mainly with an improved and expanded menu. We took
a seat outside and ordered two versions of the Blue
Point oysters, grilled on the half shell and fried atop
bruschetta, and could not decide which we liked bet-
ter. The six-ounce blackened beef tenderloin in a
rosemary demi-glace with truffle butter and Gorgon-
zola cheese was almost painfully good and accented
nicely by garlic mashed potatoes and roasted brus-
sels sprouts. Piscivores will be tempted by the sea
bass with sautéed leeks, arugula, and fingerling po-
tatoes. Bar. 4803 Old Bullard Rd, Tyler (903-534-
8466). L & D Mon–Sat. $$$Elsewhere
CENTRAL
THE BACKYARD BISTRO, PIPE CREEK SSS
UPDATE American | Taking a Hill Country trek?
Join Pipe Creek residents-in-the-know at this tucked
away bistro just off Texas Highway 16. Texana from
tabletop to playground, the Backyard Bistro is our
go-to for an end-of-week supper (it’s only open Thurs-
day through Sunday brunch), especially when the
weather lets you sit outdoors. Antiques are for sale in
the dining rooms, the outbuildings, and the shop up
front, but the food is anything but rustic. Country, yes,
with big, bright-yoked eggs standing up for weekend
brunch and herbs straight from the garden outside.
Pecan-crusted chicken breast with honey butter sauce
makes the most of simple ingredients, as does much
of the menu. If the black pepper ice cream is available,
don’t miss it. Beer & wine. 167 Panther Ridge (830-
535-4094). L Thur & Fri. D Thur–Sun. B Sat & Sun. $$$BRYAN’S ON 290, JOHNSON CITY SSS
UPDATE American | Chef Bryan Gillenwater con-
tinues to serve up flame-cooked Hill Country fare with
big-city flair in his unpretentious roadside eatery. For
starters, we ordered marrow bones: smoky, silky “beef
butter” with grilled bread and chimichurri for bright-
ness. Grilled cracker-thin flatbread with caramelized
onions proved as good as ever, and the ceviche was
fresh and studded with bits of creamy avocado. En-
trées feature lots of beef, ranging from a 28-ounce
cowboy ribeye to an 8-ounce tenderloin, plus Berk-
shire pork chops and fish (always salmon and redfish,
halibut and others when available), all cooked over
Bryan’s signature wood fire. The roasted half-chicken
was succulent and juicy, encased in marmalade-glazed
skin as crispy as any Peking duck’s. While the butter-
milk potatoes are good, the smoked Gouda mac and
cheese is better. Plus, the chef’s mother pops in to
make desserts, and if her Apfelkuchen is available,
order it. You can thank us later. Beer & wine. 300 E.
Main (830-868-2424). L Wed–Sat. D Tue–Sat. $$$EAST
LOS PINOS RANCH, PITTSBURG SS
UPDATE Mediterranean | Though we intended to
take advantage of one of the special entrées, we liter-
ally snacked ourselves out of the possibility. We
started with a tapas platter, which included manchego
and cheddar cheeses, salami, olives, and crackers, and
then opted for the Pig & Fig pizza, with Mission figs,
prosciutto, and herbed goat cheese. That went so well
that we migrated on to the Bacon Wrapped Steak Bites
with horseradish sauce and the Cheese Toes: puff
pastry filled with prosciutto and mozzarella, with mar-
inara on the side. Somehow we left room for the Me-
nage, a delicious-beyond-words dessert featuring a
chocolate crust, amaretto ice cream, fudge sauce,
whipped cream, and almonds. Wine. 658 County Rd
1334 (903-855-1769). L Fri–Sun. D Thur–Sat. $$$107, PARIS SS
UPDATE American | 107, an upscale pub and beer
garden located in a historic building on the square, is
an airy space with high windows and just right for
kicking back with friends over a glass of wine and fish
and chips, burgers, tacos, and more. Live music is of-
fered throughout the month. Beer & wine. 107 Grande
Ave (903-609-8806). L & D Wed–Sat. $WEST
ALICIA’S BURRITO PLACE, ALPINE SSS
UPDATE Tex-Mex | This small, unassuming eatery
south of the railroad tracks and just off the highway to
Terlingua doesn’t need hype. The food speaks for itself,
from luscious burgers and fries to Tex-Mex soul food.
Can anything be more tipico than a green enchilada
plate? The combo may sound ordinary—enchiladas
composed of two flat flour tortillas layered with cheese
and topped with mild sauce, sided by refried beans and
homey, gruel-textured Spanish rice—but the whole
definitely transcends the sum of its parts. Diced let-
tuce and tomatoes provide a touch of freshness. Add
a little table salsa and the plate positively sings. 708
E. Gallego Ave (432-837-2802). B & L 7 days. $LA KIVA, TERLINGUA SSS
UPDATE American | When you drive through the
entrance in the roadside wall you are in what was once
an RV park by Terlingua Creek, shaded by large cot-
tonwoods. All gone now. What remains is the
half-subterranean bar and restaurant. Although the
place has retained the atmosphere of the original, it
has shed the slapdash vibe to become a profession-
ally run facility. There always seems to be live music
(some performers better than others) and the food—
pizzas, burgers, steaks—is delivered with reasonable
dispatch. A fat jalapeño, roasted and splayed, amped
up our bistec toreado—which also came with garlic
whipped potatoes (better than any baked version)—
but what made the dish were the onions sautéed in
soy and lime—wonderful. Bar. 23220 Hwy 170 (432-
371-2250). L Mon–Fri. D 7 days. $$$ TTYLER-LONGVIEWINDUSTRIAL CEILING FANS
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