This new southside Fort Worth restaurant has BBQ brisket & burgers, but with a twist

A popular Fort Worth chef is taking a big chance on West Magnolia Avenue.

And the question is whether patrons will take their chances with Eazy Monkey,

Andrew Dilda has been among the top chefs at almost every leading Fort Worth restaurant, and this time he’s decided to do local food his own way.

There’s brisket from Brix Barbecue. But it’s served on wontons or in bao buns.

There’s a burger. It’s a perfectly normal rendition with cheese and relish, just served with egg fried rice.

There’s a chicken-fried steak. It’s on a Japanese curry with sticky rice.

“Of course the guy who worked at Reata is going to do a chicken-fried steak,” Dilda sald on an recent Eats Beat Live streaming YouTube interview.

Eazy Monkey, taking over the former Fixture space in a 98-year-old former flower shop at 401 W. Magnolia Ave., is up against tough competition.

Teddy Wongs, seven blocks away at 812 W. Rosedale St., is the flashiest Chinese restaurant Fort Worth has seen in 30 years. It’s so busy you need a reservation most nights.

Walloon’s, three blocks away at 701 W. Magnolia Ave., is a stylish seafood restaurant with a New Orleans touch from chef Marcus Paslay’s company.

It’s tougher to convince diners to try “Asian-Tex fusion.”

“This is very personal,” Dilda said.

“If you were coming to my home, this is some of the food I would prepare.

Dilda, a Saginaw native, is outspoken about wanting Eazy Monkey to be different but not fancy.

“We can do a simple dish and not worry about ‘Hey, do I need to put truffle on everything?’ “ he said.

“Just try it.”

Eazy Monkey is more laid-back than nearby restaurants, with a back patio perfect for hiding from the world and whiling away a sunny afternoon.

“I wanted this place since it was Fixture,” Dilda said.

“It’s one of the best patios on Magnolia, maybe excluding Shaw’s,” referring to restaurateur David Shaw’s traditional grill and bar at 1051 W. Magnolia Ave. with 40 years of history at two locations.

Eazy Monkey is now open for lunch and dinner daily except Mondays; eazymonkey.com.