In a spasm of generosity, PCP blogger (and Rosewood p.r. honcho) Kersten Rettig took me to a sneak peek luncheon at the newly remodeled Mansion, which opens today. Following the departure of legendary chef Dean Fearing to Ritz Carlton, the dynastic Rosewood brass determined it was time to update Dallas’ most honored luxury restaurant. They hired chef John Tesar and whoa, the boy can cook. I’m no foodie, and we’ll all to have wait breathlessly while Her Majesty Queen Nancy makes her assessment. What follows then is a sort of “Bubba’s Review of The Mansion,” penned by the most ordinary of food critics.
A Regular Guy’s Review of The Mansion
The basic layout of the place is the same; no major floorplan changes. If you were the type of person who had their own “favorite table,” then you can still have it, but it’s a totally different looking table. What strikes you is that everything is much lighter than before, with less mahogany, curtains, and warmth and more natural light coming through the room. The modern art is totally generic and butt ugly. It is supposedly from Texas artists yet says nothing, which only proves that our Lone Star modern artists are probably just as overrated as modern artists from LA or New York. I defy anyone reading this to tell me what any of these paintings is about. The light fixtures are even uglier. I highly suggest someone with some sense run over to Weir’s and get these white, gangly atrocities replaced before Caroline Hunt sees what they spent her money on.
Those criticisms aside, the new tables are made of sleek polished wood with ultra-comfy chairs. It’s less stuffy than tablecloths, evidence of the hipper direction. Also the back hallway area and the patio feel more connected to the overall restaurant, which is nice.
Then there is food. At first glance, the lunch menu is disappointing for Regular Guys, because it has a lot of very fancy snob food that no one I know ever eats. Then I saw a hamburger and knew I was safe. I started with the Alaskan crab. Keep in mind that two months ago I was in Alaska, eating crab that had just been plucked out of Kelp Bay near Baranoff Island. It was nowhere near as good as this. I was highly tempted to go back into the kitchen and high-five chef John Tesar and then ask for seconds. It was a WOW dish. Then I proceed to the smoked barbecue spare rib. When it came out, I thought chef Tesar had spent too much time in Paris because it looked nothing like any spare rib I’ve ever eaten. It also tasted like no other spare rib I have eaten – it was 127,000 times better. OMG, as the kids say. Chef Tesar may be from New York, but the guy has skills with the grill. I learned that this beefy masterpiece is slow roasted for 72 hours before they slice it and put it on some creamy mashed potatoes with savory BBQ sauce lightly drizzled over it. Incredible.
Kersten had some chick dish of mini raviolis that she oohed and aahed over, but I kept to my spare rib. Then for dessert I had a chocoholic’s dream of Chocolate four ways – an intense cocoa bean experience. Kersten’s lemon dessert was also light and amazing.
Great service as you would expect. The staff is not arrogant in the least, but charming, professional and VERY attentive. The “people side” of this restaurant are all five star.
Here’s the bad news for us Regular Guys: the Rosewood people expect you to pay for this remodel. The price for our lunch, with no liquor or wine, was $150.00 with tip for two people. Ouch. My suggestion is that they sell off their “modern art” and lower the prices to a level where everyone’s CFO will not go into cardiac arrest when the expense account is submitted. If the lunch prices are this high, I wonder what dinner prices will be!
The Bar has been updated and in my opinion, is cozier and more inviting than ever. The Patio off the main dining room is really cool, and if the weather permits, I would highly recommend sitting out there at night or for lunch. Great view, great surroundings. Out of town guests will love this. There is also a chef’s private dining area that looks very cool and is, according to Kersten, a real show-stopper dining experience.
Bottom line: Amazing chow for big bucks. Decor gets one star, chef Tesar gets five.
