One of our newest steakhouses traces its heritage back to one of our oldest.
A shiny new Texas Land & Cattle is open on Interstate 30 at Nolan Ryan Expressway in Arlington, a new home for one of the landmark steakhouses in that Dallas-based chain.
But Texas Land & Cattle's legacy began with a smaller, simpler brand: Hoffbrau Steaks.
And the oldest Hoffbrau in North Texas will celebrate its 30th anniversary later this month in Fort Worth.
Where other Texas steakhouse chains have come and gone -- losing market share to Florida-based Outback or Kentucky-based Texas Roadhouse -- both Texas Land & Cattle and Hoffbrau Steaks have thrived, particularly in beef-happy Tarrant County.
The newest Texas Land & Cattle replaces a barbecue restaurant near Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
The company has always been known for its hickory-smoked sirloins, sliced and served medium-rare. Now, the same sirloin comes on lunchtime sliders or nachos.
The food is a half-notch below a prime steakhouse but better than at other midprice chains, with touches like a maple-ancho pork chop on the lunch or dinner menus, baked sweet potatoes and a blue cheese-bacon lettuce wedge as an extra side at lunch for $1.99.
A current special offers two steaks and an appetizer for $25.
The new location is open for lunch and dinner daily at 1600 E. Copeland Road; 817-461-1500, texaslandandcattle.com.
The same Fogiel family that helped launch TL&C still owns Hoffbrau Steaks, and plans a party to mark 30 years at the now-flagship location near the Fort Worth Zoo.
"We've survived a tornado that rocked downtown, a fire that made us forever grateful to Fort Worth's finest, and countless Colonial bashes," Rainey Fogiel wrote.
To celebrate, Hoffbrau will serve its entire food menu at a 30 percent discount Oct. 22-24.
The menu is a few dollars cheaper than Texas Land & Cattle's, and Hoffbrau has specials that are all its own, like chili, a signature chicken-fried steak and ranch-style black-eyed peas.
It's open for lunch and dinner daily at 1712 S. University Drive; 817-870-1952, hoffbrausteaks.com.
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