Gather With Chef Debra Workman — Restaurant in Bridgeport

Hurry up and wait....

I reserved seating for my wife and I on Valentine's Day, thinking it would be a better than usual meal without having to drive to Ft. Worth. I tried to find a Valentine's special menu prior to booking, and then prior to arrival, but could not, but I did preview the regular menu online. We were caught a bit off guard when we were seated to find salads already at our places, and deduced that there must have been a  prix fixe menu in place. The salad course was on the table. A small but clever looking "salad" sitting it a parmesan crisp "dish". The crisps were cooked very unevenly. Hers was much lighter than mine, and mine had become soggy in the center from the dressing. Which seems almost impossible, given the small amount of dressing that anointed the torn, wilted romaine.

Our next course was french onion soup, which tasted very good to me. Honestly, my only experience with french onion soup took place many years ago, and it was awful, so to me, this was quite yummy. My wife, who has eaten french onion soup many times, offered that it was very good, and commented that it was much less salty that typical french onion. Our server took our entree choice at this point. Our choices were beef Wellington, sea bass, or quail, but we received no description of the dishes or information about sides, sauces, etc. My wife selected the sea bass and I chose the Wellington.

After the soup we were served an oyster on the half shell, in a sort of Rockefeller style. There was a yellow substance under the edge of the oyster, and we both tasted it. Eek, it was butter! There is absolutely nothing wrong with butter, but unexpected, lukewarm butter was a turn off.

Then we waited...and waited...and waited. It was over an hour between the oyster and the entrees. There was a second seating at 7:00 and it was obvious that the staff was feeling the pressure. Our server went ahead a took our dessert selection. The choices were a whiskey, apple tart with ice cream, a blueberry souffle, or a chocolate cake. We opted for the tart and souffle.

The entrees eventually arrived amid the distractions of people leaving, tables being reset, etc. The sea bass was served with a red quinoa dish and some sort of sauce that was again, a mystery. The fish was very dry, more sauce might have helped. Due to health reasons, my wife and I both eat slowly. After finishing the fish, she was enjoying the quinoa, and after sitting her fork down to chew, with food still on it, the plate was snatched away by the server. "Your dessert is on the way", she said, as our jaws dropped.

At that point I asked for the rest of my beef to be boxed. The beef itself was delicious but just a bit beyond the medium rare that I'd requested. It was accompanied by some sort of green puree, which when combined with the beef, was a delicious bite. There was a side of mashed parsnips....or gold potatoes....or something...we never heard what, but it tasted good.

Desserts arrived in just a bit. By now the front 9f the house was abuzz with activity, and it was quite distracting. The apple tart was blasė and seemed chewy and stale. The tiny little ice cream scooplets melted to nothing straight away. The souffle....was just blah, let's stop there.

All in all, our entire experience was pretty bad. We won't be returning and cannot recommend...

We had an exceptional dining experience at The Gather with Chef Debra Workman. The dining experience was crafted with passion and precision. From the moment we entered we were greeted by warm hospitality and an ambiance that sets the stage for an unforgettable dining experience. We were captive by the elegant and inviting ambiance and tastefully designed atmosphere that was so cozy. We then took in an extraordinary culinary adventure. Chef Debra is a very talented chef that takes great pride in sourcing the finest local and seasonal ingredients and ensuring that each dish is a work of art on its own. Her entire menu is thoughtfully curated to cater to all palates. It was over the top! The exceptional service was outstanding too. Every staff member was very attentive and knowledgeable, dedicated to ensuring that every aspect of our visit was flawless.

Whether you're a local resident or a visitor passing through, I encourage you to make a reservation today and discover why "The Gather with Chef Debra Workman" in Bridgeport, Texas is a destination for those seeking the finest in food, service and ambiance. You will be...

There are two awesome restaurants in Wise County - GoGo Gumbo and Mask House. They are both amazing, but radically different. Mask House is definitely "upscale" and decorated with taste and charm, sorta nostalgically classy. The food is common elements (pork chops) reinvented, cooked differently, with a tasty creative flair - flavorful elegance. The chef/owner is charming, and actually wants to know how you liked the food. The waitress was perfect - never there when you didn't need her, magically appearing whenever you did - perfect.

Short version, check it out - you'll love the food even if the wine list is a...