Forty Five Ten and Café Mirador Impress ― Our First Look

Shopping powerhouse Forty Five Ten and its interior restaurant, Café Mirador, are dressed to impress in Museum Place. Both are the second locations based upon their downtown Dallas originals. While the shopping and dining are slightly smaller versions in Fort Worth ― the unparalleled polish, dedication to service and drool-worthy design details are just as grandiose. Here is our first experience at Fort Worth’s new Forty Five Ten and Café Mirador.

The design and dining duo opened at 3220 West Seventh Street in late March. It’s located near The Crescent Hotel, and just down the street from Don Artemio and Dos Mares restaurants. The space is a knockout, designed by Fort Worth-based Ibáñez Shaw Architects with interiors by SWOON, the studio.

Forty Five Ten and its Café Mirador have maximized its snug 4000-square foot space.

Forty Five Ten Is Filled With Eye-Candy

On the way to our lunch reservation (and, trust me, those are a must), a friend and I couldn’t make it a few steps inside the door before we became moths to the flame. Mannequins modeling the latest fashion were flanked by neatly hung racks of colorful ensembles ― designer duds with many brands you won’t find anywhere else in town. Bold artworks caught our eye, while a black and white grid layout on the ceiling flooded the space with light and geometric appeal.

We had to peruse the jewel-boxes filled with eyewear, and glass-topped wooden display cases shimmering with baubles. Toward the back of the showroom are dressing rooms, with a cozy lounge area near one display table of shoes. A bright wall of modern cut out displays is stocked with handbags and accessories.

You have to pass through the showroom on your way to Café Mirador located in a separate dining room to your left. But, you can’t simply pass through, so mission accomplished.

Ibáñez Shaw Architects and SWOON, the studio, knocked the design out of the park. Moreover it feels very familiar for regular shoppers at the Dallas mothership. And, while the merchandise is slimmer in Fort Worth, their stylists are ready to acquire just the right pieces to complete the look for their shoppers. The ones we spoke with were so knowledgeable about every item in the store, it was like taking a docent led tour.

Ladies Who Lunch ― Lunch at Café Mirador

Likewise, the dining room inside the adjoining Café Mirador was a spectacle. Four top tables are surrounded by café chairs with upholstered seats. Two-tops are afforded oversized, three legged plush and modern chairs, with stone topped tables. The space, which seats just over 30, has a street view, plenty of greenery, and powerful art. It is tranquil and welcoming.

We began with a French 75 cocktail called Uni 73. It is purple-hued with pea powder, in honor of Fort Worth’s hometown heroes at TCU ― because the University was founded in 1873.

The brand’s Executive Chef Travis Wyatt (who oversees the original Mirador in Dallas) collaborated on the menu at Café Mirador with its chef Manuel “Manny” Gutierrez. Gutierrez is a soft spoken Fort Worth native with an impressive resume. His experience ranges from The Ritz-Carlton in Dallas, to the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, and serving as Sous Chef at nearby Café Modern.

A New Lunch and Brunch Destination

Our meal began with a creative “tater tot” topped with chives and caviar. Then we nibbled the crispy chicken bites sided by a smoky lime aioli. It will make you pucker. Another small plate, the whipped ricotta, is served with toasted sourdough points. It had been super charged for spring, topped with charred English peas, Meyer lemon and fresh basil ― a garden explosion.

For lunch we sampled the lobster cobb salad tossed in a bright avocado dressing. Chunks of chilled lobster claws topped the pretty plating with egg yolks, fine herbs, roasted tomatoes and bits of smoked bacon. From the Mains section I would also highly suggest the Orecchiette pasta dish. The perfectly spiced sauce, which Chef Gutierrez says is really a labor of love spanning multiple days of preparation. It tasted like it.

For dessert we were astounded by the depth of the layered méringue creation. It was a mélange of edible flowers, grapefruit bits, fresh mint, papaya, mango and figs, filled with piped pastry cream. The dish was painted with three sauces and dusted with tajin. To say our first foray at Café Mirador stuck the landing, would be putting it mildly.

Café Mirador is only open for lunch and brunch. Hope to see you there.