Have you ever wondered what it would be like to eat dinner in the Sistine Chapel?  Or how would it feel to be Louis XV for the evening and break bread in your very own palace?  How about foraging on table scraps like braised veal cheek, La Belle Farm foie gras, and Berkshire pork belly while surrounded by more gold leaf, hand blown crystal, luxe draperies, and dancing cherubs than should be allowed by law?  Of course we’re extolling the greatness of The French Room which, incidentally serves a menu that’s not really all that French in an ambiance that is much, much more than a room.

Now, we’re certainly not braving uncharted waters by applauding the wares of Chef Jason Weaver’s cooking or the unsurpassed beauty of The French Room.  More than quite a few international and national publications have lauded the magnificence of both, doling out award after award making it the most decorated restaurant in Dallas.  Hell, even some of the local hacks have managed to capture the splendor of Chef Weaver’s grub and Dallas’ most beautiful dining hall.  But as usual, we’ll leave the mundane, cliché laden, and uninspiring pats on the back to the other guys and take our fellow foodies where others dare not go.

I know the saying goes “it all starts at the top” but in the case of The French Room, it all starts at the front.  Maitre d’ Jim Donohue is the classic front of the house guy, blessed with a seemingly digital photographic memory and an unflappable sense for making all diners feel completely welcome and at ease amidst all the refined (and what can be intimidating) elegance.  He’s been manning his post since 1985 and leads an experienced, polished, and dedicated team, many of which have been with the restaurant for 20 years or more.  For those that aren’t in the business or don’t know anyone that is, believe me when I tell you someone working at the same spot for 5 or 10 years is an eternity.  The fact that more than a few have stuck around for over two decades underscores the commitment and passion this team possesses.  And considering the adulation the food and atmosphere at TFR routinely has bestowed upon them, the service certainly has a lot to live up to but these guys put the F in Five Forkhead service.  No lapses.  No oversights.  No pretentiousness.  No kidding.

When the Exec Chef post was vacant a couple of years ago, foodies everywhere rightfully assumed it would be filled by a CIA or Le Cordon Bleu honors grad with a century or two in the fine dining business and with a name that would immediately register with discerning diners nationally.  I mean to carry the flag of this prestigious and highly decorated bastion of gastronomy nothing else would do, right?  So, naturally they went out and hired a 31 year old ex-Marine with less than a decade in the business who crafted his culinary skills at a place called School Craft College in Livonia, Michigan.  Now I am certainly not going to say the CIA or LCB is overrated.  There are simply too many big name local and national chefs that have one of those diplomas on the wall.  However, I will say getting your start and rising the political and cutthroat ranks in the world of chef-dom certainly is dictated by a chef’s natural creativity and skill but, perhaps even more so, on being in the right place at the right time.  Soon after graduation, Chef Weaver caught the eye of the Ritz Carlton in Dearborn, Michigan.  And damn, did they have a good eye for talent?!  During his relatively short tenure as Executive Chef over The Grill, JD Power & Associates ranked his restaurant #1 in the entire Ritz chain and Conde Nast Traveler’s 1999 report rated it in their top 10.  Wow! Now that’ll get you noticed. And it did.  From there he was recruited by the Mandarin Oriental to oversee operations at first their Miami then New York location.  During that stint, he garnered national acclaim from the Food Network, Travel & Leisure, Conde Nast, and a little ole outfit called the Robb Report. 

Even though he became known for his version of French Asian cuisine while cooking in NY and even though he now works at The French Room, Chef Weaver describes his cuisine as Modern American.  But let’s be honest, The Modern American Room doesn’t sound all that sexy, does it?  There are some decidedly French dishes on the menu and classic French techniques are apparent throughout but don’t go to The French Room expecting French traditionals like syrupy escargot, rabbit loin in a rich cream sauce, or frog legs swimming in duck fat.  Instead, expect incredibly fresh ingredients prepared simply and with precision (what else would you expect from a green Marine?), plated up with sauces that get their breadth and intensity from hours and hours of reducing on the stove and not simply from an extra stick of butter.  Frenchies – are you listening???

On our last trip to The Room, we opted for the 3 course tasting.  Considering this is perhaps the ultimate special occasion locale, don’t be shocked that they have a magnum or two of Taittinger Champagne iced down and ready to pour at all times.  And who doesn’t like a great glass of bubbly to start the evening off?  The amuse bouche was a delicate king crab and yellow tomato gazpacho with a swirl of chive oil.  Palate cleansing and fresh, this paired famously with the bubbles. 

