EATS

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• John's Cafe owner's garden is a fresh-food paradise

• Thw Grape's Brian Luscher shows how to grill a flank steak

• Natsumi owner Natalie Nguyen has a chill approach to green living

Photo of John Spyropoulos (John's Cafe) and his son-in-law Mike Niotis by Natalie Caudill / DMN

You never know what kind of fun stuff you're going to find out when you meet a chef.

Last week, I finally got to have lunch at The Conservatory and made the acquaintance of executive chef Gianni Santin. Last time I'd lunched at the Rosewood Crescent Hotel, the restaurant was still called Beau Nash, the hotel itself was still the Hotel Crescent Court, and the local celebrity I spotted there was the late, great Greer Garson.

Gianni Santin's been in his current post for only about six months, but before that he was the hotel's award-winning pastry chef -- one who had trotted the globe, cooking at various Rosewood luxury properties in Bali, Riyadh, Singapore and Bangkok.

Now that the Paris-trained chef is in charge, sustainability is his motto. He has remade the menu with locally sourced and organic produce, including Texas seafoods, meats, cheeses, spices, fruits and vegetables. His signature menu item probably is his Texas-farmed shrimp speared with a dried vanilla pod and sauteed in vanilla-bean butter, served with organic baby spinach. His sesame crusted scallop and lobster ravioli also rock.

But besides the lobster, there's one thing chef Santin has shipped in specially from up North:

Maple syrup. And it's not just any maple syrup.

(Dallas Morning News photo by Evans Caglage)

So you're a bride and you're dreaming of your big day (I would say "your perfect day" but I don't believe in that silliness.) Anyhoo, you're thinking, "Wow. I want to have a classic, plaid cake on my big day that may or may not be the most important day of my life, but in either case will definitely be special." Awwww! So you give your baker this picture. But (and this is a true story) your baker gives you back this.

Meet my new favorite blog Cake Wrecks, "When professional cakes go horribly, hilariously wrong."

Some of the cakes might seem familiar this like this one, for instance. That's because it was created right here in Rowlett and was featured on NeighborsGo.

Everything's bigger in Texas!

I'm sure all the food blogs are throwing this up simultaneously, but Top Chef-er Casey Thompson just sent out this email:

Chef Casey Thompson and Shinsei Restaurant Amicably Part Ways

"My years as executive chef of Shinsei have been a wonderful experience. At this time, I am currently exploring a variety of culinary opportunities. I appreciate the opportunities provided to me at Shinsei and wish them all of the best for the future."

- Casey Thompson

More info to come ...

You know you're a real Texan if you can eat X2's real Texas chili in triple-digit heat in the middle of a real Texas summer. X2 will be handing out sass and samples of hs new frozen Bowl of Red chili at area Whole Foods Markets this weekend. He's at Highland Park (Lemmon and Lomo Alto) on Friday, Preston-Forest on Saturday and Plano (Preston and Park) on Sunday. Noon to 6 p.m. at each store. Chili purists might want to have a word with the boy; I hear he doesn't mind if you add beans to his chili.

This week, Restaurant Critic Bill Addison reviews Stephan Pyles' self-named Southwestern restaurant downtown.

Kim Harwell reviews Pulcinella, the Neapolitan pizzeria on Henderson Avenue.

Share your own review of these restaurants. Leave a comment below.

Also, Kim Harwell discusses openings, closings and other restaurant news in this week's Table Talk.

Photo of Stephan Pyles' rack of lamb by Evans Caglage / DMN

But just where or what is the Inn at Dos Brisas, you ask?

Good question. It's a tony little resort and restaurant in Brenham, TX, a little over an hour's drive outside Houston, with a surprising distinction: It was one of 17 restaurants in the entire country to be awarded five stars by the Mobil Travel Guide in 2008. That's a big deal. Gander at the five-star Mobil list. It's all the stratospheric players. So how, one wonders, did this relatively little-known spot nab top honors? Note that it's the only Mobil five-star restaurant in Texas. Most of its media coverage appears to center more on the Inn itself - to my knowledge, no mainstream newspaper or magazine has ever done a full-fledged review of the restaurant.

