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Arlington Mayor Jim Ross volunteers at Taste Community Restaurant in 2023. (Courtesy photo | Rachel DeLira, Taste Project)
” data-medium-file=”https://fortworthreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Jim-Ross-Mayor-Arlington.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://fortworthreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Jim-Ross-Mayor-Arlington.jpg?fit=780%2C519&ssl=1″ tabindex=”0″ role=”button”>Most restaurants and cafes have a straightforward mission: serve great food and provide excellent customer service. Some restaurateurs, however, have a bigger vision for their day-to-day operations. They want to change the world, or at least their corner of the neighborhood. If you’re looking to use your dining dollars to make a difference in the community the next time you dine out, we’ve got a few ideas for you. Taste ProjectThe first thing you might notice when you look over the menu at Taste Community Restaurant is that there are no prices listed. That’s because Taste is a restaurant where customers are encouraged to consider three options: 1) pay whatever you can afford, 2) pay what you would for a comparable meal at another restaurant, or 3) pay extra to cover the cost of other people’s meals. Taste Project, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, includes the restaurant and a tuition-free culinary training program that helps place graduates in jobs at dining establishments around Tarrant County. At Taste Community Restaurant in Fort Worth’s Near Southside neighborhood, volunteers take orders and serve meals while students in the culinary training program prepare the food from a rotating seasonal menu. Taste Project’s profile is rising, recently earning an infusion of federal funds and a shoutout from food influencer Keith Lee. The nonprofit will soon open a second location in Arlington that will include a much larger production kitchen for the culinary school and more seating for customers. To place a reservation go here, or to volunteer go here. 1200 S. Main St., Fort Worth; 200 N. Cooper St., Arlington Miz Peña III planned and presented meals to prospective employers at the Taste Project’s showcase dinner on March 27, 2022. The showcase dinner is part of the nonprofit’s culinary job training program. (Courtesy | Ross Reitzammer)Nearly Famous Burgers and Hot DogsJeremy Lowe, owner of Nearly Famous Burgers and Hot Dogs in west Arlington, is passionate about making mouthwatering burgers, but his true calling is displayed on the wall between the front door and the cash registers. This is where you’ll find rows of prepaid receipts taped up, ready for any customer to pull one down and set it on the counter as they place their order for a free meal, no questions asked. Lowe calls it his “pay it forward” wall. He says the idea came to him in a dream, and then two days later a stranger offered him a “significant donation” to feed people who were struggling financially. That donation brought Lowe’s dream to life, and now customers who are in the know keep the wall stocked with prepaid receipts by adding an extra meal to their bill when they check out. 2502 Little Road, Arlington; 682-252-4016La La Land Kind CafeBuying a latte at a La La Land Kind Cafe is an experience. The positive vibes and “I love you” declarations from the baristas might just boost your mood more than the caffeine. Francois Reihani, founder of the Dallas-based chain, has stated that his vision is much bigger than serving hot beverages and pastries. Reihani wants to spread kindness in the world,and the coffee shops serve as a base of operations for his mission. Reihani started his hospitality career while he was a student at SMU, opening a successful poké restaurant in the West Village area of Dallas. But he wanted to do more than serve food. He opened the first La La Land Kind Cafe in 2019 as “a place where kindness is a priority,” according to the website. Early in his entrepreneurial career, Reihani learned about the plight of young adults who are aging out of the foster system and was shocked by the dire statistics. He started a foundation to provide job training, mentorship, housing assistance and mental health support through La La Land Kind Cafes. Today, La La Land Kind Cafe has 14 locations in Texas and California, with a Fort Worth location on Camp Bowie Boulevard set to open this fall. 5733 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth We’d love to hear from you! Send your restaurant tips and hot takes to thedish@fortworthreport.org.