TEXAS MONTHLY just released its annual “Where to Eat Now” feature, a list of the top ten new restaurants in Texas. Food editor Patricia Sharpe published the full list (and the runners-up) on Eat My Words, and writes about a few of the culinary trends that dominated 2011: 

The year just passed is notable for bringing several dining trends into sharper focus. Chief among them is what I call the offal truth, a.k.a. nose-to-tail eating. Locally sourced ingredients are also the rule these days. Pigs are big, which is observation about both their size and their popularity on menus.

Casual and small-plate dining are more prevalent than ever (several of the top ten choices have beer gardens and community tables). But fine dining is hardly on the way out (three spots are formal with a vengeance). As for culinary style, it’s all over the map: four othe top places are American melting pot, two are classic French, two are Italian, one Indian, and one Japanese.

The full story can be found in the March issue and online.