A new Fort Worth Stockyards restaurant hits its stride as bars, hotel near opening

Jan. 12—FORT WORTH — Chef Marcus Paslay picked a heckuva time to open a Stockyards restaurant.

First of all, it was the middle of a global pandemic.

Second, did dining customers really want to go to the Stockyards?

It was a slow first five months, but now Provender Hall is coming into its own, Paslay said.

“This was a long ‘soft opening,’ ” Paslay said, but holiday crowds finally found their way to Provender, 122 E. Exchange Ave. in Mule Alley.

His first two restaurants, Clay Pigeon Food & Drink and Piattello Italian Kitchen, caught on right away.

Provender opened much earlier than the rest of Mule Alley, a new shopping center about to flourish with the spring openings of more restaurants and the Hotel Drover, Autograph Collection.

“For years, this area was just these vacant barns where you parked to go to the Stockyards,” Paslay said on an Eats Beat podcast.

Now, Mule Alley has Shake Shack, a Biscuit Bar and the forthcoming Sidesaddle Saloon tapas bar from Tinie’s/Taco Heads founder Sarah Castillo.

And “this awesome hotel,” Paslay said, referring to the full-service Drover.

It’ll all fall into place in time to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Billy Bob’s Texas nightclub, which also has its Honky Tonk Kitchen steakhouse and restaurant.

The slow start is “fine,” he said — “We’re gonna get there.”

Provender has become known for — we should have guessed — either steak frites or chicken-fried steak.

The chicken-fried steak ($22) is a prime New York strip, pounded, tenderized, battered and fried.

It’s served with a pepper gravy, greens and mashed potatoes.

The simple steak frites ($27) is sliced Akaushi beef with chimichurri and fries.

But the beef-eaters are missing out on one of Provender’s best dishes: grilled trout over a bed of black-eyed-pea hoppin’ John ($28).

There’s also a $14 burger and $13-$16 salads.

It’s a casual bar-and-grill with an open dining room, but it doesn’t have a patio.

The entire menu is available for takeout.

Paslay’s other restaurants, Clay Pigeon and Piattello, both offer curbside carryout. Piattello, an Italian restaurant with fresh pastas and wood-fired pizzas, also has a large patio for sunny and safe outdoor dining.

“It’s done well in the pandemic because we have such a great outdoor space,” he said.

“I think it’s the best value in town.”

Provender Hall is open for dinner nightly except Mondays and Tuesdays; provenderhall.com.

Clay Pigeon, 2731 White Settlement Road, is open for dinner nightly except Sundays and Mondays; claypigeonfd.com.

Piattello, 5924 Convair Drive in the Waterside shops, is open for dinner nightly; piattelloitaliankitchen.com.