Servers swooped in like a synchronized swim team to deliver round 1 - a foie gras brioche and poached lobster.  The liver was snuggled into a crispy toast square glazed with mint jam.  Carmelized figs and a handful of roasted walnuts completed this absolutely exquisite dish.  Washed down with a nice Sauterne, this was inarguably perfect.  The mound of butter poached lobster tail meat was laced with just a touch of Dijon and flanked by dilled fingerling potato halves.  A crisp Alsace cut the richness and sweetness of the lobster effortlessly.

After a pre-dessert love affair with a Kaffir lime sorbet served in an exquisite crystal rose dish, the showstoppers arrived.  Souffle and Chocolate torte sound so French and so run in the mill French at that.  But, when the soufflé is dripping with vanilla and frangelica anglaise and the chocolate is Valrhona, ordinary suddenly becomes extraordinary.  The soufflé was, well a soufflé, but was the perfect light and airy consistency punctured and filled with the luscious sauce.  Lemongrass and Meyer lemon gastrique brought an usual twist to the torte, as did a crush of peanuts sprinkled over the top.  Again, Chef Weaver was masterful in mingling contrasting flavors into a decadent concerto that somehow almost seemed wispy despite the dense chocolate flavor.  And, okay, we had another glass of the Taitt to wash these down ;). 

Perfect segue into sommelier Greg Cheval.  Mr. Cheval would have to be in any local wine geek’s top 5.  We love somms that are not only very knowledgeable but also not so prone to upsell you to a higher price point.  Hey, I get it.  They have a job to do, inventory they’re pushed to push and, sometimes, are getting a cut of the profits so the temptation is there.  But the really good ones put themselves in your shoes and approach it sensibly.  As noted above, Mr. Cheval recommended a Shiraz to us and I think it was $75 or $80.  He noted it was drinking very well and would match the flavor profiles of our entrees very well so we took his advice.  Now, at that point if I’d told him I wanted a nice Bourdeaux he could’ve easily navigated me to that but starting at a reasonable price point immediately makes the interaction more comfortable.  Besides, I don’t need a wine guy to tell me a $500 or $1,000 bottle of wine is good.  And if you’re just bringing the guy over so you can spew your wine knowledge so he can agree with you and make you feel good about your selection, you need to google the term narcissistic personality disorder and get over yourself.  Their value, at least for us, is showing us those $80 bottles that drink like $200 bottles and, most importantly, elevate the overall dining experience.

At this point, let’s give props, shout outs, and a polite golf clap to our friends at Budweiser.  No, no, no there’s no Bud tap in The French Room but one wouldn’t exist without the other.  German Adolph Busch bankrolled the construction of the Adolphus Hotel way back in 1912 for a cool $2.5M.  The architectural authorities of the day deemed it the most beautiful building west of Venice and many a celeb called it home for the night from Queen Elizabeth II to Babe Ruth to Lucy Arnaz and even modern day stars from Bill Cosby to The Donald.  It has changed hands a few times over the years and had a couple of facelifts but still stands as the grand dame of old school hotels in the South.  King of Beers; king of hotels.  As noted, The French Room came along much later but its stunning décor, baroque finishings and old world touches make it seem like a little chateau within the hotel that has been there since day one.  Muralist Alexander Rosenfield is responsible for the rapturous ceilings, the enormous hand blown crystal chandeliers were crafted in Murano, Italy and all of the crystal, china, silverware, and linens were all custom made for the restaurant.  Calming and regal hues of ivory, pale greens, light blues and pinks caress the glitz and subdue the bling keeping this masterpiece modernly classic but with a double dose of old school. 

To summarize, a beer guy builds a big hotel.  For a couple of generations, it’s the cat’s meow and all the stars flock to it.  In the mid 80’s, they open a breathtaking restaurant called The French Room and it receives hordes of national acclaim.  Fast forward 20 years and they hire a Marine to run operations and, even though it ain’t so French anymore, it becomes even more celebrated.  Make sense?

In a time when the dining public has demanded that aspiring five star restaurants become more casual in their approach, some of us have grown a bit nostalgic for those that clutch to the pillars of fine dining that, admittedly, the French steadfastly maintain.  I think it was General Patton who said, “I’d rather have a German army in front of me than a French army behind me.”  Clearly G-Patt wasn’t a fan of their war time skills and, even with a fellow military man running this army, I doubt The French Room would’ve been his scene either.  But tell me, is there really anything wrong with throwing on a freshly pressed suit or a nice new dress to go be pampered by tuxedoed waiters and eat incredible food off of bone china in a castle like atmosphere?  If that’s not your thing, fine.  You’ve got plenty of other fine dining options.  We say this is one thing the Frenchies got right.