07/10/08

New Owner...Great Improvement!!

by Unisyn

After Duce was sold to new owner, Efrain Benitez, the restaurant started making some vast improvements in food AND service. The service is very friendly and the food is absolutely supberb! Duce offers a 2-for-1 appetizer during the 5-7 pm happy hour. I have tried the scallops, which in my mind are some of the best I have ever had! The lamb I had was excellent and not overcooked. I honestly can't wait to try the steak, which I hear is over the top. I have talked to other people who have gone recently and they agree that the food is a big improvement over the previous owner's cuisine, partly due to the fact that the food is delivered fairly promptly now. The patio is one of the nicest I have have seen in the Fort Worth area, with waterfalls in the walls and occasional live music (DJ or Jazz band). The drinks are not weak and the atmosphere on the weekends offers a lively buzz throughout the establishment.

I hope that this restaurant sticks around because I do have to say that for a quality upscale atmosphere, this is the place to go.

• Pros: Great lounge-style atmosphere with excellent cuisine.
• Cons: More people need to start frequenting the place during the week.

11/03/07

I've been to Tim Love's, Lonesome Dove and Love Shack and both are great. Too bad this 3rd concept couldn't measure the same.

by suzanneruiz

Atmosphere and server were great!! But the food was terrible, very disappointed, money wasted, we will not return.

07/28/07

An embarrassment! Anyone for Sonic?

by bcann

There are rare occasions when a promising haute cuisine resturaunt fails to live up to its billing. Especially so when the place is new and probably trying to earn its way among peers. Well Duce on our lunch visit was a disappointment to say the least. My party of three were the only seated guests at lunchtime on Saturday. Though we were greeted politely by our hostess and the interior is pleasant, warm and comfortable that is where the postives ended. Right off the bat the salads were uninspired and uncreative and though comprised of several ingredients they were put together in a way that wasn't complimentary. My companions smartly did not order an entree after such a shaky start. I did however and when I received my food after a 50 minute wait the seared Yellow Fin was barely warm and bland and appeared to have been precooked in advance and warmed up. The pedestrian sides on the plate did nothing to offset the tired nature of the dish.

To make matters worse our service was really comically bad and I do not use those terms lightly. The gentleman waiting on us had to be prodded and cajoled just to show any interest in our party whatsoever - even with trivial matters such as refilling our drinks- and left and chatted up the hostess or else openly chatted for long periods on a cell phone in plain view. He even jokingly tried his hand for a while at making bar drinks though he was not tending bar and presumably the drinks were for him. At all times, he just did not look as though he was interested in being there and not at all interested in providing service to the only seated table. He showed no interest with the polite basics like asking how the food was or whether he could do anything for us.

I would not go back to Duce; not if I was given a free meal there. There are many places in Fort Worth whose food and service are far better and that probably includes many on the same city block.

• Pros: I wish I could have found one.
• Cons: Everything but the dining room itself.