TruFire Kitchen & Bar Is Still Going Strong

With restaurants in two shopping centers, one in Southlake and the other in Frisco, TruFire Kitchen & Bar is a Mediterranean and Italian concept offering freshly made, globally inspired dishes in a warm, energetic atmosphere.

Both locations have been open for several years and have a hustling and bustling business that is crowded almost every time we visit. Not wait-list kind of crowded, but only a few tables remaining kind of crowded. We attribute that to the fact that both food and service are consistently good. The menu offers something for everyone, from picky kids who only want cheese pizza to those with dietary restrictions. The wine and specialty cocktail program includes fresh muddled fruits, house-prepared sours and syrups. The atmosphere is warm and cozy, which is code for you’ll need your iPhone light to see the menu. But that’s OK, because it also means you likely won’t pay as much attention as you normally would to the almost certain Match.com date happening at the next table.

The Mediterranean shrimp salad ($13 at lunch, $19 at dinner) has chiffonade cut spinach, plump gulf shrimp, orzo pasta, feta cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes and red onions and is served with a mustard dill vinaigrette. It is refreshing and light, yet filling.

If you’re looking for something a little more substantial, the chicken sandwich ($14) is served with grilled chicken, prosciutto, mozzarella, garlic, creamy Italian dressing, tomatoes, mayo and mixed greens on a sourdough baguette and comes with shoestring fries, sweet potato fries, side Caesar or fig salad.

The spicy garlic noodles ($25) is one of the most popular dishes on the menu and for good reason. Served with rice noodles, the dish is topped with fresh grilled gulf shrimp, plump and juicy grilled chicken, prosciutto, Romano cheese, a roasted three-mushroom blend and a sweet vermouth butter and garlic sauce with fresh arugula and red pepper flakes. It is such a creative and unique dish that it may quickly become your “go-to” when you return for subsequent visits.

Another favorite is the gyro saltimbocca ($20), which is served with strips of crispy fried gyro meat, prosciutto, spinach, lemon butter, parmesan, sage and a roasted mushroom blend over pappardelle noodles. It’s savory, citrusy and succulent all rolled up on your fork and headed directly to your tastebuds.

A few dishes we haven’t yet tried but are on our list is the meatball pasta ($23) and the TruMac ($19), a hearty macaroni and cheese. We are creatures of habit and keep going back for what we know, but these are on our list for a visit soon.

In addition to the regular menu, TruFire serves brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., accompanied by $3 mimosas with your choice of traditional, blood orange (our favorite), blackberry and white peach flavors.

Our go-to for brunch is Eggs in Skilletory ($16), which is served in a piping hot skillet and includes sauteed spinach, tomato jam, mozzarella cheese and two poached eggs, with a side of grilled bruschetta for dipping. You may have to order extra grilled bruschetta to sop it all up.

6959 Lebanon Road, Frisco, and 1239 Main St., Southlake. Monday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Saturday, 10:30 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Sunday, 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.