An intrigued Scott over at Dallasfood.org went to investigate: He recently ate there three times in one week, and posted his lushly photographed accounts on his site. I'll be in Houston in October and, gotta say, after reading about and viewing Scott's meals, I'm interested now, particularly since those folks make their own cheese. Scott's a discerning fellow, and he seemed fairly impressed.

If anyone else out there has eaten at Dos Brisas, I'd be curious to hear your report.

Photo of Dos Besos' ricotta gnocchi with vegetables in a light cream sauce by Scott, dallasfood.org

If you live northy and like cherries, H Mart at Old Denton Tap Road and the George Bush Turnpike has Rainiers for $2.99 a pound and regular Bings for $1.99 a pound. I saw them today, plus colored Holland bells (yellow, orange and red) for $1.49 a pound. Small lemons were four for a dollar.

I made my first selection from the food court, which is pretty much dominated by Korean choices plus sushi. Black soy bean sauce over noodles was a glossy brown, earthy melange with onions and tiny bits of pork over al dente egg noodles. (Try twirling those with your chopsticks.) For $6.50, the bowl was big enough to leave half for a take-home meal. There's so much to like about this place. I can't wait to try more.

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Great Harvest Bread Co. is inviting its customers to write an essay about "Why I Loaved the '70s" -- a decade that, as the bakery points out, "launched a whole-grain revolution that's stronger than ever today."

First prize is pretty cool: an iPod Classic, loaded with the top 50 hits from the 1970s. Second prize is a 20-inch disco ball; third prize: DVDs of two '70s films, Animal House and Jaws 2. Winners will be selected from entries received at Great Harvest bakeries around the country during the month of August.

For contest entries and rules, the bakery advises: "Get your groove on down to your local Great Harvest Bread Co.," in Dallas (Snider Plaza) and Flower Mound.

Not to miss: Dallas' 27th Annual Caesar Salad Competition on August 3. The lineup for Sunday's event includes Charlie Palmer, Oceanaire, Shinsei, Canary Cafe, Sevy's Grill, The Rosewood Mansion Restaurant, The French Room and others.

Those are going to be some impressive Caesar salads - and if you've never been to the competition, each chef adds a little amuse bouche created to sway your vote his or her way. You know, a trifle like lobster or foie gras. The chefs get wacky, too. One year a chef used a huge, hollowed-out Parmigiano Reggiano wheel for his salad bowl.

Attendees spend four hours eating, drinking and voting, and the winner is announced at evening's end. Last year's winner, Parigi's Janice Provost, is this year's host. I don't know if she used her restaurant's recipe, but it's one of the best Caesars in Dallas.

Make plans now to reserve one of the few remaining tickets by calling the AIWF hotline at 214-696-2493. They're $70 a piece. The event takes place from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Fairmont Hotel, 1717N. Akard, in the Renaissance Ballroom.

I'm hoping Bistro Mama Jeani Wilkinson will still take orders through today for Eden Organic Garden Center's market day Saturday. You can see her price list here, and email her here.

I say this because I finally got around to preparing the East Indian Tikka Kebabs with her handmade naan and charred tomato chutney "kit" from last market day. I made the recipe with JuHa Ranch Berkshire pork, and it was excellent.

The chutney made a great counterpoint to the thick, moist naan (made with cream and yogurt) and yogurt-curry-marinated pork, which we cooked on the grill. And I just opened a jar of her sweet and spicy pickles; she should add sour to that. Wow. They make my whole face pucker.

Mama Jeani always brings a selection of yeast and sweet breads and jarred goods to market day. The idea with calling ahead is to be sure what you want will be there. The market day is 9 a.m. to noon at the rustic garden center, 4710 Pioneer Road. The market days with organic or sustainably raised produce, meats and eggs, are the first and third Saturday of every month.

