Eating in Style

By Angie Chang
Skiff Staff
Photos by Yvette Herrera

A trip to Fizzi in downtown Fort Worth made me realize that I haven’t been reaching far enough into my wallet on my quest for good food in this town.

Hidden in a dark corner, the only item that draws attention to this place is the neon blue sign that hangs along the building. A glimpse under the sign reveals a small, cozy restaurant and bar lit mostly by candlelight.

Fizzi, owned by Bobby Albanese of Ruffino’s Ristorante Italiano, opened about two months ago boasting Continental and Mediterranean cuisine. The recent opening may be the reason why there was no wait on a Saturday night.

Upon entering, my dining companion (a.k.a. helpless boyfriend) and I were led to a table by the back wall. The place was decked out in silver chairs, blue stemware and tea light candles glowing on the tables in their individual holders decorated with small blue beads, a nod to Fizzi’s effervescent name.

Fizzi is the place where if you don’t order a pre-dinner cocktail or a wine accompaniment with dinner, it seems as if you personally slapped the server in the face. This is how it felt when I told my server I was just fine with water.

After ordering dinner, however, he was beaming again and his dignity as a server was restored.

You’ll see why.

I started with the jumbo Maine scallop, oyster mushroom and leek tart with sherry vinaigrette ($9.95) as an appetizer. Now, I thoughtlessly attached an extra “s” to the word scallop so imagine my surprise when there was only one. It was the size of a half dollar and perfectly seared so it was still a little raw on the inside and the leek tart went with it very well.

Following was an oyster, artichoke, fennel soup ($5.95) which was a very delicate, broth-like soup with an ample amount of artichoke, but don’t ask me where the oyster was or what fennel is, for that matter. The potato and leek soup ($5.95) was also very good. It was made in purée style and was not a chowder. Bread service came with the soups, and I have to admit I was disappointed. If I’m paying a small fortune (for a college student) for my meal, I better be getting some kind of special bread. The crusty, French sourdough rolls just didn’t cut it.

I ordered the feature for my entrée which was a filet of sea bass with sea scallop (notice the lack of “s”) with citrus cous-cous and lobster sauce ($23.95).

And the dinner had been progressing so well.

The bass was not very flavorful, and I could barely taste the lobster sauce. But the scallop was again perfectly seared, and the citrus cous-cous was surprisingly good.

My boyfriend ordered the marinated duck breast with grilled herb sausage, wild rice casserole and a tart cherry-green peppercorn sauce ($23.95) which was fantastic. The duck was good by itself, but who would have thought that it would taste good with a cherry sauce?

My stomach was sending messages to my brain that I was full, but I felt it necessary to fulfill my job as a reviewer, so on behalf of my editor, I ordered dessert (this one’s for you, Yvette!).

The lemon verbena panna cotta ($6.00) presented itself as a very thick flan. The taste wasn’t something to die for, but I felt like I was looking at a winter wonderland on my plate as powdered sugar was sprinkled all over and winter berries dotted the plate.

The grand total was something ungodly, but I felt it was worth it. The dinner was well paced, elegantly and artistically presented. Service was impeccable and it was quiet enough in the restaurant for my boyfriend and I to carry on a conversation without yelling at each other across the table. Note to males: Fizzi is a perfect restaurant for an anniversary date or Valentine’s Day (yes, that’s coming up!).

Fizzi is open for lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday. It’s also open for dinner 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Complimentary valet parking is available. Fizzi is located at 500 Commerce St., Suite 104, in Fort Worth. For reservations call (817) 336-3499.