-themed textured plaid and, of course, horns.

Coming Home

Jones is most excited about calling Fort Worth home again, and is hoping to share that Cowtown enthusiasm with guests in the restaurant in Sundance Square.

"The addition of Cowtown Diner with a nod to classic comfort foods is a perfect fit for Sundance Square," said Johnny Campbell, president and CEO of Sundance Square. " Sundance Square has a strong track record of bringing unique restaurants to the area which are embraced by the consumer."

Cowtown Diner is the perfect combination of true southern hospitality, down home humor, and food that fills your belly. So whether it’s stepping in just for morning coffee or staying a while for lunch, then running home with the family dinner in hand – this place is an everyday kind of shop. Cowtown Diner makes everyone ‘a regular.’

“We are inviting people to stop by, and to make it a habit,” said Jones.

Located in the heart of downtown Fort Worth, historic Sundance Square is a 35-block commercial, residential, entertainment and retail district where people work, live, shop and dine. Sundance Square`s beautiful landscaping, red-brick streets and turn-of-the-century buildings make it a pedestrian`s delight. Named after the famed Sundance Kid, who used the Fort Worth area as a hideout, Sundance Square has been hailed as a monumental achievement in urban redevelopment. More information can be found at www.sundancesquare.com.

More information about Cowtown Diner can be found at www.thecowtowndiner.com, or by calling the restaurant at (817) 332-9555.

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Editor’s Note: For high-res photography, please contact Suzanne Gentry Flodin at (214) 500-4289.