(From March 2011) When the world is too much with us, we make our way to the manor. The leisurely prix fixe dinner does wonders to soothe the soul. The menu changes weekly but the offerings are always delectable, from the amuse-bouche to the final sweet bite. Recent offerings included winter vegetable soup with house-made pork-and-duck pâté, chive crepes stuffed with braised ribeye and sauced with brandy-truffle cream, and white chocolate–amaretto cheesecake with blackberry coulis (we strongly urge you to choose the special entrée rather than substitute the crab cake or filet mignon). Bar

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(From June 2012)

The outdoor patio, with its canopy of oaks, is perfect for lunch or an early dinner; the sultry modern interior works for the late-night tapas crowd. And now there’s the owners’ mobile DUK Truck, setting up for special occasions and farmers markets. With a few larger plates on its once “all small” menu, Bin 555 is the go-to place for a convivial shared table of scrumptious noshes and nibbles, such as Gulf crab croquettes with lemon aioli and little grilled goat cheese
sandwiches. Bar.

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(From March 2011) This oasis of calm in Nordstrom is a refuge from the hustle and bustle of the food court. A goat cheese quiche sided with tangy arugula salad and roasted asparagus was all we needed to lift our sagging energy. Our companion’s crispy calamari appetizer arrived in a paper cone with dipping sauce on the side, and our small diners broadened their horizons with profiteroles stuffed with ice cream and a small pitcher of lus-cious chocolate sauce. Bar.

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(From May 2012)

Northern Africa and the Middle East provide most of the inspiration at this Mediterranean outpost, but French and Spanish dishes add variety to the long menu.  Consider the chef’s tasting menu, which may be a four course dinner built around a very flavorful cinnamon lamb tagine, or perhaps paella or cassoulet.  We also thought highly of the arctic char, the very prototype of whitefish, both delicate and flavorful.  Busy, sometimes noisy, but always cheerful and clublike, Boardwalk Bistro adds live Jazz to the mix Fridays and Saturdays.

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(From May 2012)

Named for the five dining spaces in the beautiful old-world boutique hotel that was once the Fondren Mansion, Cinq is the home base of Louisiana native Jeramie Robison, whose repertoire includes both modern cuisine and time-honored classics. We favored braised short ribs with ratatouille and crispy shallots and a luxurious Gulf red snapper with Lump crab, tomato compote, and lemon butter. Only too-tame escargots, begging for reasoning, fell a tad short. Bar.

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(From June 2011) Power menu meets power diners in an über-Marfa-cool space. Recent temptations included our favorite, the grilled rack of lamb, served on giant white beans with a leek-and-potato terrine, delectable in both flavor and presentation. This time we picked a bold fettuccine with asparagus, cannellini beans, and spicy chile flakes. With creamy, lemony mashers and braised brussels sprouts, the hickory-grilled swordfish proved as satisfying but without the fireworks. Cheers for the clever appetizer of peppery shrimp, bacon, grits, and a poached egg and for the dessert of bread pudding splashed with rum—spoons for all! Beer & wine.

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(From February 2012)

The minute you walk in the door of this TCU neighborhood favorite you’ll be hit by the garlicky, buttery aroma of steamed mussels. If you can look past those, you’ll find many interesting dishes, like a comforting linguine with a light tomato sauce, spinach, and Parmesan and a spicy orecchiette with Italian sausage, fennel, and tomatoes. More-ambitious entrée choices include ruby trout, roasted duck, rack of lamb, and grilled ribeye. Beer & wine.

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(From January 2011) We oohed at the golden-hued walls, plush banquettes, and intriguing metal art, all of which make an inviting setting for the Vine’s Continental cuisine. We aahed over the spinach custard, its boldness nicely lightened with a lemony hollandaise, and the exclamations continued with pistachio-crusted pork medallions, haricots verts flavored with truffle oil, seared duck with a cherry-grappa sauce, and red cab-bage hinting of sweetness. Subtly spiced lamb meatballs stole the show, though. We sighed happily as we ended with a simple but divine sherry-soaked almond cake. Bar.

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(From March 2011) Starting with acorn squash soup, we embarked on a gourd-happy homage to cooler weather at this quaint downtown house. The special of the day, a marinara pork ragù, came stuffed in our choice of either zucchini boats or acorn squash, while chicken tarragon, a regular menu item, served a boatload of tender white meat drenched in a white tarragon sauce (the lemon pepper pasta made a good side dish). For dessert, we couldn’t resist the crumbly-textured pumpkin cheesecake, made from scratch.

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(From January 2012)

When you just want something light—smoothies, salads, sandwiches—this hole-in-the-wall should be your first choice. The lovely longitudinal patio and inside aisles are one-way only, but the ultra-trim Marfa customers fit right in (literally), crowding Squeeze Marfa’s postage stamp–size tables with yogurt parfaits, fresh fruit, granola, and waffles.

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