After nearly a year of limbo and a few months of retooling, Ovation is back.</p><p>Initially opened in mid-2006, the restaurant quickly gained an enthusiastic clientele that grew instantly addicted to the gussied-up soul food and passionate about a steady diet of live music. Ovation broke ground, too, as a west-side destination evening spot that drew a most diverse crowd.</p><p>Regulars have been left wondering, however, what would become of the food once beloved chef Keith Hicks left last year to open his own restaurant. Owner Mike Musgrove took his time mapping out a new game plan, but he makes clear that he&rsquo;s focused on a bigger, better Ovation.</p><p>Taking over a retail space next door, Ovation has grown from a 3,900-square-foot restaurant and bar to one measuring 6,300 square feet, with a more pronounced nightclub presence. There&rsquo;s a much bigger bar area in front and to the restaurant&rsquo;s rear, and lots more seating for diners and the music audience alike. The stage has expanded, too &mdash; all the better for accommodating those large bands.</p><p>Ovation&rsquo;s food program underwent renovation, as well. New at the kitchen&rsquo;s helm, executive chef Dane George came to the west side by way of Michael Anthony&rsquo;s in Southlake and Shula&rsquo;s 347 Grill in downtown Fort Worth. You see his upscale cuisine influence in meats and sauces, which are abundant in the new approach to dinner.</p><p>Instead of a typical menu, Ovation offers a mash-up of family-style and Brazilian steakhouse concepts. Everyone gets a dinner salad (unremarkable field greens with a vinaigrette) and a basket of breads, which are sweet muffins and semi-sweet rolls. Then begins a selection of sides to be shared (each diner gets two choices) and a steady stream of chicken, fish, pork, lamb and beef. Servers just keep bringing new platters until you say, "Uncle."</p><p>We sat down for said dinner a few nights ago, choosing for our sides the jalape&ntilde;o-Cheddar grits, sweet potato fries, grilled asparagus and saut&eacute;ed spinach (the kitchen was out of collard greens, our first choice; other options were white-truffle mac and cheese, saut&eacute;ed mushrooms, French green beans and garlic whipped mashed potatoes). The grits were too dry, but the green vegetables were nicely prepared and the sweet potato fries were perfection.</p><p>The protein platter was nearly overwhelming: Best were the lamb chops, with acceptable lemon-rosemary chicken breast, mustard-glazed pork loin and the slightly spicy pork sausage tied for a distant second. Bacon-wrapped jumbo shrimp were cooked a shade too much, as was the coffee-crusted beef tenderloin. A dizzying assortment of sauces served alongside in little metal ramekins held a couple of interesting flavors: Jalape&ntilde;o jelly went with the shrimp, blueberry demi was for pairing with the beef tenderloin, and the cucumber-yogurt sauce &mdash; our favorite &mdash; was a pleasant foil for the lamb.</p><p>We were already full when servers came around with seconds on the meats, which was too bad &mdash; the second platter was sizzling and aromatic, whereas the original platter had cooled by the time it reached us.</p><p>For the amount of food, Ovation offers value: Dinner is $19 on Tuesday, $21 on Wednesday and Thursday, and $25 on Friday and Saturday. Drinks, wine and dessert are extra.</p><p>It looked as though Ovation was bringing in people more interested in nightlife than pure dining: Glancing around the restaurant, we noted that three-quarters of the patrons had come in just to sip martinis (these are $5 on Thursday) and listen to the live music, which changes nightly but is typically R&B. </p><p><hr class="infobox-hr-separator" /> <div class="infobox"> <strong><span class="infobox-head">Ovation Restaurant </span></strong><br /> 6115 Camp Bowie Blvd.</p><p>Fort Worth</p><p>817-732 8900</p><p><a href="http://www.ovationrestaurant.com">www.ovationrestaurant.com</a></p><p><strong>Hours: </strong>6-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 6-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; bar open later hours.</p><p><strong>Cuisine: </strong>American and elevated Southern cuisine</p><p><strong>Essentials: </strong>Full bar; no smoking; major credit cards; wheelchair-accessible</p><p><strong>Entrees: </strong>$19-$25, including salads and sides</p><p><strong>Signature dish: </strong>Lamb chops with cucumber-yogurt sauce</p><p><strong>Recommended for: </strong>Live-music fans searching for a dinner-dancing scene</p><p><strong>Good to know: </strong>Generous dinner portions are standard; appetizers offered for those wanting just a snack; best for adults.</p><p></div>