Elegantly situated on top of a hill just east of the Capitol, this comfortable dinner spot has an easy grace. The former home’s rooms create nooks for easy conversation, and large windows offer a glimpse of the roaring wintertime fire pit in the large yard. The South Texas-inspired cuisine is deftly executed, evidenced by billowy gnudi dumplings on a streak of fiery green mole and a starter of Gulf crab gilded by a green curry custard. The nightly tasting menu brought the table a couple of less beguiling bites, but all had merit. The pickled mackerel topped with crunchy hazelnuts was an interesting study in contrasts, while lightly smoked duck breast tucked into ethereal flour tortillas made for luxurious tacos. A slice of custard-based, bourbon-infused pecan pie was a new interpretation of an old classic.