A powerhouse dining experience is within reach if they just let the wine flow more easily and those top-notch ingredients speak more freely. Executive chef Kent Rathbun holds forth in a sumptuous space built around geometric shapes, rich colors and contemporary paintings. His pricey menu is global, dominated by Asia and the Southwest. Sashimi and caviar keep company with smoked or grilled meat and fish dishes that are assertively spiced and beautifully presented. Putting a modern spin on the steakhouse category is dicey in a city where allegiances to cooked cattle run long and deep.
Every table seems like a power table in the huge, rectangular and expertly lit dining room.
Service is smart and efficient. The menu has all the chophouse standards, but also wild mussels steamed in chardonnay, grilled sea bass with cioppino, and molasses-glazed quail. If Texas' own George W. wanted to lock up the presidency today, he'd promise a Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse for every town. The squat little shack has been home to some of the state's best barbecue since 1957. Now there are several branches, but only the original Inwood Road location has the authentic ramshackle ambience, with grade-school desk seating and plastic trays.