Eats Beat: Le Cep’s classy French cuisine turns 1 in style

Le Cep Restaurant is celebrating its anniversary.

That alone is an accomplishment, given the uncertainty of opening a flashy, contemporary French restaurant in the middle of — as Texas Monthly described — “barbecue, beefsteaks and country-club fare.”

But the Kimbell Art Museum is two blocks away, and Saint-Émilion three blocks, so there was reason to hope for Le Cep chef Sandra Avila’s venture.

Now, after a year of ups and downs but mostly ups, Le Cep has been around long enough to offer a “greatest hits” menu.

The all-star lineup features a choice of Avila’s lamb with farro and cucumber or plum duck with Chinese noodles, along with the scallop with Parmesan crème brûlée or the “Œuf,” a poached egg atop crimini mushrooms.

There’s also a choice of a chestnut soup or salad. Dessert is a rhubarb-strawberry parfait or vanilla-caramel pain perdu.

The four-course menu (not available Saturdays) remains $45, the eight-course with everything $85. With wine pairings, they’re $80 and $145, respectively. A cheese course is an extra $15.

Be prepared: This is delicate haute cuisine based on precision and perfection, not hearty dining.

Le Cep is open Tuesday through Saturday nights; 3324 W. Seventh St., 817-900-2468, leceprestaurant.com.

Pumpkin-spice pizza

The hauntingly good Cane Rosso pizzeria launches a Halloween dessert Friday.

The Spooky Bird is a double-secret off-menu dessert pizza with vanilla-bean mascarpone, pumpkin-spice cookie butter and crushed Speculoos shortbreads.

Cane Rosso is still busy for pizzas, the 2-for-$22 lunches and Cuban sandwiches. Open at 11 a.m. daily except Mondays, 5 p.m. Mondays; 815 W. Magnolia Ave., 817-922-9222, canerosso.com.

Chuyitos, Chuy’s together

Chuyito’s Texican Burgers had everything but Tex-Mex.

So the Adame family’s artisan hamburger grill has brought back basic Tex-Mex from the family’s local, original Chuy’s Restaurant locations.

Now, Chuyito’s diners can order the peppery burgers or Chuy’s items including chilaquiles, huevos con chorizo, enchiladas or carne guisada.

It marks the neighborhood return of Chuy’s, formerly located kitty-corner across North Main Street. It opens at 10 a.m. daily; 1521 N. Main St., 817-887-9322, facebook.com/Chuyitosburgers.

(The Chuy’s Restaurant locations in Fort Worth, Haltom City and River Oaks are not related to the larger Chuy’s Tex-Mex chain in Fort Worth and Arlington.)

This story was originally published October 23, 2015 at 9:59 AM with the headline "Eats Beat: Le Cep’s classy French cuisine turns 1 in style."