New York's trendy BLT food empire, the brainchild of chef Laurent Tourondel (the LT in BLT), has opened the first Texas outpost of its star restaurant, BLT Steak. A variation on the East Coast mother ship, it offers upscale twists on standard steakhouse fare (5301 Alpha Rd.; 972-726-9200).
Meanwhile, the classic Mansion on Turtle Creek in the Uptown hotel of the same name has reopened after renovations complete with new furnishings and a lighter color scheme but with the same well-regarded New American fare from chef John Tesar, who joined the restaurant last year. However, The Chef's Room, a formal 20-seat tasting room and a highlight of the revamp, has yet to open to the public – though it should be available for reservations in the next month (2821 Turtle Creek Blvd.; 214-443-4747).