Upscale Rustic Drinks and Dining Served at New Black Sheep

Hand-cut Angus steaks, prickly pear cactus fries and brisket enchiladas are just some of the items attracting guests to the new Black Sheep Bar and Grill at the Clarion Hotel, where food and drink are married with design and flavor infusion for a traditional-meets-modern vibe.

Born out of the formerly outdated and dark space once called The Cattleman's that used to boom in the early ‘80s at 441 Rio Concho Drive, the Black Sheep opened up three months ago with a new look, name and concept that centers on a west Texas theme and maximizes the creative talents of an experienced chef and head bartender.

“[The concept is] upscale rustic, and that’s the kind of clientele we’re targeting. Having a place for those who like places like this,” Food and Beverage Director Mark Math said, motioning to the clean and spacious dining room with modern, earthy elements. “Myself, I don’t like bars and crowds. I like nice, new-looking [places] with ambiance.” 

Known as “The Texas Chef”, the Black Sheep’s Stan McDonald was born in Midland and has classical training and kitchen experience that spans 40 years and cris-crosses the nation.

McDonald was given full creative freedom as pertains to the menu, dreaming up dishes that range from the tequila lime shrimp to the cumin crusted lamb chops. All of the menu items are made fresh daily, Math said, and additional ‘Chef’s Specials’ are prepared on a daily basis.

“We’re still fine-tuning it; we’re finding out what’s going out and what’s not,” Math said. “We want to get it right, and then every three months probably…we may add or take away a few things from time to time. Every day there’s a different special. The last week we got some oysters in, so we’ve been doing oyster shooters, an oyster plate—it’s continually changing.”

From the kitchen to the bar, the Black Sheep has developed their food and drink cards based on the strengths of their staff, including a line signature beverages that includes jalepeno and horseradish infused tequila, and a sweeter, pale pink bubblegum infused vodka.

“You cut it up into little pieces [and mix it with the alcohol],” Math explained the infusion process. “The bubblegum only takes about six or seven hours…Depending on the actual flavor profile you’re going for, it can be seven hours to even two weeks. It just depends on how much you want to draw out of it.”

Head bartender Huston Smith is behind the bar’s infusion project, and after two months of testing, has found just the right ratio of alcohol to gum and vegetables to provide the desired flavor.  

“It’s a science,” Math said. “He uses a couple different sizes of mason jars, but to get to that point we went through a lot of testing to find out how much product needs to go into either a tequila or a vodka. They are two different types of alcohol and they will dissolve and they will draw out those flavors differently.”

Early concoctions were hardly drinkable, Math said, but with the aim of striving to create something unique, Smith’s testing continued until he found something just right.

Now a “spicy senorita”, or jalepeno margarita made with infused tequila is available on the menu, along with the west Texas bloody mary and the prickly pear margarita. So far, the latter seems to be the most popular among guests, Math said, who also says the prickly pear is his personal favorite.

The Black Sheep Bar and Grill is open seven days a week at 11 a.m., and closes at 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 9 p.m. Sunday and Monday. The bar has the license to stay open till 2 a.m., but currently has an open end depending on traffic. Happy hour is from 4-6 p.m.

On Oct. 19, the restaurant will be hosting its second brunch, which features an expansive menu including mussels, shrimp and free champagne and mimosas. The first seating will begin at 11:30 a.m. and the last will be at 2:30 p.m.

The Black Sheep is located inside the Clarion Hotel at 441 Rio Concho Drive.