Sushi on McKinney closed now? Even if the owner does want to go back to Japan, it shakes us like a creepy version of musical chairs: Who'll do the last tango next? Sushi on McKinney, I take personally. It was daughter's favorite high-school haunt, and the agedashi tofu is a comforting, homey version.

As someone who's been around long enough to remember the crust of the earth cooling, I can tell you that we haven't seen a parade of closures like this since the S&L crash of the '80s. You could buy a Rolex for a tap dance in those days.

The first clap of thunder on the post-millennium drawdown? Ciudad calling it quits last summer, I'd say.

A reader sent Kim Pierce this tip, and it turns out to be accurate: According to an employee, Sushi on McKinney will close on August 15. The employee said that the closing of the restaurant, which opened in 1986, wasn't so much about lack of business, but that the owner, Ben Sanada, is ready to retire and is contemplating returning to Japan.

Still, it's already been another disquieting week for restaurant closings, with Sushi Samba, and, as TG first reported, Kitchen 1924.

Sailing through Shed No. 1 at the Dallas Farmers Market for my Lemley tomato fix, I noticed that we've got Parker County peaches this week next door at Nancy's, and Jacksonville Best tomatoes next to her.

Lemley's tomatoes were smaller this time, but no less flavorful. The peaches also were intense. When it gets hot like this with little to no rain, the peaches are smaller but the flavor is concentrated. I had some off my backyard tree last week that also were super-sweet and peachy.

Our Dallas Farmers Market Shed No. 1 weekday folks had beans, peas, potatoes, onions, okra, golden tomatoes, also pear and grape tomatoes, a few blueberries, peaches and squash. Also melons. Note: Mr. Lemley and other vendors put bushels of overripe tomatoes and peaches under their tables, which you can buy at discount and use to make jams and sauces.

If you live or work downtown, it's a no-brainer to drop over during lunch or before work.

And hey, if you go on Friday or Saturday, don't forget Texas Meats in Shed No. 2. They're marooned from the other farmers as the shed plods through its renovation. They were the pioneers with pastured meats, celebrating five years at the market. And they make the best chicken sausage I've ever eaten.

The City of Rockwall and Friends of Downtown Rockwall got a late start on the season, but they've got a good lineup for their farmers market, which is in the courthouse parking lot on the town square at Goliad and Rusk streets.

Rowdy Heddin (Canton), Reeves Family Farm and Sue Ann Gilbert (Princeton) will have stuff like tomatoes, corn, okra, grapes (not Texas produce), squash, strawberries (Calif.), plums, watermelon and cantaloupe, maybe a few late blueberries. Reeves has honey.

Jim Bonner will bring his Pa-ee's Jellies (I swear that has to be a typo. Maybe Pa-pee's?) from Rowlett. These are jams, jellies and pickled jalapenos. Hiram Farms from Wills Point will have salad greens, some produce and farm eggs. Steve Jarvis from Como will bring in figs, blackberries and blueberries (fresh and frozen), honey-roasted pecans, honey and ribbon cane syrup. Ancillaries include organic pet foods, plants and herbs.

It takes place 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays through Aug. 23. More vendors will be added weekly. If the market goes well, the city will extend it into October.

All Bennigan's locations closed this morning. Read the story here.

Tell us: Where you a Bennigan's fan? Do you have any favorite memories associated with the chain?

Looks like the faltering economy has claimed a sizeable victim: Plano-based Bennigan's. Read the DMN Business staff's story here.

UPDATE: Although local Bennigan's restaurants are closed, and news reports say so are others in Chicago and Florida, some Indiana locations report their Bennigan's remain open, at least for now.

However, Bloomberg News reports that both Bennigan's and the Steak-and-Ale chains are seeking bankrupcy protection:

The chains listed assets totaling as much as $550 million and debt of as much as $150 million on 38 separate Chapter 7 petitions filed today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Sherman, Texas.

