Burgundy Steak & Seafood Restaurant, Denton, Texas

LOVE IS AT THE HEART OF BURGUNDY

By Ellen "EJ" Sackett

Now that New Years is out of the way, it's time to be thinking ahead to the next big holiday: Valentine's Day. With just over a month away, it's time to make those reservations now to take your sweetie out for an expensive romantic dinner.

In Denton, Texas, my choice for date night is Burgundy Restaurant, opulent without being pretentious, decorated in rich, warm golds and deep reds as the name suggests. It is located west of the Downtown Square, next to the Campus Theatre. (Unfortunately, the Campus is dark on Valentine's Day this year, but check its Web site at www.campustheatre.com for upcoming events to combine dinner at Burgundy with a live performance.)

At Burgundy, you'll be greeted by the door by Tony Huda or his wife, Melissa, whose heart and soul touches every aspect of the dining experience. Simply put, they love their restaurant and want you to love it too.

Before you are seated, cuddle up with a drink on the black leather couch by the entrance. If it's your first date, you may want to sit at the beautiful back-lit bar and chat with Tony or watch a bit of the ballgame on the big screen HDTV. Burgundy has a fine wine list and a full assortment of liquor. Take your time to decide. Dinner awaits, but there's no rush.

The dining room is cozy, but the tables are far enough apart that you won't be disturbed by neighboring guests. If you are fortunate, first-class jazz guitarist Joseph Gomez will be performing quietly in the corner, or you may hear Frank Sinatra piped in overhead. Kick off your heels under the table, ladies. What's a romantic dinner without a little footsie with your tootsie?

The servers are friendly, yet professional. They are informed about the menu, offered on a one-page board that isn't extensive, but selective. Burgundy mainly serves seafood and steak, although there is one lamb dish, a duck au poivre, and a chicken entreé as well. The Steak and Lobster Tail combo, rarely offered at Denton restaurants, is an occasional specialty of the house. The Shrimp Tower served over rice is excellent and reliable, and any of the steak cuts (Bone-in Rib-Eye with Peppercorn, New York Strip, and the Filet Mignon) are done to perfection as you like them. The Sea Scallop over spinach is another satisfying choice, and the Seabass In Orange Terragon Beure Blanc over Sauteed Zucchini and Squash never fails to please.

The portions are not large at Burgundy, so you may want to choose an appetizer or salad before the main course. A plain white bread basket comes with three choices of butter: sweet, fruit and jalapeño, and a sorbet sample comes between courses to cleanse the palette--other nice touches from the Hudas for their guests. Vegetarians may want to choose from the side dishes ala carte, but for $6 each, the amounts are small.

Follow dinner with dessert with coffee or a port wine, and then hold hands while you take a stroll around the historical Denton Square, lit year-round with twinkly white lights. This completes the perfect romantic evening--or who knows? Perhaps your night out at Burgundy will be the perfect prelude to a romantic evening in.

$$$

Burgundy Restaurant, 222 W Hickory Street, Denton, Texas
(940) 384-1800

Hours:
Open for dinner only, Mondays through Saturdays, 4:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Closed on Sundays

*Originally posted on www.goodtastebuds.com (January 3, 2009)

Chestnut Tree Tea Room, Denton, Texas

CHESTNUT TREE AND TEA FOR ME

by Ellen "EJ" Sackett

My blood pressure drops by degrees when I walk through the primrose and ivy-covered arbor into Chestnut Tree Garden Tea Room, on the south side of the square in historical downtown Denton, Texas. The soothing background music calms my soul, as does the soft lighting, the gentle clatter of silverware and dishes, and the murmur of light, friendly conversation.

I relax and soak up the warmth of the room. I am surrounded by faux greenery that creates the illusion of a garden courtyard. The sunny-yellow walls are the backdrop for a revolving display of paintings and photographs by area artists mixed among floral tapestries. An assortment of miniature chandeliers and standing lamps provide most of the light in the room, and the cheerful white tables are dressed with hunter green cloth napkins and fanciful salt-and-pepper shakers. Above me, grapevines intertwine with tiny white lights, a bouquet of baskets hangs from the ceiling, and birdhouses and butterflies abound.

I feel a bit like a little girl at a tea party except that I am surrounded by mostly middle-aged-and-older women as well as a few men. Charles, my waiter, brings a napkin-lined basket of mini-muffins to the table and takes my drink order. I choose the passion fruit-flavored tea and pop the irresistible muffins in my mouth, one after another, first smearing them with Chestnut Tree's extravagant honey and strawberry butters. I'm off to a good start.

It is late and the usual busy lunch crowd is thinning, so Charles has the leisure to spend some time with me. Based on his suggestions, I choose a variation on the tea plate sampler from the menu. We talk about the celebrities who have eaten at Chestnut Tree, including Kathy Bates and Renee Zellweger, as well as the Denton-based rock band, Midlake, that filmed part of their Hometown Texas town video for MTV in the restaurant. Noticing that I've downed another glass while we chatted, Charles brings me black current iced tea this time--his favorite--to sip on until my lunch arrives. I feel like I'm getting the royal treatment, even if I'm not Renee Zellweger or Kathy Bates.

Let's talk food. Any sandwich on Chestnut Tree's signature beer bread is a winner. While there are seven other bread choices, the beer bread makes an otherwise ordinary ham and swiss or turkey breast sandwich unforgettable. The egg and chicken salads, not too soggy nor dry, are cut above homemade. The chicken and basil quiche is a sure bet, but so are all five varieties of quiche that sell out every day. I could make a meal of the side broccoli salad it's so yummy, but if I wanted a just a salad for lunch, I'd go with the spinach or the Caesar. I suggest you save enough room for Chestnut Tree's most popular dessert—the Strawberry Pretzel, a typical southern dish made from Jell-O, whipped and cream cheese with a pretzel-butter crust.

Before I leave, Charles brings me a Peach iced tea to go (it is a tea room, after all), and I take a moment to check out the gift shop that I passed on the way in. I thumb through the restaurant's cookbook. If you can't make it to Denton to eat at Chestnut Tree, then order the book, which has many of this lunch spot's best recipes, for $12.95 plus tax and $5.95 shipping by e-mailing chestnuttree@verizon.net. In my opinion, it's worth double the price.

Try this popular soup recipe from the new Chestnut Tree Tea Room Cookbook, and let me know what you think:

Chestnut Tree Tea Room's Baked Potato Soup

4 large baking potatoes
2/3 C. butter or margarine
2/3 C. all-purpose flour
6 C. milk
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 green onions, chopped and divided
12 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled, divided
1-1/4 C. shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 (8-oz.) carton of sour cream

Wash potatoes and prick several times with fork; bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until done. Let cool. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; then scoop out pulp. Melt butter in heavy saucepan over low heat; add all-purpose flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute, sitrring constantly. Gradually add 6 cups milk; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and bubbles. Add potato pulp, salt, pepper, 2 TBS. green onion, 1/2 C. bacon and 1 cup cheese. Cook until thoroughly heated; stir in sour cream. Add extra milk, if necessary, for desired thickness. Serve with remaining onion, bacon and cheese. Yield: 10 cups.

$-$$

Chestnut Tree Tea Room
107 W. Hickory Street, Denton, TX (940) 591-9475
Tea Room Hours: Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Gift Shop Hours: Monday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Originally posted on www.goodtastebuds.com (January 29, 2008)