The Inn at Dos Brisas
French farm-to-table cuisine in the heart of Texas
There is definitely rest for the weary at the lovely Inn at Dos Brisas, located in the picturesque Texas countryside just west of Houston. The restaurant is reason alone to journey to this rustic ranch resort.
The haute cuisine is a little bit French and a little bit country, with dishes such as poached pheasant with black-eyed pea cassoulet and chilled lobster with Texas Rio-star grapefruit. The extensive wine list includes more than 3,500 different vintages.
With an organic farm on the property, the chefs at this Washington, Texas restaurant are able to craft some of the most creative, seasonally focused food in Texas. Chef Zachary Ladwig, who is at the helm of the restaurant, uses handpicked herbs and heirloom vegetables as he creates mouthwatering meals that change as often as the produce is picked – you'll never get the same dish twice when you dine at this Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star restaurant.
Our Inspector's Highlights
- If you’re staying at the inn on a Sunday, brunch inside the restaurant is a must. The kitchen will start you out with a variety of heavenly baked goods, including croissants, scones and muffins before you dive into homey dishes like fried chicken with creamy mac and cheese washed down with a bloody Mary.
- This destination restaurant is set far away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Tucked inside a relaxing 300-acre luxury ranch resort, at 10000 Champion Drive, in the tiny rural town of Washington, Texas, The Inn at Dos Brisas sets the mood for the innovative farm-to-table cuisine.
- Surrounded by rolling hills, meadows and a lake, the location couldn’t be more serene; hotel guests ride around the grounds on customized golf carts or on one of Dos Brisas’ many horses. And a horse ride just might help you work up an appetite for dinner at the luxury Texas restaurant.
- The elaborate floral centerpieces, intimate seven-table space and high-end decor all set the mood for casual elegance at this cozy eatery.
- Service is intimate and friendly at this Five-Star restaurant, but always polished and attentive. The small setting allows for personal attention (guests that like to be coddled will appreciate this) but it’s not hovering or intrusive.
Things to Know
- A special occasion calls for a special dress
code, and dinner at The Inn at Dos Brisas requires just that. So men, don a
jacket, maybe even a tie, and ladies, put on the glitz – believe us, the
restaurant’s 7,000-bottle wine collection and French-influenced innovative
cuisine is worth the extra primping.
- The tech-minded can shoot off an email to the
Inn’s staff or book online through OpenTable. Though if you are staying the
night at the resort, you won’t have to worry about snagging a table at the
restaurant; hotel guests are guaranteed dinner reservations here.
- The Inn at Dos Brisas is open for dinner Tuesday
through Saturday with seatings from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Dinner on Sunday and Monday
is only for hotel guests.
- The Five-Star restaurant offers lunch on Tuesday
through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday brunch is also from 11 a.m. to 2
p.m.
The Food
- Expect to see unique use of flavor and
applications at the restaurant. A recent starter for the multi-course tasting
menu, for example, was an olive oil-poached Copper River sockeye salmon topped
with tiny scoops of a soothing cucumber sorbet and a refreshingly tart and
creamy fromage blanc sauce.
- If you're stopping by for lunch, get the burger.
It's made of pure Texas wagyu beef and topped with blue cheese aioli,
caramelized onions and heirloom tomato; and comes with a side of the
restaurant's signature fries.
- Expect to see the farm’s produce used in every
course. Executive chef Matt Padilla often makes use of the same item in many
different ways, revealing diverse elements of the flavors.
- Prepare your palate with a bite of The Inn at
Dos Brisas’s freshly baked bread. Still-warm bread arrives tableside, often in
a different flavor each night – perhaps you’ll find it’s a crunchy, rosemary
French roll or a moist hunk of jalapeno corn bread.
The Drinks
- The Inn at Dos Brisas restaurant has some
fantastic seasonal cocktails. You might sip a melon mojito in the summer made
with fresh melons and mint from the restaurant’s gardens.
- Don't skip the bloody Marys – both the chef and
bartenders like to make the most of the bountiful produce found outside the
restaurant’s doors. More than 60 varieties of heirloom tomatoes create an
earthy juice for a divine morning libation.
- The restaurant gets its excellent coffee a few
miles away from Independence Coffee Company, a family operation that has been
small-batch roasting coffee beans since 1948.
Getting There
Stories