Cheddar. What a big, broad word in the English language. Are we referring to a rectangular block of orange Cracker Barrel in Kroger, or to the traditional farmstead English cheeses most famously offered by Neal's Yard Dairy? Those examples - in taste, texture and production - are universes apart. (Janet Fletcher at the San Francisco Chronicle wrote a great story on the wide world of cheddar a couple years back.)

In speaking of traditional English-style cheddars, there's one American cheese maker who has impressed experts and connoisseurs on both sides of the Atlantic. John Fiscalini launched his farmstead cheese operation in Modesto, Calif. only seven years ago, but, with the help of experienced Vermont cheddar crafter Mariano Gonzalez, he started making cheddars that hold their own against the best in the world.

The suggestions for other places in the state making authentic chicken-fried steak besides Mary's Cafe in Strawn, which I wrote about here, continue to roll in.

Mary L. writes, "On a recent trip we stopped at Sutton Steak House off I-10 in Sonora, Texas, and had their chicken fried steak. It was made the way us old-timers still make it and simply delicious." It's listed as Sutton County Steak House, and Sonora is between Fort Stockton and San Antonio west of Junction.

Read on for more, where distance is no object.

Pappas Bros. Steakhouse can be a little overwhelming when it comes to the 86-page wine list. To make it easier for those disinclined to navigate all its pages, wine director and master sommelier Barbara Werley has added "Sommelier Selections," about 30 wines that various of members of the wine staff recommend.

"California to French to Italian - right there they can find really cool things," she told me recently at a Banfi wine get-together. "They know they can find things they know we like." Prices range from $32-ish to $250. She's also expanding the breadth of the wine selections.

Shannon Sutlief just called to confirm, and yep, it's true: Sushi Samba in the Dallas Galleria closed at the end of service last night. More details forthcoming.

And speaking of fusion restaurants calling it quits, Fusion Cafe in Eastside Village in Plano just closed as well.

The Mansion Restaurant at the Mansion on Turtle Creek and Hibashi Teppan Grill, Sushi and Bar are now participating in KRLD Restaurant Week. The Mansion is offering reservations through August 31 (check out the menu here); Hibashi's are through August 24, plus it'll accept those Central Market Fourth Course cards. Neither will participate in the preview weekend. Check out the full Restaurant Week package.

Eats reader Margie of the Eating in Dallas blog, who had commented on how the Mansion was not on the original list, received a heads up from the restaurant that it would be accepting reservations for Restaurant Week starting today. When asked, KRLD also released that the new Japanese spot Hibashi would join the ranks. This puts the list closer to its original 120 participants after the closings of Riccardi's, Tucker, Kirby's Plano and Scene.

Photo of the Mansion's dining room by Courtney Perry / DMN

Whole Foods Market has introduced a couple of Leigh Oliver products made in Tyler in East Texas: To wit, Leigh Oliver's pimiento cheese. There are three flavors: Southern, Spicy and Gouda Green Chile.

I got the Texas-spicy Spicy and Gouda Green Chile (which is a blend of cheddar and gouda), and have been finding ways to use them ever since (besides just eating them with a spoon). The Spicy contains jalapeno peppers, and the Green Chile tastes like the chiles are roasted.

I've been rolling both inside corn tortillas with refried black beans, or refrieds and eggs, for breakfast. I know it's a spread, but it does an excellent melt to a saucelike texture.

They could really go anywhere you might use melted cheddar - burgers, sandwiches, on vegetables or chicken. Got other ideas? Anyway, they're $5.99 for an 8-ounce container.

I hate it when this happens, especially with a wine shop that has staked a claim in an underserved area, such as Rowlett. But I guess it's a sign of the times. WineStyles at 8301 Lakeview Parkway (northwest corner) is closing Aug. 16.

To reduce inventory, the store has wines on sale for 25 percent off. WineStyles typically carries accessible, value wines. When I visited this store a couple of years ago, that included Famega white from Portugual, Texas winemaker Kim McPherson's Rose of Syrah, and Australia's Kangarilla Road Shiraz. I doubt those will still be available, but they're indicative of the types of wines this pioneering shop was selling.