EATS

Check out the menu at the new Lambert's in Fort Worth, which opened late last week. This is the most recent venture from Louis Lambert and Grady Spears, who have a long professional history but most recently teamed on Dutch's Hamburgers last year.

This is the second location of Lambert's, the first is in Austin, though Spears wasn't involved with the Austin branch.

Lotsa good-lookin' meat dishes on this menu (brown sugar crusted rib eye ... hmm). The "achotie" seared chickpeas look novel, though, unless this is esoterica of which I'm unaware, I think that should be spelled "achiote," right? And I'm hoping the whiskey in the subtitle next to steak and seafood means the restaurant will have a robust bourbon selection.

For more on the restaurant, read Amy Culbertson's well-written piece from the Star-Telegram last week.

Get a taste of Dallas next fall --- in Fort Worth.

Some familiar local names are going into the new West 7th urban village development nestled between downtown and University Drive.

The roster includes 817-area code versions of Tillman's Roadhouse, Brut champagne bar, Fireside Pies, Iron Cactus and Patrizio's. Expect a neighborhood gourmet market also from the creators of Dallas City Market.

The development will be anchored by the Texas debut of West Coast bowling phenom Lucy Strike Lanes.

Two words: Road trip.

Photo by Courtney Perry: Tillman's Roadhouse

Louis Fabrice Latour, the 7th-generation winemaker of Maison Louis Latour in Burgundy, will be the special guest at a wine dinner hosted by Hotel St Germain on Monday, April 7.

Mr. Latour will work with executive chef Chad Martin to create a five-course meal paired with the wines of Maison Louis Latour:

Latour Simonet Ferre, Latour Chablis 2005, Latour Chassagne Montrachet 2005, Latour Santenay Rouge 2004, Latour Gevrey Chambertin 2005 and Chateau Corton Grancey Grand Cru 1996

The Latour wine dinner is $125 per person. Call Hotel St. Germain at 214-871-2516 for reservations.

The Texas Department of Agriculture and the Wine & Food Foundation of
Texas are presenting "Set A Course For Texas Wines," spotlighting the best of Texas wines, foods and chefs, on Monday, March 31 at The Contemporary, 2801 Swiss Ave.

From 2 to 5 p.m. it's a private tasting event that's open only to the trade. However, the public may attend from 6 to 9 p.m. Chef Richard Chamberlain, owner of Chamberlain's Steak and Chop House, and Jermaine Brown, executive sous chef at Abacus, will demonstrate cooking with Texas meats and seafood.

Tickets are $40, and proceeds benefit the Wine & Food Foundation of Texas. Call 512-327-7555 or see the Wine & Food Foundation's website for reservations.

I'm sure this is going up on blogs all over town right about now, since we all got the press release email about half an hour ago, but Fearing's and Sharon Hage of York Street got nominated for 2008 James Beard Awards. Fearing's is up for Best New Restaurant and Hage is up for Best Chef Southwest (so deserved, ate there recently for fun, had a glorious meal).

Here be the full list.

PS -- Congrats to Robb Walsh at the Houston Press for his nom!

When Vin Classic Wines holds a tasting on Saturday of Siduri Pinot Noirs and Novy Syrahs, owner-winemakers Adam and Diana Novy Lee will lead the tasting of current releases.

She's from Ennis and he's from Austin, and the two met in Dallas, where he was hired to oversee the wine department at Neiman Marcus. One thing led to another, and they decided to pursue their dreams of winemaking and bought an acre of pinot noir in Sonoma County. On a lark, they left a bottle of their first vintage for Robert Parker at his hotel and - long story short - he loved it and made them famous. You can read the whole story here.

Scoot on by between 2 and 5 p.m. Saturday because you like cult pinot noirs or to congratulate a couple of locals who made good in the California sun. Vin Classic is at 5717 Legacy Drive, Plano; it's free, but RSVP here or at 469-241-8800.