In a city rich with high-energy restaurants, this tiny house tucked away in Uptown soothes with quiet decor, a subtly amazing menu, and sleek service. The wine list stuns and beckons, offering hard-to-find bottles (such as Turley, Harlan Estate, Williams Selyem, and Penfolds Grange), as well as a whole page of likable, unassuming "twenty-somethings."

The fare, like the wine, covers the globe. Begin with homemade ravioli stuffed with silky foie gras, garnished with shaved black truffle and port reduction. The soup pot nods to Texas with a vibrant puree of tomatillos and poblanos, cooled with avocado relish. From the Mediterranean, mild seared halibut, crowned in bright tapenade (olive relish), sits atop pungent chickpea puree.

Finally, surrender to fluffy French chocolate bread pudding with hazelnut crème anglaise. Chef Jamie Samford worked under Kevin Rathbun at long-ago Baby Routh, while sous chef Chris Peters came from Dean Fearing's kitchen. They surely make their mentors proud. 2917 Fairmount; (214) 855-0700. Prix fixe menus offer two to six courses for $34 to $59 a person.

At Lola, be spoiled in sophisticated surroundings 
with seared halibut over pureed chickpeas, topped 
with tapenade and served with baby vegetables.